I came upon this amazing spot during a recent scout in Rhode Island. Located at Scarborough Beach in Narragansett, it presents more of a Mars-scape than what I’m used to at my usual haunts around Southern California and Long Island. Though the crew bus arrived at mid-day – the wrong time to be impressed by a sunny exterior – everyone was taken by the vivid surroundings.
More interesting than the topography was the quality of the light on that chilly afternoon. Unlike anything I’d seen in a long time, its texture was strikingly clear and sharp in that old Kodachrome-sense, straight out to the horizon. Tones ranged from very warm to very cool and everything glowed with an other-worldly saturation. Certainly, my iPhone camera did no justice to the reality, but that’s the fault of neither Apple nor myself. The best technology and most poetic of descriptions would fall short in conveying the essence of what I saw.
I’ve been fortunate to visit many exotic places during my career. What will never fade are my impressions of how the light fell on each environment… and the ways that made me feel. In this instance, the rush may have lasted for only a few minutes, but its effect was close to overwhelming. Like most cinematographers, I’ve always been sensitive to the smallest shifts in the visible spectrum. Their power to evoke moods and emotions are the basis of what we do; the ability to communicate that through the lens is what separates the players from the pretenders in our profession.
It’s an undoubtedly weird thing to get excited over, but no more so than anything else people commit their lives to. I’m lucky to have discovered this early in the game, and luckier yet, to still find it as fascinating as I do.
So, no matter your surroundings, get out and look around. Then, slow down and try to really see the brilliance and mystery of what’s before you. If it doesn’t leave a mark on you in some way, it’s probably time to start following a different blog.
Excellent for sure.
Best post ever! So true. It’s the reason why I get excited by what I see more than what I hear. I would have been probably a musician if I were more attracted by the sound. And that’s the best part; we all have a skill and something we love to do with that skill.
Almost like an amazing sunset. You can’t believe what you are
seeing and you wish you could share it with someone.
It can sometimes be there for a brief moment and then
it fades. But it leaves an impressionable memory that lasts
forever. Sometimes unexplainable.
Thanks for sharing that memory!