As I look at the massive basalt sea stack called Haystack Rock, I can't help but hear my co-workers joke about the plethora of images online of this iconic image of Cannon Beach. "Hey look! Another image of Haystack Rock. I was beginning to worry as we hadn't seen on in the past five minutes or so." But there is good reason for the amount of images of this feature. It sticks out of the waves like an intertidal Mt Denali. So massive it dwarfs the other sea stacks nearby. Add to this the fact that Cannon Beach is a popular tourist destination with thousands of people visiting each weekend, you end up with a lot of images online. So it is very hard to find a new & fresh look at Haystack Rock to photograph.
I was somewhat disappointed about heading to Cannon Beach on a recent photo trip. But as the other participants in the group were excited about going, I decided why not add one more image to the mix. I mean, look at how many pictures I've taken of Mt Rainier from all the overlooks & trail heads.
So here I was on Cannon Beach bouncing on my toes to stay warm on a January pre-dawn morning, looking at Haystack Rock and wondering how my co-workers would haze me about my subject choice. I evaluated the scene - including the moon would be nice, I also liked the rocks to the south. The reflection in the sand could be interesting. Just before the sun rose above the coastal mountains behind, the wispy clouds lit up.
The scenes had an other-worldly look to it - pink clouds in a purple sky, the moon shining through over a barren looking landscape. I loved it. So here is my addition to the numerous Haystack Rock images out there. I hope you enjoy at least one more.
