South Africa’s De Hoop Nature Reserve harbors a magical combination of giant white sand dunes against a turquoise ocean. I was attempting to capture the flight of sea gulls in this unique environment, including panning their flight against the turquoise waters. When I descended a sand dune, a sea gull flew in and pulled up at some distance from me and I panned vertically to capture the moment. I was elated when I reviewed this image at home - a painting of nature, abstract and impressionistic, brought to completion by a winged, ghostly creature, seemingly ascending above this surreal landscape.