I had scoped out many locations to shoot sunrise along the east coast of Kauai. Some required a drive of up to 45 minutes and a hike to reach. It wasn’t until almost the last day of my trip there in December that I thought about checking out the beach right where I was staying.

After having lunch at the hotel, I had some time to kill before heading out to take a helicopter tour. What I had seen of the beach from the back of the hotel didn’t look too photogenic, but since I had time, I decided to take a stroll. What I saw at first was what I expected. Upon walking a short ways down the beach though, things were a lot different. There I found an area with a small reef offshore that created a relatively calm pool. The waves would roll over the reef and gently flow into shore. I knew where I was going to shoot sunrise the next morning!

The sky was filled with clouds to the east as I headed to the beach. There was even an occasional raindrop in the air. I setup my gear and searched for just the right composition as the skies gradually lightened. After changing my mind a dozen times, I settled on this interesting group of rocks along the beach. As the sun came over the horizon, the clouds began to break up and the rays shooting up behind them made them give off a golden glow. The calm water on the inside of the reef reflected the scene perfectly. What a beautiful morning! I am sure glad I happened upon this spot before I left.

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