Clatsop Beach, Oregon 1999

This black and white photograph, called "Clatsop Beach, Oregon" by Robert Adams shows someone on a beach with arms outstretched towards the ocean. The thing that strikes me is the feeling of a particular kind of freedom. I imagine Robert Adams standing behind his camera, noticing this person, wondering about what they might be feeling. Maybe the person is like, "I'm gonna fly." Arms out like wings, balancing, feeling the breeze. I bet Adams was thinking about stillness, movement, and the vastness of the landscape. The ocean stretches out, meeting the sky, while the lone figure animates the scene. The tire tracks on the beach are a kind of gestural mark that speaks of human presence and interruption of the landscape. I like how the person becomes part of that landscape. It reminds me of the paintings of someone like Alex Katz, where people become part of the composition. It’s like they’re saying, "Hey, I’m here, part of all this."