Catamaran at Sunrise

Catamaran beach sunrise St. George Island Florida
10043 Catamaran on the beach at sunrise, St. George Island, Florida

I took this photograph a couple of years ago on a vacation to St. George Island. I had noticed this catamaran sitting on the beach the night before and thought it would make an interesting foreground subject with the water, clouds, and sunrise in the background.  Unfortunately, the morning weather just had not been very cooperative.  I had awakened every morning for three straight days hoping to photograph the sunrise, but each morning I was greeted me with a sky that was gray and overcast.  The clouds always gave way to clear blue skies about an hour later when the sunrise was well past ideal.  So, given my very recent experiences, I wasn’t overly optimistic I would be able to get any sunrise photographs before I left to go home.

When I woke up on the fourth morning, things were different. There was a thick bank of clouds low on the horizon, but above that was a mixture of clouds and clear sky.  Things were definitely looking very promising.  I got dressed quickly, gathered my equipment, and headed out the door toward the catamaran.

The boat wasn’t very far from where we staying…maybe a quarter mile or so. But when you’re trying to walk quickly on sand while carrying a backpack holding about twenty pounds of camera equipment, it can feel much, much farther than it really is, especially when time is of the essence as it always is at sunrise.

I arrived at the boat just as the clouds were beginning to take on a very vibrant glow from the rising sun that was still hidden behind the low cloud bank. I quickly set up my tripod and camera and began taking shots from various angles using different lenses.  I captured several nice images that I liked, but this one was, by far, my favorite.

Settings:  Canon 5D Mk II, 24mm, 1/25 sec, f/22

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