{Cobb Island, Maryland}

Sunsets always seemed like a vacation thing.

How often do I pause at the end of a busy day to savor the pinks, reds and golds of dusk? When do I stand in my own front yard to soak up the fading sun? I don’t drive to take in sunsets when I’m home. I don’t have a camera in my hand. I’m making dinner, or driving, or reading, or watching “Teen Mom.” Or trying to write a blog post.

But on vacation? Sunset is its own occasion. No invitation required; just sit back and enjoy the show.

No matter where we are, I drop everything to photograph those colors — or just sit in the quiet, no camera, as the sun dips lower and lower. Often I find myself sitting in silence, staring at nothing. And everything. I don’t usually talk. As the sun sinks below the horizon, I huddle with friends or family or my boyfriend — whoever is handy — until darkness has enveloped us all.

In my everyday life, I don’t find myself sitting still long enough to watch the changing of light. Cloud patterns don’t draw me. I’m running to the next thing, and then the next . . . and summer darkness signals nothing more than a time to sleep. And do it all over again.

I’m trying to change that — and I think photography is helping me. In my attempts to soak up more of the “little moments” and not worry so much about the big picture, I’m naturally paying more attention to sunsets — year-round. Dusk is my favorite time of day, and I grew up listening to my mom talk about the golden hour as she clicked away with her own camera.

And now I emulate her. Being a complete iPhone addict, my phone is never far from my hands — and it seems I pay more attention to sunsets than I thought. Scrolling through my phone photos last night, a solid 50 percent of the 538 are sunsets. (The rest are food. Or my feet. Or nail polish. [I think I have a problem.])

Sunsets are a moment of beauty in an otherwise humdrum day. And though I don’t often have my DSLR with me to photograph the golden hour, I admire it — and take more time to appreciate it. Watching a sunset makes me feel . . . grateful. I hope I don’t ever lose that.

{Silver Beach, California}

{London, England}

{East Berlin, Pennsylvania}

{Outer Banks, North Carolina}

{Gerry, New York}