Solitary Seagull at Sunset | Oregon Coast Photography | Scenic Beach Art, Solitary Seaside, Oregon sunset, sunlit shoreline, fine art print

The coastal town of Seaside, Oregon, was my refuge for the week, a pleasant place to call home while roaming the Oregon Coast looking for great photos. One of the photos I intended to capture was the perfect sunset. The weather, however, had been uncooperative, raining off and on, with thick clouds often blotting out the sun. This evening was likely my only chance to photograph the suntrail on the Pacific and the wet shoreline as the sun dipped below the horizon.

As I arrived at the beach, a familiar frustration settled over me. Once again, a dense cloud bank was forming, threatening to hide the sun just as it would reach its most dramatic point. People were beginning to gather along the shoreline, hoping for a beautiful sunset but looking skeptical about their chances. I wasn’t going to let this be another washout. I was ready to make the most of whatever conditions I faced.

The sights and sounds of Seaside at sunset were a sensory feast. The soft murmur of waves gently hitting the shoreline, the scent of salt in the air mixed with smoke from beach fires, and the laughter of children and adults walking and playing along the sand created a lively yet serene atmosphere. The unique earthy smell of the Oregon coastline added to the ambiance, making the experience even more unforgettable.

I started shooting, frame after frame, trying to capture the fleeting moments of beauty. The growing cloud cover and the expanding crowd made it challenging to find a clear shot. The beach was wide, and the water from each wave left a massive, shiny expanse as it receded, creating a perfect canvas for the suntrail. But the clouds were relentless, and people were beginning to turn away, realizing the sunset was likely to be obscured once again.

Just as I was about to give up, I noticed a seagull walking toward the point where the suntrail reflected off the thin layer of water left by the waves. My heart raced with excitement. This was my chance to turn the evening into something memorable. I patiently waited, tracking the gull’s progress through my lens. The anticipation built as it neared the perfect spot. I took a deep breath and snapped four shots in rapid succession, hoping to capture the magic.

In one of those shots, the seagull was exactly where I wanted it, perfectly framed against the suntrail. The image was stunning: the bird silhouetted by the vibrant colors of the fading light. As soon as I captured that shot, the suntrail faded, and the sun sank behind the cloud bank, ending the evening’s light show.

Thanks to a gloomy evening and a curious seagull, I had my shot. It was a photograph that told a wonderful story, a testament to persistence and the unexpected moments that make photography so rewarding. As I packed up my gear and took one last look at the now-cloudy horizon, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. I had turned a challenging evening into a memorable masterpiece, capturing the essence of the Oregon coast at sunset.

Materials: Premium Glossy Paper,Giclée Canvas,Gallery Wrap,Acrylic,White Gloss Metal,Silver Aluminum,matching aluminum back,black aluminum mount,Canon Cameras and lenses