Beach Sunrise Photography

Beach sunrise photography or sunrises, in general, make beautiful and stunning captures. A passionate photographer can never have enough of taking photographs of the moments of the sun rising. Sunrises are very relaxing and calming to watch as well. The joys of watching a sunrise is said to act as an antidepressant and bring about stress relief. It can even help inspire new ideas and creativity too.

You have to definitely be an early riser to capture these amazing and spectacular moments. The colors of the sky keep changing as the intensity of sunlight increases .It is possible to have never seen such a display and variety of vibrant colors before. This along with the different patterns that form with the clouds in the sky , can make every capture unique.

I have watched many sunsets and captured some shots as well. However, I never had an opportunity to watch a sunrise. Finally , got a chance to watch and capture it on our trip to Virginia Beach few weeks ago. We were put up in an oceanfront room. I was surprised to find that the room had a sunrise view. I woke up at dawn by chance, and from my window was amazed to see the bright red, orange, and yellow colors in the horizon against the blue waters . It was wonderful to watch and enjoy the entire sunrise from the comfort of the patio. To capture these mesmerizing shots was a true delight.

We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness.
– Sapna Reddy

I used my digital camera for the captures and also captured a few shots using the iPhone. I was not carrying a tripod, so had to do without it. The first set of shots from the first day , have sunrise captures with clear skies and they look exceptional. The next day was cloudy and the captures were even better. As they say, no two sunrises are ever similar. To watch a sunrise, a nature's wonder is a humbling experience.It makes you grateful, hopeful, and peaceful. It was truly a great way to start the day.

Beach Sunrise Photography Tips

Here are some tips to capture sunrise photographs using the digital camera .

I used Manual and Av(Aperture priority)Mode for the sunrise captures. The manual mode requires you to set all the exposure values the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. If you prefer the semi automatic or Av mode, you only set the aperture value and the ISO. The shutter speed is set by the camera.

APERTURE: It is preferable to have high aperture values like f/8, f/11, etc so the entire subject is in focus, crisp and clear. But again, it is also the photographer's preference to choose lower f values or wider apertures to have some sort of blur and bring out an artistic touch to the photographs.

SHUTTER SPEED: In Av mode, the shutter speed is automatically set .In manual mode, you will need to set this value to slower speeds initially so enough light can reach the sensor, especially with low lighting before sunrise. Later on, you can set it to higher speeds as more light becomes available.

ISO: In the morning hours before sunrise, as the surroundings are dark, one may be tempted to set to higher ISO values to get a brighter photograph. However, keep in mind that higher ISO can render a grainy texture to the photos. Find the right balance between the ISO and aperture values.

Using a tripod can help prevent handshakes in low light conditions , especially when you have wider apertures set or longer shutter speed values.

Capturing the image in RAW mode is a best practice as always. This will also help recover any color and image corrections.

Do not forget to enjoy the sunrise in the midst of the sunrise captures. It is most definitely a very unique and rewarding experience.

Sunrise Captures (Clear Sky)

Sunrise Captures (Cloudy Sky)

Mobile Captures ( Sunrise Beach Photography)

You can capture really exceptional sunrise pictures using your mobile. The golden hour or magic hour as it is called is the time just before sunrise. The sun gives out warm, diffusing light and it is perfect lighting condition for landscape photography. Mobile is usually very handy and one can easily take photos of the sunrise. Use a tripod if available to minimize handshakes. Below are some of my sunrise captures using iPhone 12s . Use the right arrow button to slide to view all the pictures.

Hope you enjoyed viewing these photos and reading about the tips to capture a sunrise. Signing off with a beautiful sunrise quote.

The sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us. Journey wisely.
– Alexandra Elle

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