After a long night of shooting the night skies, the freshness of the morning sun rising just above the horizon was a welcome sight. Nugget Point Lighthouse is an iconic location on the southeast side of New Zealand's South Island. It had rained most of the prior evening, and we were not sure we would have any good light, but the morning broke, and the sky cleared, leaving enough scattered clouds to give us some beautiful morning light. The sunlight reflecting off the damp grass in the cool salt air was as refreshing as the ocean water splashing against the rocks below us.

The viewing platform near the lighthouse is just an easy twenty-minute walk from the parking area along a well-maintained trail. It provides an excellent view of the lighthouse. This image was taken from the edge of the viewing platform, with my tripod leg hanging precariously over the side. I set my camera to a smaller aperture to create a partial starburst as the sun peaked through the clouds.

This lighthouse was first lit in 1870 and is one of the oldest lighthouses in New Zealand. It stands 76 meters (249 ft) above the water. The location famously got its name because Captain Cook believed the rocks in the water looked like gold nuggets. If you visit this location, be sure to bring binoculars or a long lens because a large colony of fur seals live down amongst the rocks at the base of the hill. Also, one of the world's rarest penguins, the yellow-eyed penguin, with its distinctive eyelashes, makes this place its home.