Capturing New Brighton Pier at Sunrise

In September 2024, my wife and I arrived out at New Brighton beach in Christchurch around first light on a Spring Sunday morning. It was a cool and fresh 11 degrees, no wind, and there were roaring seas. There were plenty of people and dogs already on the beach walking or running, adults and children already riding bikes and using the playground, which had some kind of musical instruments and gave a whimsical tone to the early morning.

We had never been here before and I quickly walked around the location to check out the pier and some interesting elements in the area, of which there were plenty to choose from. First light seemed to have arrived earlier than the published time so I had to hurry. There were several other photographers already buzzing around capturing the sunrise and testing out locations and angles. Normally I would scout a location in advance but we had only arrived in Christchurch the evening before and it had been dark already.

Here is one of my favourite images from this first morning.

Here are a few quick shots of the general area and some the elements that can be incorporated. I did spend some time trying to line up a good shot through some of the circles in the concrete walkway. Allow plenty of time for this as some angles are tricky.

As we soaked in the morning, we couldn't help but notice that it felt similar to being on the Gold Coast in the early morning, except we didn't see any surfers at that moment to complete the picture. The fresh air, roaring seas and stretch of coastline always gives us a real sense of freedom and adventure.

As the sunrise came and went, we sipped on some coffee and walked around the foreshore which actually reminded us a bit of Napier, with the clock tower and shops close by. As we prepared to leave, a few surfers turned up to take on the roaring seas and our picture was complete.

Day 2

We enjoyed our time here so much we returned the next morning even earlier than the reported first light. We were delighted to find that the Pier was lit up in bright colours that changed on rotation and included purple, green, reds and more. We didn't see this the previous day. This allowed me to take even more great images and I had time to try out some of the other locations and elements too.

Planning tips

If you're planning a trip out to New Brighton beach to capture the sunrise it is well worth the effort. Here are a few tips:

1. Scout location: Scout the location in the daylight the day before if you can.

2. Check weather: Remember to check the weather forecast.

3. Plan on two mornings: Allow two mornings to have time to experiment with the variety of angles and elements this location offers. You'll want to capture the pier from the side but also walk up on top.

4. Get there early: Get there much earlier than the reported first light to maximise your time and to capture the Pier with the coloured lights still on.

5. Dress for the weather: Dress for the weather, it was cool and fresh when we were there, but luckily not windy.

6. Food and drinks: Don't forget to pack yourself some hot drinks and perhaps a easy breakfast to enjoy after your photography efforts are complete as no shops were open that early.