Going in for a swim.

This image is part of the OBX sunrise series.

However, this image spoke to me and said that it was worthy of a post all its’ own.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I see things in images that not everyone else does…  And, yes, I do believe that a picture can say a thousand words.

When you’re shooting (well, at least this happens to me), you don’t always notice everything that’s happening in an image at the time you’re making it.  It’s also likely that not every happening and every detail stands out to you when you look at it on your camera screen.  And sometimes, you really don’t see everything the first time you see it on your monitor.

Somewhere along the way – it hits you!  “It” can be a lot of things.

“It” hit me in this case as I was preparing the OBX sunrise post.

Going in for a swim isn’t always just going in for a swim.  Have you ever sat on a beach and seen a young child run towards the water, arms raised in excitement and anticipation?  Or seen someone on their first visit to the ocean doing the same thing?  If you take a breath and pause to savor the moment, it is a special moment to share, if only from a distance.

As I was going through the images, I noticed something in the lower left corner of this image that had eluded me before.  Yes, there are the “big things” in this image.  There’s the golden glow of the sun.  The nuanced textures of the water and the waves.  Footprints in the sand.  There’s a lot going on here if you take the time to ponder the image, and not just look at it.

And, there’s what appears to be a sea gull in silhouette from the rising sun, it’s wings casting soft shadows.  He or she is in mid-stride heading towards the water, wings outstretched like a child.  Was it the anticipation of the morning swim?  The excitement to catch a wave?  The awe and energy of a new day?

I’d prefer to think that it was one of those instead of an early morning stretch!

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What do you think was happening here?

The full image can be viewed by clicking here.  You can find the sunrise gallery by clicking here.

It could look great on your wall.  Or on a mug.  Or a water bottle…