Capturing people in candid or posed moments is the cornerstone to my love of photography. However, there are other areas of the art that I thoroughly enjoy. Landscapes being one of them. Having grown up in a rural area and spending a lot of time around the countryside of Florida. I have an innate love for landscape photography.

This past weekend presented a great opportunity to capture some landscape shots. My wife was planned to take part in a bachelorette cruise for her sister, in celebration of her upcoming wedding. The cruise was destined for a weekend in the Bahamas, and the voyage began at Port Canaveral, FL.

I planned to drop my wife off at the port, and return to pick her up when the ship returned. I wanted to make the most out of the return home. As the drive is over an hour from our home. There are lots of open landscapes, waterfronts, and vessels throughout the drive. I ensured to take mental note of areas that caught my eye on the way to the port. My return trip home was going to be some one on one time with my camera, and I.

First landscape of interest was an open plot of land with very large power poles running parallel for quite some distance. This area was immediately checked off in my train of thought. I have been looking for a shot like this, and had finally found it. This would be my last stop of the day for photos, but was well worth the wait.

Once reaching Port Canaveral, I spotted quite a few areas that would make for great photos. There are many sail boats to be seen around the area, and multiple places to pull over right next to the water. The coast was a little cloudy, and provided a little extra “mood” to the shots I captured. This turned a one hour trip home into three. 

After spending some time around the area, and knowing that I would be back to pick up my wife in the early morning. I made the decision to begin planning some more photo opportunities for early sunrise on the return trip.

The “Photo Pills” app has been one of the best investments I have made. I first learned about the app from Bryan Minear. An official Fujifilm X-Photographer. Known for his beautiful landscape shots that encompass the Sun, and hold vibrant colors. Bryan has been a guest on a few Podcast episodes, and also has his own Podcast; "We The Creators”. Where he has named dropped this app. He isn’t lying. It’s a great tool to have on your belt. 

With the “Photo Pills” app, you can track the movement of the Sun, and changes in light throughout the day. Following the mapping of the Sun’s angle when rising, provided enough information to know where I needed to be on the island to capture the perfect sunrise. Some searching on Google Maps found a park right on the water and had free parking. 

On the day of my return, I arrived 15 minutes before sunrise, and setup right on the water. Capturing some of my favorite photos yet.

In conclusion, I am grateful for taking the time to really look for something new, and get some wonderful photos in the process. I plan to begin taking the extra time out of my commutes, and photographing places or items of interest. Allowing for more variability and challenges in my work.

Let me know what you think in the comments below!