Sunrise Is A Moment When “Creation Holds Its Breath”
…and it is a time when light floats
Camera Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Lens iPhone 14 Pro Max back triple camera 6.86mm f/1.78 Focal Length 6.9 mm (24.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f/1.8 Exposure Time 0.00073s (1/1374)ISO80 Date Taken 2024-02-24 06:23:22 Buy photo
Sunrise reminds us of our harmonious relationship with our natural world. When the sun rises, the sky changes, the wind changes, the water changes…the sun transitions the environment subtly and beautifully.
Take the beach, for example. I was on a business trip there recently and decided to turn it into a beach photo safari.
I decided to go to the beach before sunrise. I went to the beach and sat. I wanted to see how the beach changes as the sun rises over the horizon. The first thing I noticed was the color of the sky. Then, there was a change in the water, air, and animal life, coming out in wonderful ways to start a new day.
Camera Sony ILCE-7M3 Lens Sony FE 24-240 F3.5-6.3 OSS (SEL24240) Focal Length 100.0 mm (100.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f/5.6 Exposure Time 0.0005s (1/2000) ISO800 Copyright sfJames Date Taken2024-02-03 08:44:25 Buy Photo
As I sat, the seagulls began flying around. They were actively soaring over the water, circling around and landing. They walked the beach, and as the light became brighter, they increased in numbers. The seagulls started to approach me out of curiosity; they walked in circles, curious about my presence.
Camera Sony ILCE-7M3 Lens Sony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) Focal Length 600.0 mm (600.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f/6.3 Exposure Time 0.00125s (1/800) ISO 500 Copyright sfJames Date Taken 2024-02-24 08:50:40 Buy Photo
Of course, I was sitting on the beach with my camera, and it's 300-600 mm lens. One gull decided to see what was in the lens and gave me the seagull stare. He looked intently into the lens as I took his picture. With a sense of satisfaction, he then walked away on a journey down the beach.
Camera Sony ILCE-7M3 LensSony FE 200–600mm F5.6–6.3 G OSS (SEL200600G) Focal Length 600.0 mm (600.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f/6.3Exposure (1/800) ISO 250 Copyright sfJames Date Taken 2024-02-24 08:50:56 Buy Photo
It had been a while since I had visited the ocean. I forgot about the peaceful and harmonious coexistence we have with nature. As the curious seagulls and other sea birds walked around me, approaching me with a sense of curiosity, I realized that our entire system is designed for the coexistence of nature with humans. As we may forget, we are a part of this natural system. We must preserve it, live peacefully in it, and respect it.
Camera Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max Lens iPhone 14 Pro Max back triple camera 6.86mm f/1.78 Focal Length 6.9 mm (35.0 mm in 35mm) Aperture f /1.8 Exposure Time 0.00101s (1/989) ISO 80 Date Taken 2024-02-22 06:26:13 Buy Photo
“There is a moment in ever dawn when light floats, there is the possibility of magic. Creation holds its breath.”― Douglas Adams, The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
On this morning, I held my breath in awe of the magic of a sunrise “when light floats.” I know creation held its breath, too.
Stuart James