Waking at 4:30 am to check the weather app, I found the torrential downpours and thunderstorms experienced overnight had gratefully moved offshore! Quickly getting ready and stowing loose items in the van, I hit the road in search of the perfect place to photograph sunrise.
I found myself driving along the northeastern coast of Florida near St. Augustine on HWY A1A south. I could see snippets of the beach and ocean between buildings, hotels and homes, but public access to photograph was harder to come by, however.
Finding The Perfect Place
After driving for an hour and running short on time, I got a knot in my stomach as I watched the sky turn brighter and brighter from the side window of the van. And then it happened! Just as I was giving up hope for a place to pull off, I noticed a sign for the St. Johns County Ocean Pier & Gift Shop. Grateful for the light traffic, I quickly turned toward what would be the prettiest sunrise so far on this trek.
Pulling into the filling parking lot, I noticed many locals and tourists walking onto the beach area – even more proof this was the perfect spot. Parking quickly, I grabbed my gear. There was only 20 minutes until the sun would rise, and still so much to do.
As I walked through the turnstile and the gift store at 5:59 am, I needed to decide how to compose the shot. Asking myself questions like, “Would the daybreak best be shot from on top of the pier at the end”? “Should I shoot from below in the sand”? “Should the boardwalk be in the picture or just the waves in the foreground”? Ultimately choosing all three, I got to work.
One Hundred Steps To The End Of The Pier
Resting seagulls and sandpipers scattered as I quickly walked the 100 feet to the pier’s end, only to turn around after taking a few test photos. Although beautiful, my photographer’s eye told me this wouldn’t be the best place for the picture I wanted to create.
Off I went, back toward the beach, uprooting the sleeping birds once again, stopping once to chat with a fisherman who wondered what I was doing. During this quick conversation, I learned he had just caught and released a small shark. Spectacular events are happening all around us if we stop and get curious!
Back on the beach with less than ten minutes to work with, I needed to decide where I should set up my camera and figure out from what position the sun would rise and exclaim, ‘Good morning!’ I ignored the sign that told me NOT to walk under the pier and in fact, stay at least 20 feet away, setting up just off to the right as I guessed where I would see the sun first peak above the Atlantic Ocean.
Small fluffy clouds were dotting the horizon, remnants of the previous night storms. As color catchers, they would add a beautiful dimension to the sky.
The Best Sunrise Makes For The Best Photo
And so it was along the St. Augustine Beach, I would have the best sunrise photo experience in the 2500 miles driven so far during this trip. Walking to the left of the pier, voila, I found the most desirable use of the wooden jetty as a prop, brilliant golden morning colors shining on the clouds, and the perfect position for the rising sun.
If you are a person who lights up (literally) when there is a beautiful sunrise, I highly recommend a trip to the northeastern part of Florida, and a side trip to the St. Johns County Ocean Pier & Gift Shop, 350 A1A Beach Blvd, St. Augustine Beach, Florida. For more information, visit http://www.co.st-johns.fl.us/ or call (904) 209-0655.
