"A ship in harbor is safe,
but that's not what ships are for" - William Shepp
There we were, standing on Land’s End – on the edge of the continent. Looking outward you can see the vastness that is the Pacific Ocean. I can literally just sit there and lose myself in wonderment. On how magnificent the world can be. And how insignificant we truly are. But as much as I wanted to stay and bask in the sun while the cool sea air kisses my skin, I still had a shoot to do. So we began treading down the steps. The trail itself is enveloped with cypress trees that extends all the way to the edges of the cliff. It is a beautiful hike downhill to which it will lead you to the left over ruins of Sutro Baths. The place is intriguing. It’s hard to imagine that once upon a time, during the 19th Century to be exact, it housed a museum, an ampitheater and a skating rink. It was already closed for years and was in the process of being demolished until it was prematurely destroyed by a fire in the 60’s. And now what is left are concrete structures succumbing to the relentless sea of waves crashing on it. And pipes and bars jutting out, only to be repeatedly swallowed by the surf. It’s Mother Nature taking back what belongs to her.
Finally reaching the end of the descent, a sign that reads: “Cliff and Surf Area. Extremely Dangerous. People have been swept from the rocks and drowned.”, harrowingly greeted us. But still. I had Gracie and Cesar bravely sit on those aforementioned structures that are now crumbling to the mercy of the Pacific Ocean, which was just a few feet across from them. We were close to the edge that you can feel tiny droplets landing on your face as the waves would crash against the nearby rocks. The wind would pick up and I could see Gracie diligently brushing her hair away from her face. I was a afraid that a really strong gust of wind would push them off the rocks. But we pressed on. What is love wihout risks anyways? The fact that Cesar served in the US marines and Gracie works as a Nurse, they are both used to being in the frontlines. Both of them gallanty giving a part of themselves for the greater good. Both valiant in their own rights. And both are madly in love with each other. And as I was trying to find my footing on those jagged rocks, my head was filled with images of me being swept by a giant wave and being carried off to the sea. Just like what the sign warned us about. But in my heart, my infatuation to capture images of people being in love in the most unlikely places will always take center stage. Besides, as the old adage goes: “What is love without risks?”.
thanks to thecraziethewizard for sleeping with the lights on and killing it with landscape awesomeness.
