Can anyone tell me what it is about sunrises that have captivated us since we first knew how to trace them? They are present in all periods of human history. With or without technology. Rich, poor, healthy and sick... Poets or incapable dupes; all of us, yes, absolutely all of us are hypnotised to see and perceive the spectrum of the visible reflected on the horizon. Sometimes with clouds, other times with clear skies...
No sunrise is the same as the previous one. Something happens with them, very similar to what happens with snow crystals. They can be similar but never identical. For a period that corresponds to the planet's rotation, we can perceive, depending on our location in the world, some colours more than others. I am from Venezuela, very close to the equator but far enough away to belong to the Northern Hemisphere.....
During the months that correspond to the autumn-winter cycle (end of September, until the end of March) it is enough to wait patiently for the Sun. If you are located close to the East, this will be more than enough, as the colours that accompany these months will most probably be bluish. From the deep purple variety to deep violets and blues. It's a good time to take some photographs...
Since I was a teenager I became aware of this phenomenon, but I grew up without much passion for art and optics, which led me to love and execute the noble profession of being a ‘photographer’ without really being one. I don't have the right equipment, but I do know a few technical tricks. And with these humble activities I collected as many sunrises as humanly possible during more than a year... Sometimes, prioritising the capture of the light reflected in the sky, and leaving the silhouettes of everything else as mere decoration. And others by overexposing the colour and saturating it to the maximum to give that Vice City or Cyberpunk effect.
Beyond the pop culture references, though... What strikes me is how beautiful nature can be without us being able to do anything about it.... I am convinced, if my grandparents were alive, you could ask them if they loved watching sunrises as much as I or any of you do, and they would tell me, without hesitation, ‘yes’. There is something that unites and amazes us in equal parts. We can know precisely when and where, exactly, the sun will rise and set each day, but whenever we get the chance, we are moved by those colours in the sky. Yellows, reds. Oranges, violets, pinks, blues; all at our disposal and delight.
From spring-summer to autumn-winter, the block where my house is located, in my neighbourhood served as a witness to capture these sunrises. They seem to renew themselves every day, and bring us a little illusion and joy; hope and that sense of connection and well-being.... They have been and will continue to be scandalous for centuries.... Hopefully, I hope, they will continue to be sung, appreciated and admired. I like to think that they are proof positive that everything, with all that it has to offer, is about to begin and that everything can start to get a little better. Simply captivating and beautiful.
P.S: In the cover photo of this post, there is a common chair receiving a halo of light from the side... I decided to make it my cover, because that picture was taken one day, which unfortunately I don't remember from 2023.... I had no electricity in my house, for reasons beyond my control for almost 24 hours, and I couldn't sleep... With the last breath of battery life I had in my mobile phone I managed to capture that photo of one more sunrise that I could see with my own eyes and keep the memory....
All photographs and content used in this post are my own. Therefore, they have been used under my permission and are my property.
