Early one morning, we left Apia, Samoa’s capital, and drove north. As sunrise approached, we spotted a rocky jut of land and a narrow shoulder upon which to park. There was no trail to the sea, only jumbled lava rocks blanketed in greenery. Slowly we tested each step for support and made our way to the water’s edge. As night became twilight became dawn, we watched the clouds sweep a grey-blue sky, the calm seas caress jagged rocks, crabs and birds quietly about the business of morning. And I pressed the shutter and waited for the camera to inhale the essence of Samoa.