It's a Misquitoe Sunrise

It's 4:30AM, dark and I am up getting dressed to go photo a sunrise. Outside it is foggy, but the sun will burn this stuff off. Camera in the bag, tripod in the trunk and the rest of the guests thank the FJR for being quiet. I am off for the shore line behind the Mermaid where we ate last night. It is not anymore than 10 minutes away.

Turn left at the B&B, make my way to the end of the street, grab my camera and tripod and walk to the shoreline. Still pretty foggy out, but the sun as not risen yet and I did not miss it. Tripod set up, camera snapped in, focus on some rocks and settle in for the wait.

Then they came. Not seagulls, not albatrosses, no soaring eagles, but mosquitoes in swarms. Zeeeee eeeeee right around my ears. Maybe this is what Son of Sam experienced. They were like voices in my head, except I did not understand the language. Slap on the neck, then the arm, the cheek, the forehead. It was like the Ques were singing Alouette, Gentille, Alouette. Sky is getting brighter, bloods smears all over my body from the slapping.

So this is what professional photographer and snipers go through without flinching. There is a tree off to the right of me along the shoreline, so I turn the camera to the right, focus, snap off a picture

Put my jacket back on for the protective armor and let the Ques focus on my chin and up. Of course with the excitement and my confusion on my first sunrise, what f stop should I be using, Manual or Aperture mode, underexpose or was that overexpose the shot, WTF is the sun, my blood pressure is elevated. With that I sweat a tad more than usual which the Ques think is gravy all over my body. It is a 99cent Vegas smorgasbord for the Ques. All you can eat and no line.

 Take a couple more test shots, before the sun gets here.

Sunrise is something like 539AM and it is now 6. Either I miss it or the sun is taking the day off . My arms are getting tired from all the swinging and I already have 50 shots of the tree and the shoreline. It is time to pack it in and go back and read what I did wrong.

As it turned out the spot I was in, I was facing north and the sunrise is not visible from that spot. Plus, the fog and mist is thick enough it blocked the sunrise in its entirety anyway. The owner of the Yardarm, where we are staying, gives me a perfect place for catching the sunrise. Tomorrow is another day and today we have things to see.