Category Archives: Seascape

SEASCAPE :: Lighthouse Morning Light

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Hillsboro Lighthouse at sunrise by Chip Bunnell Photography

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For years, I have had a fascination with lighthouses. They have stood as a beacon for seagoing explorers to find their way safely back to shore through the centuries, They act as the single point that connects hundreds or thousands of miles of open water to our firm, dry land. Most are now completely automated, but their vital and purpose still remains true.

My morning adventures took me to the Hillsboro Lighthouse in Pompano Beach. Shocked that I had not taken the opportunity to capture this icon previously, I resigned myself to correct that wrong. The day before, I scouted the area to find an entry point to make my art. Like most waterfront areas, this inlet was boarded by magnificent mansions and high-rise condos with no way for the public to access the beaches. Finally, I did discover a small city park where I could make my morning entry.

I arrived in darkness, lit only by dim lights surrounding the walkways. The lighthouse stood in the distance as a humble giant, sending its powerful light eastward to the on coming vessels. The inlet was calm with only a very few small boats headed out for a morning of fishing. Every 30 seconds the light beam would rotate over my head, light the top edges of the surrounding buildings and then return to the sea. Just as the morning sun broke through the thick morning cloud bank, the towering sentinel extinguished its light. It was as if it knew its job was complete and it passed the security and safety of the awaiting vessels to a much more powerful heavenly light source. It had done its duty and was ready for a well deserved rest, only to again awaken when the sunlight moves on to other oceans around our world.

3 Frame HDR Image, Processed in LR, PS and Topaz Clarity

www.ChipBunnell.com

NATURE :: Jupiter Morning Waves

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Jupiter Morning Waves by Chip Bunnell PhotographyMy morning adventures took me to the northern most point of South Florida, Jupiter. After spending the pre-dawn hour photographing the iconic lighthouse, I moved on in search of my next scene. The sun was quickly rising and I had little time to for my next setup. I decided to visit a nearby beach and see what I would see.

There were no spectacular rock formations, no iconic lifeguard stations or dogs running in the surf. All I found was tranquility and the calm morning sea with a few clouds to frame the morning sun. My first instinct was to capture some of the leading edges from the incoming waves. The unusually flat seas helped make this possible. Sees fairly safe, right? After watching several wave cycles and reading the marks in the sand, I had a pretty good idea of where to set up to be at the water’s edge, yet keep my gear from of liquid salt. Of course nature has a playful sense of humor. Just as I would set up, take a few images and become comfortable in the safety of my position, a little extra water would come rushing in…and send me running back a few steps, tripod in hand. This game went on several times with both sides winning in their own rights – I still had dry gear and the ocean reminded me who’s boss. I even chuckled as I saluted my worthy opponent.

Now, from higher and dryer sand, I noticed the waves breaking a good 20 yards off shore. Florida is not know as a surfing destination, but the shallow reef gave this particular area some small, perfectly formed curls. I watched with my naked eyes and then through the magnified viewfinder as the waves would crest and then fall, each time creating iconic shapes. For a split second, the rising sun back lit the thin waves just before they crashed down on themselves. My first attempts to capture that single moment were, well, not as successful as I would like. Frame after frame, I had to adjust for ambient light, shadows inside the wave curl and focus on the fast moving subject. I learned the rhythm and, like a skilled surfer, began to pick my perfect waves.

This particular image reflects a split second I saw that morning. The brightly lit sunrise breaks through the cloud line. The oncoming wave is frozen with a perfectly formed curl. Thin water that gives height to the wave carries the bright sky colors forward, creating a bond between sky and ocean. Admittedly, this was not the image I started out to make that very early morning, but by “seeing what I would see”, I was able to be part of the Jupiter morning waves.

Single Frame, Processed in LR

www.ChipBunnell.com