Rehoboth Beach After Dark
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware has always been a quick and easy getaway for me. When I need to get out of town for a couple of days, it’s one of the first places that comes to mind. After a long winter, I was ready for a change of pace and a little sea air.
So the first weekend in March, I grabbed a camera, packed up the car, and headed for Rehoboth Beach. I left Westminster that morning and took my time heading east toward the beach. Along the way I stopped at a few of my favorite antique stores, just browsing, no rush to get anywhere. By the time I reached Rehoboth it was early evening and a light rain had started to fall.
I checked into the Atlantic Sands Hotel on the boardwalk. The rain had stopped by the time I unpacked, but the air was still cool and the streets were damp. Ready to relax, I ventured out to Fins Ale House & Raw Bar for dinner. A couple of drinks, some seafood, and that was enough to unwind from the drive.
Back at the hotel, I grabbed my camera and decided to go for a walk. The boardwalk and Rehoboth Avenue were quiet. It was late, off season, and only a few places were still open. The air was cool and carried the faint smell of rain, but the boards and streets had mostly dried. The light from the shops and signs gave everything a soft glow. I started shooting.
This was the first time I used my Panasonic LUMIX GX85 paired with the Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 II lens. I bought it as a small, lightweight setup for travel and street work. It feels good in the hand and doesn’t draw any attention. Both qualities are crucial for stealthy street photography.
That night I also used a Black Mist 1/8 filter. It’s a diffusion filter that softens highlights and creates a gentle halation around lights. The effect added a subtle, cinematic quality to the quiet streets. The light was just right.
I wandered around downtown Rehoboth Beach for close to two hours. I loved that there were so few people out. Just the sound of the ocean, the creak of the boards underfoot, and the occasional car turning down Rehoboth Avenue. It was simple, quiet, and exactly what I needed.
These photos are a small sampling from that night. Nothing fancy, just moments that stood out while walking alone by the sea.
Enjoy!!
___
Technical Notes:
These images were captured with a Panasonic LUMIX GX85 camera and a Panasonic LUMIX G 20mm f/1.7 II lens. A Black Mist 1/8 filter was used to create a soft halation around the lights and add a cinematic quality to the images. The ISO was set to 1600 for a consistent look. The photos were processed in Lightroom to enhance tonal richness and texture, with a subtle denoise applied. Frame ratio is 4:3.
