The sun sets over the water from a view point in Deception Pass State Park, Whidbey Island, Washington
At the northern tip of Whidbey Island sits Deception Pass. Whidbey Island sits just off the coast of Washington State, one of several islands comprising Island County. In the late 1800’s the Deception Pass area was used for smuggling Chinese immigrants into Washington.
I had hoped to catch a nice sunset over the open water to the east of Deception Pass, however, I was met with dense cloud cover about 30 minutes before sunset. Just as the sun hit the horizon, the clouds started to break up, allowing a little of the sunset’s dramatic light to escape. Silhouetted fir trees and the shoreline help to frame the scene.
A couple of weeks ago I headed out to Pescadero State Beach for sunrise. I picked a weekday to make sure I had the place to myself. I arived about a half hour before sunrise to catch some of the early light peaking over the eastern horizon, and get some long exposures of the surf before the sun actually hit them.
Pescadero has three separate parking areas off of Highway 1. For photography, my favorite is the middle one because of the interesting rock formations just off the coast. For wide sandy beaches, either the northern or southern lots would be the best bet.
The following two images were taken of the surf swirling around some off-shore rock formations. Because of the very low ambient light, a long exposure was needed, which gives the water that misty smoke look.
Ambient light casts the scene in shades of blue, Pescadero State Beach, CaliforniaThe movement of the tidal flow is captured by a long exposure in pre-dawn light along the California coast
At this time of the morning, the sun hadn’t yet risen above the horizon, but the eastern sky was reflecting some vibrant oranges and yellows. The image below was taken facing east, in the opposite direction of the previous two photos.
Morning light crests the horizon and is reflected in a shallow tidal estuary, Pescadero State Beach, California
Once the sun had peaked the horizon, the western sky finally was lit up in the reds and oranges of sunrise. The following image was taken just after sunrise, looking west. The light was dim enough to still require a long exposure (though not as long as the first two images), but now the sky and water were a completely different color.
A high tide moves in over off shore rocks at dawn, Pescadero State Beach, California
And looking south, the morning light was even more spectacular.
Pastel oranges and aquas emerge at sunrise, Pescadero State Beach, California
About 20 minutes after sunrise, the entire landscape was well lit. The truly special light of “magic hour” had gone, but with the sun still so low on the horizon, everything was bathed in soft warm light, with no harsh shadows. The following images was one of the last I took before I packed up my gear and headed home.
Morning light touches the orange sandstone cliffs at Pescadero State Beach, California
Early morning light peeks around the cliff, lighting the coastal vegetation with a soft glow
Winter and early spring is a great time to shoot sunrise out at the coast – there are fewer mornings of the dense fog common in the summer. It can be quite frustrating to get out of bed 1 to 1 1/2 hours before sunrise (it is best to be in place at least 30 minutes before sunrise), drive out to the coast, only to find a thick marine layer obscuring your view and all of the good light. However, those special mornings when everything seems to click make it all worth the effort.
Realistically, many people only shoot sunsets, and usually only serendipitously. It can be a great way to capture being in a special place at a special time. The next time you see a beautiful sunset, take a few moments to point your lens at your surroundings, especially if the western horizon is clear of clouds. Sometimes the most glorious (reflected) light will be directly behind you.
Turning orange and yellow at sunset, clouds are reflected in the still waters of the San Francisco Bay. The sky has been cleansed by a passing storm. Foster City, California.
Don’t wait for the weekend or vacations to get out the camera. Take one along with you as you go about your every day life. You never know when you might have an opportunity to capture something unexpected.
Even when I don’t have my camera with me (which isn’t TOO often!), I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting ideas for photographs. I get especially excited when I see opportunities for shots that are outside of the subject I normally shoot (nature, landscape, wildlife, etc). This helps keep my creativity going, especially when I’m stuck close to home for long stretches of time.
The moon rises over the San Francisco Bay at sunset.
While working one afternoon last week I could see out my window that there were some pretty interesting looking clouds lining up over the bay after a particularly wet winter storm had passed through. I quickly checked my tide chart and saw that it would be low tide right around sunset. It was a quick 5 minute drive out to the edge of the bay, and only 30-40 minutes out of my day. By being on the lookout for something that caught my eye during my day-to-day life, I was able to capture some beautiful colors in the heart of an urban environment of over six million people.
