Fortuitous Focusing in Anse-d’Arlet, Martinique
Of all the different factors that contribute to my most memorable photo adventures, luck continues to stand head and shoulders above the rest.
Yes, I have a nice camera, albeit not a professional DSLR. I also spend more time than most in some seriously photogenic spots. These nice advantages certainly contribute as well.
Still, I can’t deny the luck factor; the out-of-the-blue serendipity that always seems to crop up when I least expect it, affording me images filled with memories and emotions that I’ll never forget.
Images like the one above, which I snapped on my last visit to Grande Anse-d’Arlet in southern Martinique a few weeks ago, followed by this one…
…and this one.
I really was just trying to capture the peace and tranquility at the far end of the jetty at Grande Anse-d’Arlet as the sun began to set on southern Martinique. Behind me, the beauty of the town, marked by its iconic St. Henry’s Church, was catching the fading light perfectly as a group of local youths improvised a spirited game volleying a ball around a circle, the loser – anyone allowing the ball to enter the sea – forced to dive in and retrieve it so that the game could begin anew.
The end of the jetty, though, was sublimely sedate. Staring out at the horizon, the cool breeze in my face, it was easy to feel completely alone, despite the commotion just a few feet behind me.
Then, out of nowhere, he emerged from the sea, climbing the ladder positioned dead-center at the furthest edge of the jetty.
I had no idea he was there, or would emerge when he did. His doing so, though, somehow make these images, and the experience out on the jetty that afternoon, more memorable to me than if I’d only captured the lead image above.
To make your own luck I guess it pays to keep shooting… and visiting Les Anses-d’Arlet.
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