I know the saying – “The early bird gets the worm” – but it’s so much harder this time of year. I suppose the payoff is worth it. And also, I don’t like worms.
Such a cool (quite literally) sunrise this morning at the inaugural Battlefield Half Marathon in Frederick County, VA. | Order a print of this image.
“Morning’s Here
The Morning is Here
Sunshine is Here
The Sky is Clear
The Morning’s here (hey you’re back!)
(Hey!) Get into Gear
Breakfast is near
The Dark of Night Has Disappeared”– Joey & his neighbor (Friends)
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What a great opportunity for aerial photography. I’m finding more and more ways where getting above the mess on the ground creates these unique opportunities for photography. I had my aerial cam in the car, but I didn’t have an SD card for it so I had to be quick about getting home this morning and going through the pre-flight stuff to get up and get this shot. It was worth the rush.
I got up in time to get some pretty cool images before the sun burned off all the fog. | Order a print of this image.
It’s very difficult for me now to resist sending up the aerial camera when the skies look like this. I have a feeling that I’m going to be posting lots of aerial images throughout the coming Fall season.
The big downside to landscape photography is the incredibly early start times for the day, especially for shooting the sunrise. On a good day I could be up as early as 3 and as late as 9 that same evening just to shoot the sun. Am I dedicated or crazy?
I’m pretty excited to be heading into that time of year when the sunrise isn’t at some ridiculously early hour of the morning! | Order a print of this image.
Letter to Today:
Dear Today,
You could have been better to me. While washing the car, I almost ripped the fingernail off my middle left finger. Yeah, this one. The one I’m holding up and showing to you. Yeah, that one. Hurts like crap. Then I had to cancel a credit card due to fraudulent charges. It’s getting to the point that the banks red flag ANY spending that’s even slightly outside of my pattern. I get it, but it’s frustrating when it happens. I think I’m on my 3rd new credit card in the past year! Oh, and I ran into the back of a car on my bike ride. Credit card fraud really sucks.
So, yeah, you could have been better to me.
Sincerely,
Me
And just a FYI, I’m fine after the cycling incident (for those of you asking). I was more embarrassed than I was concerned. It was one of those “I’ve-ripped-the-fingernail-off-my-middle-finger-(the-one-I’m-showing-you-now)-and-somebody-is-trying-to-steal-money-from-me-but-I-want-to-get-a-ride-in-so-I’m-in-a-hurry-and-I’m-not-paying-any-attention” kind of incidents.
If you play the guitar, you can identify and here’s why. Let’s say you play the guitar. You know all the chords. You’ve practiced. You know ’em. But ya still look at the frets from time to time, right? Ya just do. That’s the way it works. It’s the same with us cyclists. I know where my pedals are. I know how my shoes fit into the cleats. But I still look at the pedals every once in a while. Imagine you’re playing the guitar. You got a pretty good tune going on. You’re strumming along and you glance down to check the proper fingering and WHAMMO! You just ran into the back of a stopped car. See, now you understand.
There was really no damage to either me or the car, but guess what took the brunt of the impact. Yeah, my left middle finger (the one I’m showing you now).
Yeah, today could have gone better.
I’m thinking those agoraphobics are on to something. Of course, I wouldn’t be able to capture images like these if I never went anywhere.
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So after this two-week vacation, our next 1-week vacation is going to feel way too short – OR – all our vacations from now on will have to be at least 2 weeks long!
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The thing I like the most about the sunrise (sunsets follow suit) is that it’s always (always – no exceptions) different. And the clouds make it even better. In my opinion, a clear sky with just the sunrise is kinda boring. I’ll take it, but I’d rather have the clouds and patterns they make.
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Exactly one year ago I was participating in “The Longest Day” sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association. I’ve never experienced anybody who suffers from Alzheimer’s, but now understand how traumatic and very difficult it can be and am thankful that a friend asked me to participate. If you’re participating this year either as someone who is going through it currently or as a friend, here’s to hoping that today is filled with good memories of your loved ones and friends as you start your longest day.
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One last look at the Florida beaches before I left. My kids used to call this sunlight pattern “God Rays.” Whatever you call it, there’s no denying the fact that it’s an incredible sight.
The wonderful thing about the sun rising or setting is that it’s really never the same.
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I think my circadian rhythms automatically sync to the sunrise whenever I travel. It doesn’t matter when I go to bed the night before, I’m always up before the sunrise the next day.
A few short hours and I caught up with the sun on the other side of yesterday.
Aside from all the obvious benefits of cycling all these years, I’ve also become conditioned to being awake for the wee hours of the morning. It also comes in handy as a photographer.
Like I said, spend the rest of the weekend shooting the good stuff. | Order a print of this image.
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