My favorite photo, ever: a sunset in Negril, Jamaica

I am not a good photographer. I try my best, and my iPhone and iPhotos on my desktop have certainly helped. In fact, I would love to take much better photos with an actual camera, and may get a new one soon. My very old Canon is limping along, telling me every five minutes that it needs recharging. I can relate to that – so do I. Anyway, this was a recent Bloganuary prompt and I immediately chose my favorite photo.

This is one photo that I have “favorited” that just captured a moment, like magic. We were relaxing for a couple of days in Negril. This is a shameless plug for a hotel down there that we are very fond of, called Sunset at the Palms. The place is as alluring as the name, with tree houses set in gardens, among towering palm trees. Over the road is the beach, which is completely natural, with many tall trees and none of those daunting rows of loungers and umbrellas that you see on other hotel beaches. You can nestle there with hardly anyone looking at you. It’s the perfect place to lounge with a book.

Or, of course, watch for the sunset – an activity for which Negril, on the western tip of the island, is rightly famous. The thing about sunsets there is that they often creep up on you. Sometimes it may be cloudy and misty and you are just turning away from what seems to be rather a dull display when – it bursts out at you. This is exactly what happened in this photo. The sun’s rays formed a diagonal shape from behind a deep grey cloud, right across the sky, which was ridged and ribbed with crimson and gold. And then, two fishermen in a boat crossed the silver grey path of the diagonal cloud shape on the sea – almost a funnel shape – at the very moment that I clicked my camera. I was so entranced by the drama of the sunset, I didn’t see them coming. They added something.

So, this photo may seem a little predictable and slightly “touristy,” – but I am proud of it. And, I should add, “no filter”!