Trunk Bay St John from the Front and Back

There is something magical about St John and pictures of Trunk Bay capture this magic whether the pictures are taken facing Trunk Bay or even with your back to the beautifiul Caribbean Sea. Don't know what I mean? Well, this past weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to take a photography class 'Beyond the Basics' with the fabulous St John photographer, Steve Simonsen. Steve is a pro who clearly loves his craft. He is fun and a great teacher. Not only does Steve want you to learn the basics but he encourages you to have fun with your photos and to tell a story.  

For the first hour, we sat at a picnic table at Hawksnest beach (not a bad 'class room' venue) and were taught some of the basics. Steve then gave us some assignments which challenged us to capture the scene but make sure the light (and shade) did not capture us. I partially succeeded but lost the beautiful greens of the sea grapes in the foreground:

The surf was high at Hawksnest Beach

We then drove to the Trunk Bay overlook which is one of the most photographed venues, not just on St John but in the Caribbean. And, no wonder. The views are magical!

Barely a person comes to St John who does not stop to capture a picture of  magnificent Trunk Bay and its beach

Then Steve challenged us to have fun with the view and try to see something 'new'. At that time a car drove up, parked, and voila...a new 'canvas' was created...we turned our backs to Trunk Bay and took pictures of the reflection as it was shown in a rental car window - go figure! St John and Trunk Bay are beautiful whether you are looking at the Caribbean Sea or you, literally, have your back to it!

This is a picture OF a car window - truly!

We then drove to the ruins at Cinnamon Bay. Rather than being in the bright sun the ruins are in a bit of a forest. Lots of shade with hints of sun. Different challenges to be learned regarding lighting lessons. 

The red of this door was compelling

Not a bad way to spend a morning on St John!

October News flashes and fun St John clips

Trunk Bay St John

• Our friends at On-StJohn.com posted a wonderful beach-break video of Trunk Bay beach. Heard on the video are the reactions of people who are seeing Trunk Bay for the first time. As the MasterCard ad says 'priceless'!
• Restaurant happenings: There is even more comfort food on St John these days with: Fatty Crab's new 'Smoke Out Sunday' barbecue brunch; the Gastro Grub (at the Marketplace) with their Mac'n Cheez and Meatloaf; the opening of Iguana Grill with their burgers and beer (across from Woody's); and Coral Bay's New Clean Plate serving traditional island fare such as stewed goat or jerk chicken, callalo and okra, seasoned rice, peas, and fungi.
• We, at Great Expectations, continue to work hard to partner with more St John business owners who agreed to give our guests a discount. We can now help our guests with discounts on car rentals, boat charters - sail and power, snorkeling trips (and snuba),photography, catering, and, yes, massages! See our websitefor details and our ownspecials.

Enough good reasons to plan a trip to St John? We hope so! Come to St John - and Great Expectations - to experience the magic for yourself.Best,Chuck & Kristin
owners of Great ExpectationsP.S. Check out our availability. We have a few great weeks open this fall and winter! Think about starting 2012 off at our St John villa; contact us today to reserve your place in the sun.Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for news about Great Expectations specials & St John activities.