I live at sea level so you wouldn’t think I would have much opportunity to climb, but as I’ve been noticing this week, there is elevation all around.

To even get to the beach there is always a climb–usually down to get to the shore and then the challenging climb back up.  This ramp is a familiar one for me as it leads to the parking lot at the beach I frequent most. And it’s a steep one!  (I always think of it as a good cardio routine as I trek up and down.)  I took this picture on a day I was noticing light and shadow and the ways that they played with the railings and the plants growing nearby.

On an early morning walk earlier this week I felt lucky to see the sun burning through the clouds and peeking over the houses as it climbed higher in the sky after plenty of summer gloom along the coast.  I know there is a rule of photography about not shooting into the sun, but I kinda like the effect…so I keep doing it!

Kites climb high along the beach too with plenty of breeze to keep them aloft.  I’m consistently surprised to find that it is adults who fly kites…although they sometimes have a child alongside helping them out!

Seabirds are fascinating to watch and I see most of them scurrying along the shore in search of food with their long beaks.  But pelicans fit into a class all their own.  These huge birds are graceful flyers who climb to great heights and also go low, barely skimming the surface of the waves. They dive into the sea scooping fish into their bucket-like beak and then climb into the sky with amazing speed and strength.  My photos don’t even begin to capture all that I see as watch these magnificent birds.

And then there are the stairs all along the cliffs.  Some seem to start and end nowhere, relics of a time when they were the access to the beach. But mostly these interesting staircases are symbols of exclusive beach access from the multimillion dollar homes perched on the edge of the cliffs. This steep staircase, with a gate at the bottom seemed to climb right into the sun when I noticed it yesterday.

And these cement steps seem to anticipate the rise and fall of the sand and water as they currently sit far above the ground.  I wonder if they came before or after the wooden stairs?

So what does it look like to climb where you are?  Are there stairs or mountainsides?  The sun or moon climbing into the sky? Does it involve birds, or children, or something else?

You can post your photo alone or along with some words: commentary, a story, a poem…maybe even a song! I love to study the photographs that others’ take and think about how I can use a technique, an angle, or their inspiration to try something new in my own photography. (I love a great mentor text…or mentor photo, in this case!) I share my photography and writing on social media. You can find me on Instagram and Twitter using @kd0602. If you share your photos and writing on social media too, please let me know so I can follow and see what you are doing. To help our Weekly Photo community find each other, use the hashtag #climb for this week and include @nwpianthology in your post.

Take a look around for something to climb or take a look at something that’s climbing.  Be sure to share your climb with the rest of us!