Sunset Beach, California 1978

Joe Deal’s photograph, Sunset Beach, California, captures a scene with such a matter-of-factness, it almost feels like a snapshot, yet with a deliberate arrangement of forms. The greyscale palette, ranging from soft whites to deep blacks, gives the image a timeless quality. What strikes me most is the composition. Deal divides the frame into distinct horizontal bands, starting with the asphalt in the foreground, then rising to a row of beach houses, and the ocean. Look at how the textures shift from the grainy asphalt, to the smooth surfaces of the houses, and finally to the chaotic foam of the surf. It’s a study in contrasts, yet the photograph brings a sense of calm. This image reminds me of the work of the New Topographics movement, and artists like Lewis Baltz, who also explored the built environment with a similar detachment. Deal invites us to consider our relationship with the landscape and the ways in which we shape and inhabit it. The photograph remains open ended, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the scene.