Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1283918
THROUGH THE LENS T E X T A N D P H OTO G R A P H Y B Y A A R O N C H A N G Stairway to Coastal Heaven hen I walked along Scenic Avenue on my first evening as a Carmel resident, I came upon the steps leading to Carmel Beach. Instantly, I was overcome by the natural beauty of the white sand, the layered, colored stone shaded by Cypress trees, and the golden-hued sky as the sun was setting. I've travelled to over 40 countries and it's easy for me to sometimes think I've seen it all, but this simple scene, right here at the end of the street—my new street—took my breath away. I was home. This was a place I could live, a place with astounding beauty and inspiration at every turn. One of my favorite things about photography is that you never know what you're going to get, and the best I can do is try to bottle the feeling I had when I first encountered the scene so that I can freeze a fleeting moment through my lens. Looking at the image today, when we're all inevitably viewing our sur- roundings through the lens of the worldwide pandemic, the empty rustic staircase and bare beach instead echo the solitary silence. I'm filled with a gratitude for the timeless beauty of nature we can still experience by choosing to see it. Gratitude is paramount to fully enjoying life. Aaron Chang is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed artist whose fine art photography brings inspiration and light to collectors and fans. Chang owns two successful galleries in Carmel and Solana Beach. Visit AaronChang.com or on Facebook @aaronchanggaller y. W 80 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 2 0