October morning--fifteen years ago

It was either going to be boom or bust this morning, the darkened sky thick with clouds, a few jagged slashes northeast where the sun would eventually rise. I had decided to go early and get out a long ways away; but by the time I got around to getting packed and coffee-d, it was already a little late.

What's worse, the movement of those thick clouds wasn't promising. Rather than get 45 minutes away only to get shut out, I turned off the blacktop and went back to a favorite spot of mine, betting that the sun wasn't going to poke itself through all those clouds--remnants of a storm somewhere.

Still, it was beautiful--a big passionate sky, full of drama.

The little road I usually take was wet and muddy, but I started down until I came to a gully I figured I'd never get out of without four-wheel drive. So I backed all the way out--half mile maybe--and went back down the hill to a bridge.

There are a couple of great old stump cottonwoods along the creek at the bottom of the section, but they stand halfway across the field, a full half-mile of mid-thigh grass, heavy with last week's constant rain.

I went in. Inside of 50 yards, I could feel the water squish between my toes.

But I got there. I slogged through the long grass, all the while telling myself that the first rule of Saturday morning landscape photography is "be there." So when the sun finally peeked out--not for more than three minutes--I was well-positioned, even though it wasn't the show I was hoping for. 

Got some interesting shots anyway. Didn't go home empty-handed.

Check for yourself.

The morning sky was about an inch and a half from being a real stunner. I did what I could.

What I've noticed about myself through the last five years [this gallery dates from 2007] is that the joy simply of hunting isn't as great anymore. If I get skunked, I'm disappointed. Never used to be that way. For a couple of years, just being out there to meet the morning was the great thrill.

Got to get that back somehow. How? Don't know. I need a great awakening.

_________________________ 

Addendum: Last week on Saturday, at dawn I was out in the northernmost reaches of the Loess Hills. I kept worrying about getting some really good shots, kept thinking about how I could do it. And then I remembered thinking what I did at about this time 15 years ago--to wit, that the motivation for my being out there wasn't getting great pictures. I was out there to visit with the Creator. 

Some things don't change.

What's more, those two photographs on the end have turned out to be among my all-time favorites.