Under the Rickenbacker

Hello, America! Thank you for taking the time to review my entry in this month’s competition.

This photograph was taken in Key Biscayne, Florida, beneath the Rickenbacker Causeway. I originally went to the key to photograph the sunrise, but sometimes the most memorable images come from the moments you never planned for.

After photographing the sunrise, I began walking back toward the other side of the causeway when I heard the flapping of wings. I glanced over and noticed a pelican resting on one of the causeway’s foundations. At that very moment, the rising sun began to illuminate the shadows beneath the bridge, revealing a scene that immediately caught my attention.

To me, this image represents a handshake between nature and human architecture. The geometric repetition and depth of the bridge’s columns, combined with the warm rays of the rising sun and the quiet presence of the pelican, created a moment that felt perfectly balanced and deserving of being preserved. The beauty of this image lies in how the initial columns create the outline of a frame, encapsulating the sun’s rays as they shine onto the perched pelican.

I first shared this photograph with my family and friends, and now I have the opportunity to share it with you—the viewer and voter. Thank you for taking the time to experience this moment with me. I hope this image resonates with you as much as it did with me when I captured it.

If this image resonates with you, I would be incredibly grateful for your vote. Your support would not only help me continue in this competition, but also support a cause that means a great deal to me. If selected as the winner, my charity of choice is Make-A-Wish. Every vote means so much, and I sincerely appreciate your support in helping me share this photograph and potentially make a meaningful difference for children and families through Make-A-Wish.