I ventured out on my birthday in December 2023 for this shot of Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, CA. The weather in Big Sur is always unpredictable, and after driving through a fog filled coastline, I was pleasantly surprised when the sky cleared just after sunrise. I managed to capture the sun rising over the Santa Lucia Mountains lighting up the Bixby Bridge with a golden fresh light. The challenge was waiting for the perfect moment when the light was just right, and the scene came to life after the fog cleared. I also had to carefully expose the sunrise without blowing out the bright areas of the sky.

This shot was taken at 18mm, f/9.0, 1/125, ISO 200 using a Nikon Z8 with a 16-35mm f/4 lens, Nikon FTZ Adapter II, RRS Tripod and RRS BH-55 Ball Head.