Olivia on the rocks

There are two types of beaches in Maine: Soft and Sandy, which is great for swimsuits and shorts in the sunshine; and Rugged and Rocky, which is awesome for jeans and sweaters. The two beaches are seldom found at the same spot of the shore, so we always to determine which beach type our seniors want beforehand.

Occasionally, at very low tide, there's a third beach style that reveals itself. The reflections in the tidepools make this rare opportunity incredibly photogenic, but the barnacles and seaweed give it it's name - Slippery and Spiky.

My insurance agent always reminds me that working on wet rocks with sandpaper surfaces is the most likely place for my own finale, and also the most likely place I'll drop a camera in the water. But it's really the seniors themselves who have to be brave. Sometimes the barnacles make their feet bleed a little (and they have to hide that from the camera), and almost always the wet rocks leave a stain on their clothing.

Olivia was fearless, and this image of her and the dusk sky reflected in a tidepool is one of my favorites from her session!