It doesn't happen often, but every once in a while, all the elements come together perfectly to create a memorable scene. Then, all we have to do is be on site to capture it with our cameras. That was the case on this recent day in January at Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick along the coast of Maine in New England (USA).

This is known to be one of the most visited and photographed lighthouses along the coast of Maine, so I seldom come here to photograph these days. But when I saw fresh snow, a good prospect for sky color, and holiday lights still on the structures, I eagerly joined several good friends for yet another visit at sunrise. Snow doesn't usually last long on this wind-blown and exposed little island that lies within a stone's throw of York, so timing was essential.

The sky was already beginning to color when we arrived on scene some forty-five minutes before sunrise and it just kept getting better. I decided to fly my drone for a slightly different perspective than usual, taking advantage of the higher vantage point to include more of both the sky and water reflection.

I also took a longer sequence of identical frames that I later used in post-processing to smooth out the water ripples on the water (an averaging technique), giving the appearance of a long exposure. This photo was taken just a few minutes before sunrise. The sun came up in clouds, so sunrise itself was uneventful — the most vibrant sky color was at dawn.

Nubble Lighthouse was put into service in 1879 to protect mariners from the dangerous and rocky coast of Maine. It was originally named Knubble Lighthouse, but its name was officially changed to Cape Neddick Lightstation in 1939.