Boulders on the Bay

A cluster of boulders sit just off the shores of Burlington Bay, Lake Ontario. They are strong and dark, and they cast reflective shadows on the lake. A single semi-submerged smaller boulder is separated from the group. Day after day, waves thrust at it yet it strongly remains, isolated from the others.

That lone rock does not make the photo look disproportionate, but rather adds to the beauty and uniqueness of the landscape. The rock causes the viewer to regard the larger boulders with more scrutiny, enhancing their appreciation of the photo in its entirety. The boulders look mighty and powerful, as if they have won many battles. The lake surrounds them, encompassing each inch of the solid. The lake’s waters are vast and never-ending. They seem a place to melt into your own happiness or sorrow, and let your fears and worries sink to the very bottom as you float away to a place of serenity.


I took this photo because I was intrigued by the outlier that was separate from the close collection of boulders. It was not a sunny day, but rather a mystical one, graceful and beautiful in its grayness. As a photographer, I had options of positioning the camera a certain way in order to capture either the vastness of the lake, or the rockiness continuity of the land. I chose the water, and it proved well in this photo.

In my opinion, noticing the silence and stillness of the landscape I realized how unappreciated this scene goes. Realized how many people must walk by this lake and not give the boulders a second glance. When admiring a landscape such as this one, one is reminded of the beauties of the world that so often go unnoticed, like a flourished sunflower, a towering tree, or a cluster of boulders just off the shore.