Chasing the Sunset: A Long-Exposure Evening on Hunting Island

Introduction:

There are thousands of photographs I’ve taken over the years that I’ve never really looked at — until I stumble across one that catches my eye. This is one of them. It’s from 2022, when Roni and I vacationed on Hunting Island in South Carolina. We found a cozy condo right on the beach, a little slice of paradise where the world slows down and the Atlantic whispers its secrets.

The Evening Walk:

I ventured out that evening to catch the sunset, long before the sun touched the horizon. I made a lot of images, and well over an hour after sunset I was still clicking away. This became one of my favorites, there was a ton of haze and fog in the air that trip, and I really came across a lot of really great scenes/ The haze in the air softened the world into a dreamlike palette of golds, pinks, and purples. There’s something magical about this time of day — the calm, the salty breeze brushing across your skin, the gentle sound of waves meeting sand, the sense that the world pauses for a final breath before night falls.

Capturing the Dream:

I wanted the photograph to reflect that feeling — the quiet magic of a nearly-empty beach and the ethereal glow of the evening sky. I dragged the shutter for 10 seconds, allowing the water to move and swirl into the soft, flowing patterns you see in the image. Long-exposure photography is as much about patience as technique. You have to feel the scene, let nature do its thing, and then choose settings that translate that feeling into a photograph. Some evenings, 10 seconds might be perfect. Other times, it might be too long. The key is to trust your eye and intuition.

Why I Love This Time of Day:

Sunsets carry a reflective, almost mystical energy. There’s a solitude, a space to breathe, and a chance to watch light shift across the horizon in ways that feel fleeting and sacred. For me, photography isn’t just about capturing an image — it’s about capturing a feeling. And in this moment, I wanted to capture serenity, wonder, and the hush of a world preparing for nightfall.

• Shutter Speed: 10 seconds
• Location: Hunting Island, SC
• Equipment: [Insert camera and lens here if desired]

Technical Details (Optional for Photography Enthusiasts):

For you techy geeks that want to know about the settings? Well here we go:

• Aperture: f/11
• ISO: 100
• Shutter Speed: 10 seconds
• Focal Length: 16 mm

Conclusion:

This photograph reminds me that even after thousands of shots, there are moments waiting to surprise me. A quiet beach, a haze-filled sky, a little patience with the shutter — and suddenly, the ordinary becomes magical. Hunting Island at sunset is a place where nature and creativity meet, and I’m grateful to have walked this stretch of sand with a camera in hand, capturing the poetry of light and water.