Another hot night. At 3 a.m., it’s still over 25 °C. The aircon is trying its best but losing the fight. By 4 a.m., I give up, get up, and head for the pool — a quick swim in the dark, coffee in hand soon after, and I’m on my way to Playa de Muro. The plan: a long shot of the lighthouse, about 5 km away across the Bay of Alcúdia.

The sunrise prediction app says the quality will be 28/100. I’ve been misled before, so I take my chances. The beach is deserted at 6 a.m., though it won’t stay that way. By 6:30, a few dozen people are staking out sunbeds to watch the show. I set up tripod, camera, and 800 mm lens — the sun should look large behind the tiny lighthouse on the horizon.

More people drift in. Runners pass, doing whatever it is runners do at this hour. There’s a light breeze, but the sea stays glassy. I take a few test shots as seagulls swoop past, scavenging yesterday’s leftovers. Photopills insists I’m in the right spot for perfect sun alignment — 6:58 for sunrise, 7:00 for the money shot.

The flocks grow, gulls now squabbling over scraps. Low haze on the horizon will soften the sun, add some colour. At 6:58, the first sliver of light appears over the distant island. Settings checked, focus locked, 2-second timer ready to fire a burst of nine shots.

The sun edges into place. Shutter pressed. Two seconds later, it’s done — the sun sliding past the lighthouse centreline. A quick glance at the back screen says “good”, but the real truth will be on the computer.

As I start to pack away, a young couple take selfies. She wades into the water. Opportunity. The sun is now bright enough for a silhouette. I frame, burst 10 shots, and there it is — a clean, simple composition. Time for an early coffee and then home to see what I’ve really caught.

Even now, digital or not, the anticipation feels the same as the film days — waiting a week for the prints to come back, hoping the magic is still there.