Nehalem Spit, Tillamook County, Oregon Possibly 2000 - 2009

Robert Adams made this photograph of Nehalem Spit in Tillamook County, Oregon. It’s an image built from subtle gradations, almost like a drawing, where the line of the shore, the edge of the sea, meets the land. Look at the way the light touches everything; the sand and the water are almost the same tone, which makes the horizon a soft meeting of elements rather than a hard line. It’s a minimalist scene, really, but full of small details if you give your eyes a chance to adjust. The foam of the waves gives a sense of movement, a passing moment. The way Adams uses light and shadow reminds me a little of Agnes Martin’s paintings, particularly her use of horizontal lines. There is no drama here, just a quiet observation of a place. And in its quietness, the photograph invites you to find your own space within it. The lack of a fixed perspective makes it feel like an open question, a space for reflection, like all the best art.