People often try to guess where this coastline is when they see it at art shows. A lot of them guess the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, which makes sense, but this is actually a different stretch of coast in Northern Ireland, near Giant’s Causeway.
Stone Coast was photographed near Dunluce Castle, a place that already feels full of story before you ever lift a camera. The ruined castle, the cliffs, the sea, and the nearby town of Portrush all seem to belong to the same old world. C.S. Lewis visited this area as a boy, and some have speculated that the coastline and castle ruins helped inspire Cair Paravel in The Chronicles of Narnia. Standing there, that does not feel hard to believe.
I should also admit that this location became another entry in my long-running history of getting into trouble for flying my drone. This photo itself was not taken from the drone, but after I captured what I needed, I did eventually put the drone in the air. Even though I was outside the castle when I took off, security still found me and kindly kicked me out. I cannot really blame them, but I also cannot blame myself for wanting to see this place from above.
The piece took on a second meaning after I returned home to Dallas. Around the time I finished Stone Coast, my family and I were working through a major season with a startup technology company we had been building. When a significant investment finally came together, the first large 4-foot by 8-foot metal print of Stone Coast was given as a thank-you to Bill, one of the people who believed in me and helped move that deal forward.
So for me, this image is more than a dramatic coastline. It is tied to wonder, risk, gratitude, and the memory of someone standing with me during an important season.
As a side note, this location is just a few miles from the Giant's Causeway!
