LOCATION :: Rush and Retreat

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Moody beach morning by Chip Bunnell PhotographyIn baseball it common to say, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and sometimes it rains.” I had high hopes of various images I would make this morning as I drove north well before the magical moment of sunrise. I have been fortunate to “win” well over 90% of the time in the almost daily match between Mother Nature and my camera. Today, she gets to put one in her “w” column as the rain kept me off the beach. But have I lost the match? Far from it….

For example, this is an image I made last week. The skies were gray and the wind was blowing strong from the East. Along the South Florida coast that is the recipe for keeping your boat in the slip and rolling over to catch a few more minutes of much coveted sleep. To me, however, this was a perfect day to grab my gear for a creative photo session. I liked how the power of the waves were crashing against the resolute man-made pier legs. After they unleashed their wrath, they quietly retreated to the sea to gather and rush the beach once again. Fueled by the constant wind, this scene replayed over and over with no end in sight. The long exposure of this frame gives an almost ghostly feel as both the rush and retreat are combined.

Photo Stuff: Single frame with variable ND filter, Processed in LR

www.ChipBunnell.com

NATURE :: Sunrise Do Over

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Juno Beach Sunrise by Chip Bunnell PhotographyIt is no secret that sunrise is my most favorite part of the day. Unlike a single holiday, it is a celebration that happens 365 times a year. It is a time of excitement and filled with hope. Just like a massive curtain rising, the sunrise is the signal of the start to the world’s largest play.

Just think, within hours the morning sky slowly moves from cold dark blues to the introductions of warmer oranges and yellows. Almost as a powerful cleanser, the sunrise breaks through the darkness and allows us another try. In many respects, a sunrise wipes the slate clean and allows us to do today better than we did yesterday. Whether we look out and see a corn field in Kansas, a distant mountain range in Montana, a virtual sea of skyscrapers in Chicago or the flowing ocean of South Florida, we each have a new day and a new chance.

I made this image on one of the northern Palm Beaches. It was a quiet morning. The clouds gave a defusement to the rising sun while adding interest beyond the ocean’s edge. The pier adds a man-made element that directs your eye to explore the frame.

Regardless of the trials and tribulations we experience during any given day, there is comfort in knowing the sun will rise again. Like when we played as children, a “do over” is allowed…if we allow it.

Single Frame, Processed in LR

www.ChipBunnell.com