Punta Cana is located at the easternmost part of the Dominican Republic. Between Jamaica and Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic has weather that is fairly consistent all year. It has an average temperature of 86 °F. The hot and humid season lasts from May to October, and during the day temperatures usually reach 95 °F. Very little rain falls around the area, primarily because of the mostly flat landscape, a combination of savanna and mountains. The Dominican Republic encompasses the Eastern two-thirds of an island that is shared by Haiti to the West.
My son was married at Punta Cana Dreams Resort and Spa on this beautiful island in May of 2011. It was very hot and humid. I was there for six days and it only rained one day—the morning of my son’s wedding. It stopped during the ceremony and the sun came out, so although they didn’t get to say their vows in the gazebo, I did get some great shots of them on the beach afterward.
We never left the resort. However, I was never at a loss for things to photograph. From the sunrises and sunsets, to the flowers and birds, it was a photographer’s playground. I even photographed my son’s wedding.
Everything is open air, including the restaurants. The only air conditioning at the resort is in the hotel rooms. That wreaked havoc with my lenses in the morning coming out of the air conditioning into the humidity. They would fog up on me.
I would get up before sunrise every morning and walk the beach with my camera and tripod. Rifle-toting guards at the perimeter never once made me feel uneasy. I rather liked roaming the grounds early in the morning when the wildlife was everywhere.
Photographer Nancy Jewett provided the details and images for the destination Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
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