Starfish at sunrise, Motukiekie Beach, South Island, New Zealand

Taken at Motukiekie Beach on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island on April 23rd, 2012

I’ve never seen a beach quite as shootable as Motukiekie. It has every element I could possibly want to photograph in a seascape: exotic seastacks, glassily reflective sand, tidal pools, and an abundance of cool critters such as this 12-legged seastar. The only issue with shooting this beach is timing, as there is a huge tidal swing and the beach is essentially inaccessible at high tide. It took me a few visits before the tides and light cooperated, but in the end Motukiekie provided some of the best seascaping I’ve ever experienced.

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