Sunrise at Sunset – a beautiful sunrise on the North Carolina coast

In this fine art seascape print, the sun peaks through a tiny sliver of sky between the ocean and the clouds.  I captured many different images during this sunrise.  Over a period of only a few minutes, the sky continually changed colors and brilliance.  It was a spectacular sunrise.

Sunrise at Sunset Beach North Carolina - fine art landscape photography print

Sunrise at Sunset Beach North Carolina - fine art landscape photography print

It was captured at Sunset Beach, North Carolina which is located on the coast just south of the southern end of the Outer Banks.

Depending upon the season of the year, there are times you can capture a sunrise and a sunset on the same day at Sunset Beach.

Fine art prints are available.  Visit one of the  galleries below for information.

Gallery of Newest fine art landscape work

Gallery of older fine art prints

Main website – Picture North Carolina

Stormy weather can be dramatic – and beautiful – to photograph

In a previous article, I mentioned how photographers mistakenly avoid bad weather when drama can be found in it.  Beauty can be found there, too.

In August 2009, a weakened tropical storm Danny meandered onto the North Carolina Outer Banks with high surf, winds, heavy lightning and rain.  I saw this as another opportunity to capture dramatic images, so I headed out into the incoming storm a few hours before sunrise.

I was at Bodie Island lighthouse about an hour before sunrise.  Because of the storm, there was no “sunrise” that morning of course, but the weather conditions were severe with constant lightning, heavy rain and wind.  Battling the elements, I used the opportunity to shoot lots of pictures for what was probably a couple of hours.

The fine art photography prints below were part of that effort.  The lighthouse was still lighted as the storm moved quickly overhead.  I hand-painted the images into an original (digital) PhotoArt piece.  I also created a hand-painted version in an oil painting style, but it is not posted here because at the size images are posted on the web, the brush strokes and textures cannot be seen.

Included here are wide angle and normal versions.  Some people do not like wide angle shots because of the distortion, but that is exactly why I do like them.  To me, the abstract qualities of a wide angle image adds drama and interest.

Prints are available. See this print and more drama in the New Work Gallery:
Newest fine art photography.

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Picture North Carolina fine art photography and hand-painted PhotoArt

Bodie Lighthouse Outer Banks North Carolina during a tropical storm at Sunrise

Bodie lighthouse on the Outer Banks during a tropical storm; Wide angle.

Bodie Lighthouse Outer Banks North Carolina during a tropical storm at Sunrise

Bodie lighthouse Outer Banks during a tropical storm - normal angle.

Into the Eye of the Storm – Drama, a Boat, and a Hurricane

Most photographers prefer sunny days, blue skies and perfect sunrises and sunsets to take pictures – they run from the rain.  I don’t.

Yes, I like those perfect days too, but I never run from bad weather.  In fact, I go out of my way to run into it. I have found that dramatic pictures are born from dramatic conditions.

In early September 2008, Hurricane Hanna rolled over Haiti killing more than 500 people, lost a little steam, then slammed into the East coast of the U.S. in the Carolinas.  This image was captured as the backside of Hanna rolled north over the Outer Banks.

I like the drama of this image because of the ominously-threatening storm clouds that dwarf the minuscule boat that is headed into them.

It was captured on Pea Island of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, not to far from the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.  The clouds were not made to appear more threatening.  The image is an infrared image which has a tendency to make skies  more dramatic.  This image, and its drama, were captured just as you see it.

The image sat untouched for three years until it was recently re-discovered as I was perusing through old libraries.  It is one of my newest favorites because of the drama.  It is not a fake infrared like many photographers create in photoshop.  It is a true fine art infrared landscape.

Prints are available.  See this print and more drama in the New Work Gallery:
Newest fine art photography.

Like the Facebook page at:
Picture North Carolina on Facebook

Visit the main website at:
Picture North Carolina fine art photography and hand-painted PhotoArt

Outer Banks Fine Art Landscape Photography

A boat travels into a storm. Outer Banks fine art photography of Dan Carmichael.