Mont Saint-Michel Sea Mist Sunset 0834

     The gravity-defying abbey of Saint-Michel sits atop an island just off the northwest coast of France. For centuries it was one of Europe's major pilgrimage destinations. This holy island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is the breathtaking bay in which it is located. I prefer the sunset hours to photograph the site. It gets even better when there are weather effects to include for mood. The effect can be seen here with the heavy sea mist as the hour of sunset approaches. My preference is to not focus heavily on the abbey as the central subject. Rather, by reducing the size of the abbey and shifting it to the left in the frame, I was better able to integrate the abbey into the shoreline ecosystem, showing how it is an integral part of the environment and telling a better visual story.