Morning Breakthrough

Description

This is one of three photographs captured on the same morning—three images, each with its own character.

Until this day, every photograph I’d taken of Norah Head and its lighthouse had been shot either close to the lighthouse or from the southern side. This was my first time exploring the northern vantage points.

Because the sun rises in different positions throughout the year, each season favours a different location. In winter, the sun rises from the East–Northeast, placing the coloured sky to the right and the lighthouse to the left when shooting from the south. In summer, the sun rises from the East–Southeast, reversing the balance of light and composition.

Another essential lesson: never pack up the moment the sun breaks the horizon. The next 30 minutes can be the most dramatic—especially when clouds are in play.

Norah Head Lighthouse at Sunrise was taken the moment the sun cleared the horizon. The sky—and the clouds catching that first light—glowed a deep, fiery orange.

Norah Head at Dawn was captured ten minutes later. By then, the sun had climbed behind a bank of cloud, softening the scene into pale orange tones with gentle light filtering through the grey.

Morning Breakthrough (this photograph) came twenty‑seven minutes after sunrise. The sky had shifted to yellow, the sun higher, and beams of light were breaking through the clouds. The ocean had deepened into a rich blue.

Three distinct photographs, all from almost the same spot—each shaped by time, light, and patience.