It’s my belief passionate photographers have a voice inside that suggests ideas for images. These ideas randomly present themselves at the strangest moments: driving the car, taking a shower, dreams in the middle of the night, scrambling eggs, reading a book, etc. Some we remember and some fade off in the darkness of forgotten moments. Some inspirational moments are to motivate us, make us take action. The above image was just such an inspiration.
The inspiration came to me on a Saturday afternoon. The Idea was for a Sunday morning sunrise shoot. I knew about where on County Road 13 I wanted to setup and what time I needed to be there. Other than that I did not have any specific vision. I knew there were trees and fence posts that I could include in the image. I would not know what I’d come home with but I needed an image. It was also about experiencing a morning sunrise not. Probably more importantly, I needed to take action of that voice. As these small trees are on private land I needed to shoot from the bar ditch or road. I walk up and down the dirt road for places to setup. The temperature was a warm 34 degrees compared to the single digits we had the previous week. The cold was invigorating even though my fingers were aching when I finished. It’s not an image I will print but it was just what I needed. I followed the inspiration.
12 Comments
ken bello
There’s nothing like inspiration to get the creative juices flowing. Very nicely done, Monte.
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Ken!
Earl
A lovely photo, Monte. I’d say…keep listening to those voices of inspiration!
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Earl. I would like to ask if this looks too much like a manipulated HDR image.
Jim | SpinView
Really peaceful. There’s something special about the quiet of a Sunday morning sunrise.
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Jim. And, peaceful it was with the best pew in the church.
John-Visual Notebook
Nice! That’s my kind of country – love the plains and flats when they’re wide open and you can see for miles (and miles and miles…).
Monte Stevens
I’m finding I spend more and more time out on the eastern plain rather than in the mountains. The openness calls to me.
Anita Jesse
And, what a fine inspiration it was! Beautifully done, Monte. Keep setting that alarm!
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Anita. I’m such a morning person that I wake before the alarm too often. I’m okay with that and will continue to venture out and greet the sun and the meadowlarks. We’re becoming good friends.
Tom Dills
That would be a beautiful photograph even without the sun, Monte. And the sun adds a touch of warmth and just enough “spark” to make it come alive.
Very nice!
Monte Stevens
Thanks, Tom. This is another one of those HDR images. I’m bracketing a lot more often just in case I do want to post process them as HDR. I do little to them, preferring to let the software compile the images then play with them in LR4. Let me know if this looks bad to you.