SPARK Eye: Jim Lennon Captures Stunning Hampton Bays Rainbow in the Nick of Time

Veteran East End photographer catches a glowing, end-of-summer rainbow at Ponquogue Beach

by Jim Lennon

On the way home from “Sundays on the Bay” by the Shinnecock Inlet in Hampton Bays, we were blessed by a beautiful rainbow, as seen from the Ponquogue Beach pavilion.

Photo: Jim Lennon, jimlennon.com – Shinnecock Inlet, Hamptons Bays, Sept. 2026.

I had my camera in the trunk of the car, but when I reached the crest of the beach walkway, I could tell by the speed of the clouds moving out to sea that the rainbow would most likely be gone by the time I retrieved it.

It was up to my iPhone 14 to capture the photo before it disappeared. I took three quick photos at 7:09 p.m., and by the time I got back to the car, the rainbow was almost completely gone.

Timing is everything.

About Jim Lennon

Jim Lennon on location shooting Spirit’s Promise. Photo courtesy of Jim Lennon

With a career spanning more than 50 years, Lennon has created award-winning photography for national advertisers and corporate campaigns, earning accolades from Kodak, the Association of the Graphic Arts and Graphic Design magazine. His work has been featured in Studio Photography, Industrial Photography and Photo District News.

Lennon lives in Flanders and operates a full-service studio in Hauppauge.

jimlennon.com
Instagram: @jimlennonphotos