I had not even left the living room of our rented beach house when the first picture opportunity of the day revealed itself. The morning light defined the stepped edge of the living room's mantle, as well a large glass jar filled with seashells. The morning light flowing through the jar encouraged me to make a number of images, using my spot-metering mode on the brightest of the shells. All else fall into shadow. The shells were once essential parts of living sea creatures. Now they have become someone’s collectables, decor made out of nature’s work.