Arno River, Florence, Italy
“The middle path is not a compromise. It is a higher way.” — Soft Shadows
Many people say the Monterey Peninsula is home to gorgeous, alluring light. When we first moved to Monterey, I thought, “What’s the difference in sunlight; it’s the same everywhere. The attraction is more likely the natural beauty.” But as I photographed the beaches, rocky shores, and the street flowers in our neighborhood, I realized the truth about this alluring light. The marine layer rolls in and out, night and day, and often it doesn’t burn off until the afternoon. This fog has a near cousin, fragmented clouds, which temper the bright sun and soften the shadows—a tantalizing phenomenon where you can still perceive the direction of the sunlight, but without dark shadows. It’s the middle way between light and shadow, a natural form of equanimity, possessing vast creative potential.
A few weeks ago in Florence, Italy, I woke to find the same enchanting light flowing over the rooftops. The marine layer and moist air from the nearby Arno River create the same effect we admire in Monterey. That must be why painters such as Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Raphael were attracted to Florence, and why artists and photographers flocked to Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula. After all, Carmel was an artist colony before it became a city. Gossamer clouds sail across the peninsula sky, transforming the light, often moment to moment, balancing the extremes of light and shadow into a tranquil, calming effect.