Most photographers consider the best time for landscape photography is either around sunrise or sunset. Of these, morning is to me slightly better because the atmospheric conditions are often calm and quiet. At this time I'm looking for unique sunrise light with either morning fog or mist. I often head out with a particular location in mind, because of where the sun will be coming up.

For me the problem at this time of the year is the time - the hour at which the sun rises. Now sun rise is a little before 6:00 a.m. Many times the landscape is very photogenic even before the sun rises above the horizon. So I will forgo my morning coffee and head out, as that gives me a few more minutes of sleep. I am not an early riser, except for photography or catching the opening of the ski lift.

All this makes it sound as if I always get great morning photos. A case in point was an early morning venture just last week. I headed westward, looking for a good location along the Vermilion River near Whitefish, just 20 kilometers from home. But when I got to my destination, the sky was bland and there was no atmosphere to photograph. So I backtracked to Simon Lake, another familiar location.

_I7A2186 My first photo, which you see here, was very uninspiring. So I began searching for some foreground element other than these reeds which might give the image some depth. I found this leaning tree.

_I7A2189 The light on the opposite shore was getting better. But I was not satisfied with this image because the top of the foreground tree merged with the background. I had to get higher to achieve my desired composition.

_I7A2193 This was the best I could do. There was no higher viewpoint available. The top of the tree no longer merges with the trees across the lake, but I was not satisfied with the resulting photo. The tree still merges with the reflection of the opposite shoreline.

So time to move on, trying to find another composition.

_I7A2202 I found this composition at Worthington after driving some distance. The creek provides a nice leading line for the eye to follow into the scene. But I had to minimize the amount of sky because there were no clouds. Also I do not like the fact that the light was not illuminating the band of evergreen at right centre. This dark area is too distracting. And then I lost the light, so it was time to head home.

All in all it was a futile journey, as is the result more times than I would like. Such is the adventure of a nature photographer. We are dependent on so many conditions that we cannot control. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. It is more disconcerting to wake up late and realize that the morning had been very intriguing, but after a few attempts and striking out, it's frustrating and so tempting to sleep in and enjoy a coffee.

Until the next time, but now a further impediment has arisen - the dreaded mosquitoes and black flies.