Today, January 30, is National Escape Day – where we’re encouraged to live in the moment by breaking away from responsibilities and predictable routines! On today’s coldest Florida day in over a decade, I decided to bundle up and venture out to take sunrise photographs instead of my typical sunsets.
Although I was disappointed to not find photogenic ice and frost on flowers, I couldn’t have asked for more beautiful photography light at a time of day I’m rarely out and about, especially in 34-degree weather!
Last night I rummaged around my closet and found the few pieces of winter clothing I own, and pulled them together in preparation for a very early morning. I left my house around 6:45 a.m. to get in place for my sunrise shot, about a mile away by car.
It was dark and cold as I was leaving my house! Floridians are not accustomed to this kind of weather, but I was motivated to observe National Escape Day – wearing two shirts, heavy coat, gloves, warm scarf, thick socks, duck boots, warm leggings, and a winter hat I vaguely remembering buying years ago but never wearing.
People in Boston and New York City will laugh at 34 degrees with no snow as being remarkable, but for Southwest Florida, trust me, it is!
From where I parked, it was about a 10-minute (oh so brisk) walk to where I wanted to get my sunrise photograph over the water. Fortunately, the 20-mph winds from yesterday were gone by today, and it was a very calm morning. It also was a very cold morning.
However, the sun rising through darkness over the water with exploding golden glints was worth every minute of the cold. It was spectacular from behind the tall silhouetted grasses!
And after the sun was up, I found gorgeous light on those flowers I’d hoped to use for icicle pictures; met up with a couple of birds; and kept moving quickly for the near hour I was taking photographs out in the cold.
I shot tight with a macro lens to capitalize on the beautiful morning light, and create dreamy backgrounds with a bokeh effect for the flower photographs. (Be sure to see the one where the pink and red flowers and berries caused an unusual effect over the leaves – it was a surprise to me when I took it out of the camera!)
After about 45 minutes, my camera and I were ready to go home to a heated house and (for me) waffles for breakfast, so while it was a relatively brief escape, it certainly was outside my predictable routine. I really enjoyed the early morning experience, and it was good to mix things up a bit. And, honestly, I think that winter hat looked kinda cute on me!
Here are some more photographs from my chilly, early morning adventure. How will you escape in honor of today’s National Escape Day?!
How cold did it get today where you live? Did you celebrate National Escape Day in a fun way? Be sure to comment below!
