Roca Grossa (Sant Pol de Mar, Catalunya)

This seems to be a popular “oh-dark-thirty” spot for many reasons…

…it is favored by local early-morning fisher persons.

…young partiers who stay up all night like the ambience.

…early morning workout and yoga groups feel inspired here.

…lovers appreciate the sun rise from this cozy spot.

…beach campers can find a bit of isolation between the boulders.

…at dawn, the cormorants love to bathe here, then hop onto the rocks to dry their wings.

…it is also a playground for seagulls searching for breakfast.

And, of course, it’s not a bad place for a land/sea-scape photographer to contemplate and meditate upon the world.

DISCLAIMER: Yes, images were combined in the making of some of these photographs, but no birds were hurt in the process.

First, in color…

The cormorants watch the sunrise and flap-dry their wings after a quick dip in the sea. In color, you’ll notice a warmer look in the first picture and a colder look in the second–something easily tweaked to your preference, one way or the other, in post-processing:

Roca Grossa, Sant Pol de Mar, #10, Catalunya, 2020

Roca Grossa, Sant Pol de Mar, #25, Catalunya, 2020  

And the “Big Rock” (Roca Grossa) itself:

In monochrome… watching the clouds, the patterns, the changing light, and Jonathan Livingston Seagull and friends:

Roca Grossa, Sant Pol de Mar, #5 (Jonathan Livingston Seagull), Catalunya, 2020

Roca Grossa, Sant Pol de Mar, #8 (Seagull Pair), Catalunya, 2020

Clouds, #1, Sant Pol de Mar (Seagull and Cloudscape), Catalunya, 2020

Clouds, #2, Sant Pol de Mar (Loners), Catalunya, 2020

Rocca Grosa, Sant Pol de Mar, #14 (Meditating Cormorant), Catalunya, 2020