Horses in Half Moon Bay. Nikon D5500 using Nikkor 55-200mm lens, f/5.6, ISO 400, 1/2,000 sec.
I grew up in Half Moon Bay, CA. My family moved there from Palo Alto when I was five and a half in 1989, just six months before the earthquake. I only have the foggiest memories of that quake, but I remember where I was when it struck. My mom had taken my brother and I out to go for a hike on the bluff tops above Redondo Beach with another mother and her kids. That’s when it hit. I couldn’t tell you if I was scared or thrilled, but it made an impact on me.
Since then the bluff tops became an integral part of my life. My dad’s house was (and currently is) less than a quarter mile from the ocean so I walked and biked those bluffs all the time. I knew the trails better than the back of my hand (which I know extremely well). I guess it makes sense that my first published photo contains those same bluff tops.
In early October of 2020, my mom notified me about a photography contest being put on by the Half Moon Bay Review. It was for their 2021 “The Beauty of the Coastside Calendar”. However, she only notified me of this 72 hours before the deadline of October 20 which only left me two days to shoot. Realizing driving the 90 miles to Half Moon Bay and hoping to photograph an incredible moment from just the right angle was not going to materialize, I began looking through my library of old photos.
Because I do such a good job of organizing all my work (if I do say so myself), I picked through my external hard drives seeking photos that met the Review’s criteria. One was of big waves crashing at Poplar Beach with the landmark Pillar Point in the background. Another was of a red shoulder hawk sitting on an old telephone pole watching over his field. The last one I considered was of a group of horses with riders traveling south along the bluff tops.
After running a quick Facebook poll asking friends which photo they prefer, I settled on the horse photo and submitted it while holding my breath. Well, I didn’t have to hold it long because the next day I got word saying my horses photo was 1 of 12 chosen for the 2021 calendar! I made it! I was in! As far as I could tell, I think they received over 400 entries from folks up and down the coast. So to be in the top 12 was huge.
Let’s not stop there. Let’s discuss why this is a good photo. Firstly, the contest wanted to show the beauty of “our area” and suggested using landmarks that could only be Half Moon Bay. So close ups of dogs or waves weren’t going to cut it. If you know Half Moon Bay, you know of the large sphere object (radar of some sort) at the end of Pillar Point at the Air Force Station. It might as well be Half Moon Bay’s Big Ben or Great Pyramid. Also, anyone who knows anything about surfing knows Half Moon Bay is home to Maverick’s (one of the most epic surfing spots in the world). Maverick’s happens to be just off the coast of that same Air Force Station. Both of those locations are in my photo.
Some recent crazy action at Maverick’s from January 10, 2021.
Next, tourists riding horses is a staple of Half Moon Bay. If you’ve ever spent time on the bluff tops you’ve seen the people riding horses. In my 17 years growing up on the coast, I saw those horses almost EVERY DAY. If the city of Half Moon Bay had a major league baseball team, they would be called the HMB Horses.
Sign ‘em up!
Looking closer at my photo, you see fishing boats coming and going. You see people enjoying the coastal trail with their dog as the horses stroll by. There are three different species of birds including a northern harrier scanning the field for rodents while a white egret stands as still as a statue, hoping for prey unaware of its presence. Above them, a common gull soars over the bluff tops on its way to a trash can at Francis State Beach.
Lastly, notice the atmosphere. There’s beautiful light on the yellow fields and in the background, ominous dark clouds on the horizon. Those yellows and grays go so well together. This photo is truly Half Moon Bay. It’s just missing a pumpkin patch. However, this was taken on Dec 29, 2015 so the pumpkins had come and gone.
So this is my winning photograph. It’s so busy and there’s so much depth. If you are wondering, my photo appears in the month of August in their calendar. Make sure to pick up your own copy! They can be purchased here. It showcases many great local photographer’s work including the guy who lives right next to my dad! Crazy!
If you liked my winning image and want to see more of my work, click here!
