The beach is one of my favorite places to be. But it’s January, and I’m a long way from any real beach. Yet, there I was, with my feet in the sand this morning. It’s not often that you can be standing on a beach looking at New York City. And although this location is just a tiny cove with maybe about 30 yards of “beach”, I was happy to be there for the sunrise. Looking at this photo makes it easy to forget that it was just 20 degrees outside at the time.

Today was one of those mornings that left me awestruck. The clouds, the lighting, and the colors were all amazing. Definitely the best so far this year.

I captured some nice photos, like the one you see here, but I also let the “big one” get away.

As I stepped outside, the sky was a deep blood red—a rare color I don’t know if I’ve ever seen before. I wasn’t in a good spot for photos, but I didn’t want to let the moment pass. So I captured a few photos which turned out very blurry because I didn’t have my camera set up the right way, and I wasn’t able to make the necessary adjustments fast enough. After that, I ran down to the “beach” and set up there for the rest of my photos. Even though I was happy with some of the shots I ended up capturing, I still came home somewhat disappointed at the earlier blown opportunity.

I suppose the lesson here is to not dwell upon things that are largely out of your control. The sky changes colors quickly when the sun is rising, and the best time for a photograph could be anytime from 40 minutes prior to sunrise to 20 minutes after sunrise. Since I am outside for only about 15-30 minutes in the morning, my timing will be better on some days than others. I just have to make the most of the time I’m out there without looking back. It can be tough to do, but I’m ok with that. I have no choice anyway.