While on the beach at Nature's Valley, in noonish light, Thom wanders by and asks if I am up for a challenge. Of course, I said. He gave me this white abalone shell and said "Make your best image containing this shell". Wow. Black rocks all around, sand, noon light, and now this freakin' white spot of shell.

I spent over an hour (I am easily amused) working on shots with this white shell in it. I finally hit a concept I liked. Here the black rock, sand ripples caused by water receding back to the ocean, a shell in it's environment, and the surf line at the top of the image created the best image I knew how to make of a bright white shell at noon on a beach with black granite everywhere.