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First light over the Penobscot River



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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo from under the bridge on the eastern shore of the Penobscot River in Bucksport, Maine. The landmass on the right is Verona Island.

Time

Mere minutes before sunrise, likely around 6:45am.

Lighting

Sunrise and sunsets, in my experience, are hit or miss. On cloudless mornings, such as the one on question, the best light and the best colors offer themselves before the sun peeks over the horizon, changing by the second.

Equipment

At the time the only camera I had was an iPhone XR.

Inspiration

I was going through a challenging time when I took this photo. Two things offered solace and those were walking and watching the sunrise. Most days I awoke with plenty of time to have coffee and then stroll down to the river to catch the sunrise. I’m glad I had at least a phone to capture some of the more beautiful moments.

Editing

This is a completely unedited shot. I have a copy that I edited, a bit more vibrant and saturated. I actually posted the two together on another social media platform and took a poll to see which was preferred, not one person chose the edited version.

In my camera bag

I always have my phone with me, and I have captured some lovely shots with it but now I have a Nikon D810, my first full frame camera. I love it.

Feedback

Get up early, go to a good vantage point from which to see the sun come up. I usually take many photos from the time there is enough light for color to emerge until the sun is completely above the horizon. Some days are a bit of a bust, but at least I was there to greet the sun; no better way to start the day in my opinion.

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