By Ruthie Brownfield
Why does Big Sur feel so different from the rest of the coast? Whenever I’m there, I feel like I’m in a magical little oasis, disconnected from the world. It’s like the Land of the Lost. The setting is dramatic—so much so that it seems to cast a spell over all those who pass through, evaporating their everyday worries.
With its steep, moody cliffs, rugged coastline and quiet redwood groves, this sparsely populated region perched high above the Pacific Ocean has for decades (or centuries?) attracted those seeking natural beauty, spiritual renewal and solitude. Like a siren, it draws in artists and eccentrics, sometimes for a weekend getaway, sometimes for a lifetime.
In these photographs, I wanted to capture the people that Big Sur attracts — those who live here and those who are inspired to pass through — along with the vistas and places that accompany them.
