Every morning by the ocean can be a wonderful morning, regardless of the weather. There's something about the air and light that makes it an unparalleled place on earth. I've witnessed sunrises from Hawaii to northern Maine, and the enchantment of an ocean sunrise never fades, whether it's an overcast sunrise or a sunrise in freezing temperatures. This photograph was taken during a hot and humid week on the Massachusetts coast.

We had parked our RV at the Salisbury State Park, which is situated at the mouth of the Merrimack River. Throughout the week, we experienced humidity of 90% with temperatures ranging from 90° to 100°F. Some people consider this perfect beach weather, and the beaches were packed. The benefit of this weather for photographers, like myself, is that the warm, humid days carry a lot of moisture in the air. At sunrise, this adds a nice glow to the atmosphere. Even the slightest bit of color from the sun is amplified throughout the landscape.

Another advantage of this weather phenomenon is that beachgoers are slow to get started in the morning after a few days in the heat and humidity. This leaves the beach scenes devoid of people and distractions, which is ideal for landscape photographers.