Early Morning Swim – Ocean Grove
Ocean mornings have their own rhythm — the hush before the day begins, the light stretching slowly across the horizon, and the first movement breaking the surface of the waves. At Ocean Grove, a lone swimmer steps into the surf as seabirds skim across the water. The rising sun casts soft tones of gold and lavender, holding that brief balance between night’s quiet and the day’s awakening.
For some, an early swim is simply routine; for others, it’s a way of starting fresh. The salt on the skin, the sand underfoot, the rhythm of the waves — each detail connects body and mind to the present. In moments like these, mindfulness isn’t about stillness but about motion, a renewal carried in every stroke and step. Scenes like this remind us that simple rituals, when noticed, can shape the way we carry the day ahead.
Technique
This photograph was taken just after sunrise, when the light is soft and low. Shooting into the sun required careful exposure to keep both the glowing sky and the swimmer visible. A fast shutter speed of 1/500 sec froze the surf and the bird in flight, while an aperture of f/8 kept the horizon and foreground in focus. The warm sky and cool water balanced naturally, with only gentle adjustments to highlights and shadows to keep the moment true.
Settings:
- Lens: 18–55mm kit lens
- Aperture: f/8
- Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
- ISO: 200
- Focal length: 42mm
