There are moments when the elixir of life rises to such over−brimming splendor that the soul spills over.
Henry Miller
I used to sleep in on our vacations to the beach, a luxury for a working mother of two. But that was before I discovered what really happens on beaches before dawn.
Nowadays, I need no prompting to hop up early. I throw on anything that goes with flip-flops and head out with coffee in hand, camera slung over my shoulder. And I wait as the drama begins.
First, that beautiful glow from below the horizon that washes houses and sand dunes in soft pinks and pale oranges.
Then — quick before I almost miss it — the first peek of wash-over orange lights up the sky.
And suddenly, full-on light bathes the world in crimson with a tiny, brilliant yellow focal point barely, just barely, peeking out to start the day.
But quick before I might miss the ta-dah moment, the sun’s up. Just like that. And on the move.
It’s my last chance to capture the main event as full-on light floods the camera, blinding me with the elixir of dawn at the beach.
And almost with the let-down you feel when a concert has ended, I turn the other way, check out who’s out there with me, and head back inside. Smiling, of course.
That’s the way morning plays out at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Rusha