“Live the Life of Your Dreams: Be brave enough to live the life of your dreams according to your vision and purpose instead of the expectations and opinions of others.”
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I rolled over in bed. The rain had stopped, and I could see the sun was coming up, though it was still below the horizon. If I could only motivate myself to move.
Photographers have a sixth sense. This is probably true of all people who spend time outdoors, but I think photographers develop a very keen understanding of weather, and how it may impact available light. The rule is simple: evening, or pre-dawn rain may yield extraordinary light. If those basic conditions exist, it may be worth taking a look.
My son knows the system now. He’ll magically appear when conditions look right, stand in front of me, and point at a window. I won’t acknowledge him until he’s cleared his throat for the third time; I’m just as aware as he is about the developing sky, but far more lazy.
On this morning, I had to use the “5-Second Rule”, developed by Mel Robbins, to blast myself out of bed. This 5-Second rule is not the one you are thinking of. By the time I was dressed, grabbed my backpack, and was at the car door, hints of pink had just licked the bottom of the clouds.
I was headed to Afton State Park, about a dozen miles east of my house. I had been meaning to visit for a while, and figured this was as good a time as any. There was one other vehicle in the lot, but no one to be seen.
Finding a compostion wasn’t easy. I wandered back and forth to see what I could do. This is the part of photography that I struggle with, but also most enjoy. It’s problem solving – exactly what I do in my other life.
I settled on this tree and hoped the sky would provide enough interest to carry the rest of the image. You can see where an animal spent the night before in the matted grass to the left of the base of the tree.
I am pretty happy with this image. It’s not the best, but it’s about getting out and practicing one’s craft. Without that practice, there are no good photographs. There’s no success without taking a risk for a potential opportunity.
