Roar of Dawn
The evening was like any other on a typical trip; shoot as long as possible then try and figure out where to sleep.
This particular night was very windy right on the lake so I looked for a good place to sleep a little off the lake shore. My choices were very limited, given where I was. After trying a few campgrounds that were closed I finally found one to call home for the night. After settling in I started the task of figuring out where I would be shooting the following morning.
Most mornings are well planned; this one was different. I had focused primarily on the evening prior and let the next morning be what it was. Looking through my atlas I was looking for water to photograph at sunrise. Being on the west facing side of Lake Michigan I knew I had to look for a pond or smaller lake.
I found one only about twenty minutes away from camp and set my alarm.
Morning came and I was on location a couple hours prior to sunrise. I needed the time, as I had no idea what to expect when I arrived.
I found my location on the top of a ridge placing the wind coming in off Lake Michigan to my back. The wind that morning was some of the strongest I have ever stood in. I had to set my tripod up near a fence so that I could brace myself against it as to not fall over with the gusts.
After shooting the scene I was set up for I had noticed the color changing behind me and ran down the dunes to try and get a shot of the turquoise waves with the light.
I set up my gear and framed in the shot, capturing this wonderful image on the shores of Lake Michigan that very windy, perfect fall morning.