Photo of the Week 2015-04-20

into the light

I've been finding it all too easy to just sit, have coffee and relax in a peaceful setting on those mornings when I'm at the cottage. While this is a welcome change form the usual morning routine of a work day, it doesn't do much to help me get the photographs I want to capture. So I've been trying to find motivation to get out early in the morning for some photography, while the light is still good.

This time of year, sunrise comes around 6:30 am. The weekend was here and after getting out of my weekend morning ritual, it would have been easy to to just say "screw it, there's always next week". Having to catch a flight on Sunday evening for a business trip next week, I had not gone to the cottage and had not committed to a morning photo outing ... until I got up.

It was 5:30 and I could either settle in at the computer or start getting ready to haul my butt out to a location and get back into what has brought me much satisfaction. It was an easy decision, I made some coffee, got dressed, decided on Dundas Valley as a location and packed a waist-pack with some gear.

When I started out from Guelph, the morning was clear and sun had already crested the horizon. My thoughts of catching early morning mist evaporated but I continued on to Dundas. Along the way, traces of mist over farm fields came and went, with one location giving me cause to stop and make this image "daybreak". Back in the vehicle after a the quick stop, I continued on to a parking spot that would provide access to Dundas Valley Conservation Area without having to worry if HRCA had open gates before their stated 8:30 opening time. Obviously they're not photography minded, parking opens at 8:30 - well after sunrise and street parking is not allowed anywhere near the formal entrances to their facilities.

I set out on the trails with the hemlock grove as my destination, still hoping there may be some lingering mist. Along the way, there were many scenes and subjects that greeted my eye, meandering creeks, old apple trees, backlit pines and morning shadows everywhere ... oh how I've missed photography at this time of the morning.

DJE