Pinole Bay

It was a gray-ish day. I’d only ever driven through the town of Pinole. There didn’t seem to be much to attract outsiders: a few cafes, some historic buildings, residents walking dogs and pushing strollers. Anywhere, America. I parked and started walking west, towards the water, camera in tow.

There was a path. You could cross the railroad tracks and get really close to the water…

…or you could cross a little bridge and see the bay from a distance.

The birds were certainly out that day. They’re not a favorite photography subject of mine. Just when you’ve framed the shot, gotten everything into focus and are ready to click, they move. But it was either them and the picturesque views near the water…

…or the industrial blight. There are some coastal areas of California that are just gorgeous. It almost doesn’t matter where you point your camera and shoot. Carmel comes to mind. Half Moon Bay. Cambria. Not Pinole.

Still…sometimes one simply needs to expand one’s definition of “beauty”…

I love this next photo because it looks like a multiple exposure and isn’t. It’s as If I’d taken several photographs of the same bird in its quickly progressing stages of take-off. But no. These birds had been rehearsing this scene for me all morning, coordinating amongst themselves when to deliver this performance. It was my favorite shot of the day.