Longboard Girl- Cocoa Beach, FL
There’s a pier near where I live on the East Coast of Florida. Cocoa Beach Pier is very well known by surfers all over the world. A popular surfing spot, and home to 11 time world champion surfer, Kelly Slater.
I frequent the pier to photograph the sunrise, and as you might expect, each sunrise is so different than the last one. It is a great place to feel the ocean breeze, to taste and smell the salt air, and be thankful that you are human and enjoying the divine art in the sunrise.
I enjoy the place so much that I often take other photographers to the pier for a sunrise shoot. I especially enjoy seeing the enthusiasm of the photographers who have never shot a sunrise before. I am always amazed to see that their work is often so much different than mine, yet we are shooting the exact same scene. It just adds to the joy of the experience.
I have found that the best nature photography is produced while all 5 human senses are tuned into the environment. I encourage other photographers to smell and taste the salt air, listen carefully to the rolling surf, feel the ocean breeze on their face, touch the wet sand at the water line, and soak up the sights of the scene before they even take the lens cap off their camera. I find discovering what you feel first helps you capture what you’re feeling. And pictures of what you are feeling are always your best work.
Feel it, then capture it. And may the remarkable photos always be yours.
Chuck
Chuck Palmer 
As always, deep and informative!
Thank you Kathy! I appreciate your perspective.
Great insight! Thanks for passing along your wisdom and talent, Chuck!
Thanks Cheryl. I really appreciate your opinion. Hope you and family are doing well.
So so true and something so many photographers (In my opinion) don’t do…be in the moment, be where you are and gather all that information to include in your shots! Well written and said Chuck!
Thanks so much Lauri. I always value your opinion. Hope you are doing well.