Through Sun and Fog

I am always tempted to pull out my camera at the beach. In part, this is in response to the beautiful setting, in part to the fact that I am relaxed and taking a breath, and above all, to the particular way that people relax, behave, and engage with nature at the beach. Through Sun and Fog focuses on images taken on the beaches of the Outer Cape. My childhood was spent summering on these beaches with my family, and sharing them with my children has been an important ritual in my adult life. When I pulled out my camera at the Head of the Meadow Beach, I noticed that looking through the viewfinder, the horizon line all but completely disappeared. This effect is not uncommon on the beaches in this area. There are not mountains, rocks, or buildings to disrupt the horizon line. Bathers seem to float, their bodies truncated in odd places. Shadows and reflections abstract beach-goers into light and dark. Neither Cape Cod beaches nor their beach-goers are particularly glamorous, but together I find them harmonious and beautiful. Cape Cod weather is unpredictable and typically cold. There is usually a possible storm licking at the horizon. The beaches are often lonely and tinged with sadness. On these beaches, I find myself at home. At Cold Storage Beach, the world dissolves into an mist of grays or browns. Everything seems to evaporate, leaving pure calm. I see these images as portraits, not of individuals, but of a place, with its distinct character, light, and inhabitants.