There is a place along the Madawaska River I visit often and every time I go it is like a whole new world. Of all the wondrous things to photograph I have this one picture stuck in my head and every time I try to get it, it never turns out the way I had imagined.
So when I heard we were in for a cold clear morning I made a plan to try again. Here is how it went.
6:30 a.m. - I snuck out of bed and looked out the window. Still dark, but I could see a sliver of light in the east and lots of stars. I made coffee and got my camera gear together. Dogs were still asleep. Good. I wasn't going to take them. They wreck my peace.
7:15 - Still pretty dark. I start to get dressed in multiple layers, got on my boots, tiptoed to the door, put my hand on the door knob and suddenly all chaos broke loose. Three dogs leaping in the air demanding a walk.
The dogs own me.
Well, the sun doesn't reach the part of the river I go to till almost 9:00 so I'll take them for their walk in the woods first. We head out to the deck and I am wowed by the sunrise, snapping the first two shots of the day.
8:30 - Dogs are now walked and back home. I grab the tripod, K-5 with the 60 - 250 and K-x with the Tamron 17- 50. As I leave for the river I can hear their mournful howling for at least 1/2 km. I guess Norman is up now.
I try but cannot resist taking photos of the usual suspects along the way --- stumps in the pond, the big old craggy rock face, the yellow birch glinting in the light.
9:00 -- Finally I get the river. The sun still hasn't completely made it over the ridge. Yeah! I set up the tripod and look for a good composition.
But then I see the way the light is striking the frosted trees across the river and I am in awe!
I go back to figuring out the perfect composition. It wasn't till I was back home that I noticed two Mergansers swimming in the mist!
Another sunspot grabs my attention...
And then I realize I am standing under the most gloriously backlit cedar boughs I have ever seen. I point the camera into the sun and shoot...
Right below the Cedar tree is a spindly bush that leans out over the river. The frosted branches are catching the sun. I almost slide off the icey rocks into the river for a swim with the tripod, k-5 and 60 - 250, but somehow stop with only the toe of my boot submerged. In this precarious position, I balance the tripod and get this shot...
I see the sun is higher....
The sun finally illuminates my subject and I race over to take a dozen shots of various settings and compositions.
(notice there is no picture posted here
)
Getting chilled and hungry, but before I leave I use the Tamron to take a wide angle shot
And then I am over the moon with what I see ... going back to the 60 - 250 I take this scene, end up with four beauties and realize they are my
raison d'être ... this photo looks incredible on the large screen....
I pack up and start for home, but the way the light is hitting that old octopus maple tree and frothing frosted milkweed pod makes me pause, and out comes the camera gear again.
Finally at 10:35 a.m. I am home sipping an expresso with the memory card in the computer.
Oh, and by the way, that elusive photo ... well not one turned out the way I hoped. Guess I'll just have to go back another time.
Originally posted by normhead 
.....do you seriously expect to be told anything other than what she wants you to know...??
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