The coastline of Monterey is peaceful in the morning. I started well before dawn, before most of the town was awake. It was quiet. I like the quiet.

It was difficult to see the shapes of the land at blue hour. The intricacies of the rock formations would be revealed as the morning progressed. While I awaited sunrise, I photographed the homes along Ocean Boulevard looking out to the Pacific.

The ambient light grew and the fascinating rock faces behind me could no longer be ignored. I worked my way out on to the rock ledge. Footing was uneasy. It was not a tall cliff by typical standards, perhaps 60 feet, but not a drop I wanted to take - ever. I captured photo after photo as the tide to mixed with the land, each one with a unique pattern of swirls.

I walked farther west along the footpath paralleling the rock faces to a small beach. I like these little coves where a photographer can get up close and personal with the rocks and ocean. I worked the scene for several minutes, fine tuning the frame, then trying to time the waves to complete my composition.

When the sun cleared the horizon and the hills to the east, the wet rocks caught flecks of orange light. The ocean mirrored the sunbeam from the distance. I needed a color frame of this place, too.

A gentle tide, an inviting cove… a great start to a day in the Big Sur area.