El Matador Beach, low tide in winter.
The light was clean, the air sharp enough to taste.
A wooden chair stood at the edge of the surf, legs braced in the sand,
but the ocean has no respect for craftsmanship.
Salt and time had already claimed the glue in its joints —
the next wave was only an accomplice.
One sat, confident for the first few seconds.
The other crouched low, camera steady, ready for whatever might come.
What came was the slow give of wood surrendering —
no splinter, no crack, just a quiet unmaking.
The seat dipped, the arms flailed, the whole form folding without protest.
The lens never wavered.
Not when the chair began to lean.
Not when the balance tipped away.
Not even when the laughter rolled in louder than the surf.
Some collapses deserve to be witnessed to the very last frame.
The Lens: Leica APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH — crisp and uncompromising,
drawing every nuance of winter light and ocean spray,
and catching the exact moment a chair surrendered with quiet dignity.
