Posts Tagged ‘Cape Hatteras National Seashore’

This week we honor those Men and Women that have served our country in the Arm Forces. On November 11, Veterans Day. It is a time for us to reflect and pay our respect to those that have served and fought for the freedoms we share. My gratitude to each and everyone of them.

Knowing that the last day of daylight savings was upon us and that sunrise on the island was to step back an hour, Cheryl and I decided to get up early Saturday morning and drive on the beach looking for the perfect spot to capture the morning light. As we drove we came to realize that the weatherman’s prediction for a clear and sunny day had gone array and instead, we encountered gray skies, heavy winds, large surf and a slight drizzle of rain. But as they say, when one door closes another opens.

As we drove the beach we spotted an object on shore, off in the distance, just beyond the reach of the surf. Much to our surprise, as we approached, we realized that is was a fully-grown loggerhead turtle that had come ashore. You cannot imagine how mesmerized we were, to be so close, by the presence and beauty of this incredible creature.

The loggerhead is the worlds largest hard-shelled turtle, measuring up to 84 inches ( 213 centimeters) long when fully grown. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kilograms or 300 lb. Loggerhead sea turtles spend most of their life in the open ocean and in shallow coastal waters. Loggerheads are considered an endangered species and are protected by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Coming face to face with such a majestic creature was well worth the early morning rise and the weatherman’s missed forecast for a beautiful sunrise. In fact, the once in a lifetime opportunity was better than anything we could have imagined we would have encountered or witnessed that morning on OBX.

With the holidays fast approaching what better gift to give than a one of a kind photograph. All photos appearing in the blog are available for private, corporate or stock purchase. More importantly, if you have a corporate shoot upcoming, I am no further away then a phone call or email.

Best wishes ……….
~dK~

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend and are now hitting the office with Monday Morning Mania. I am on the road traveling back from Baltimore where I was instructing at a photographic workshop.

Sometimes it just pays to be in the right place at the right time. Last week my girlfriend and I decided to head out to the beach and do a little location scouting in spite of the bad weather that was looming. As we got to the beach it started to rain but ever so slightly so we chose to continue with our mission. As we toured the area I looked to the ocean and saw what appeared to be the start of a rainbow. While we stood and watched, the rainbow continued to grow little by little and increased ever so slightly in color intensity. As we stood there, I began to think it would never reach it’s full potential but it continued to grow both in size and in color. It was as if the colors began pulsating in rich neon colors and each band of the rainbow was becoming more defined. But again as we stood and watch as the colors became more brilliant we both thought that we would never see if continue to become a full arch. It was if it was teasing us with some growth and tempting us with its brilliant colors. I decided to go back to vehicle and get another lens just in case. As I turned back from the car to see the extent of the rainbow, it had miraculously manifested itself into the most majestic image of brilliant colors and shape I have ever witnessed. It was breathtaking and I can honestly say in all the years I have been a photographer I have not witnessed the beauty of a rainbow or experienced the intensity of colors this rainbow possessed. To top it off it was a double rainbow.

We stood in awe of the beauty of what appeared before us and it was difficult to decide whether to continue to photograph it or just stand and take in the moment. It was a hard decision to make so I attempted to do both. As the rainbow diminished we both stood in disbelief of what we had just seen.

Over the next couple of days the talk of the island was whether or not you had seen the rainbow that evening. I even think the island shifted a little to the east with everyone attempting to get a view of the double rainbow. Everyone was talking about just how amazing if was and how incredibly neon the colors were. I could not help but join in the conversation knowing that I had not only been witness to one of the most incredible acts of nature I had ever seen but I actually had proof.

If there ever was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow this was the one where it would have been found. The only way to describe it is, “It was Picture Perfect!”

All my best for the week ahead and if you are in need of any photographic services do not hesitate to call.

Best regards!
~dk~