This is one of my favourite sunset locations- low tide at Aldwick in late autumn through to January.
A panoramic shot was possible using a nifty feature of the handy little camera I had with me. This meant I could capture the whole width of the huge technicolour sky, set against the more muted beige tone of the sand. Taking a wide view gives a different “feel” to the picture- here, it highlights the isolation of the distant angler (middle right, in silhouette). It’s quite possible you wouldn’t notice the solitary fisherman if I didn’t point him out. Yet he is an important part of the composition.
Such a small figure increases the sense of the vast expanse of beach and sky- his presence gives it perspective.
We often focus on the things in close proximity: showing the context opens new possibilities.
That’s true in life generally. Immediate problems shout for our attention. Work deadlines, medical appointments, a sick child or an aging relative; the blazing row over a parking space or a bad insult from a neighbour. Even the run of nitty-gritty ordinary busy-ness can trap our attention.
To stand back, take a breath, take in a wider view can be liberating.
There’s an old hymn that speaks of the breadth of Divine mercy and grace. It puts our lives in perspective by standing us in God’s bigger picture. Take a step back and look at the width of mercy in the glory of the Lord.
“There’s a wideness in God’s mercy” is a hymn that celebrates God’s welcome for the sinner and the “good” person alike. The hymn speaks of the wideness of God’s mercy, which is like the wideness of the sea, and the kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty. It reminds us that “the love of God is broader than the measure of our mind” – and therefore encourages us to broaden the measure of our own love so that it might be more like God’s love.
– Richard Donovan, in “Sermonwriter.”
The Reflectionary 