Low Tide at Sunrise, Provincetown

Provincetown Reveals at Sunrise

At 4:45 AM we rolled into town, cameras, tripods and optimism for the sunrise, which occurs today at low tide. On the horizon, wispy clouds of orange and coral formed over the land, reflected in the wet mud flats. Boats lay aground at oblique angles. Fingers of water channel the escaping tide are scored the mud, producing a lacework of fingers leading to the water. Sounds of the cool, damp breeze, & low growling diesel engines of fishing boats were interspersed by the sounds of crunching oyster shells as we walked on the sand.

Low Tide, Provincetown

Provincetown revealed her sandy foundations to us in the form of mud flats exposed to the low tide. The shifting sands reveal ribs of tidal mud and the skeletal rivulets of the receding tide. As the sun rose over the low bank of clouds, the waterfront of the town to the west was illuminated in golden hues. It created three dimensional textures of barnacles on rocks and rotting pilings. Pieces of history; broken of dock pilings, rusted metal bracings and pieces of driftwood.

As a photographer, my favorite time of day is sunrise as the world illuminates with the promise of a new day. As a teacher, to share the best light with my students with the newness of subject and vision is one of my great joys. Elements of light, water and land came together on this the day of the new moon. Our photography workshop includes two more opportunities to capture first light, and together with my seven compadres, we hope for additional spectacular experiences here in Provincetown.