These past few months life has kind of been flipped on its head for my family and I which has prevented me from doing much in terms of photography. What time I did manage to get was restricted to evening shooting. Which as you can guess from the title of this blog I don’t really like. Well I cant say I don’t like evening shooting as lets be honest anytime out in the field with the camera is great. But that said there are reasons why I love my morning outings which I will list below:

1. Time Alone - Probably one of the biggest advantages I find with morning time photography especially that first hour of golden light is that very few people have the motivation to do it. Lets face it waking up at 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. then sometimes driving a half an hour to an hour in order to reach your location; wounder around in the dark to get setup before the sun rises with your subject is not everyone’s cup of tea and to be honest that is fine by me. Countless times I have walked away from a location after the first hour of sunlight when the light has become harsh only to pass by other photographers just heading in to start their morning. Having a location to yourself allows you to move about freely not having to worry about being in someone elses way; it also means you don’t having to be concerned that someone else may flush or spook the subject you are stoking. Finally for me being alone in nature with my subject allows me to really get in my own head space and be present in that moment to enjoy what I am witnessing and feeling. Here is an image of a male Tufted duck photographed at a common location during some magical light…moments after this image and when the light was too harsh 5 vehicles pulled up to the lake full of photographers hoping to photograph Eagles.

2. The Approach - We all know how difficult it can be to approach certain subjects and find ways to conceal our identity. Waking up well before sunrise and arriving at your location in the pre-dawn hour it can often be a huge advantage in your approach. Most wildlife will be unaware of your approach in the dark and as the morning light illuminates the surroundings your subject will have had plenty of time to get comfortable with your presence (that’s if they became aware of you). Note that this means you have to have prior knowledge of your location and where your subject likes to hang out during those first moments of light. Image below shows the very elusive and shy Wilson Snipe hanging out in the open on a frosty morning as the sun begins to creep into the landscape.

3. The Light - Now of course I know evening light can be amazing to and maybe its just because I photograph so much in the morning but there is just something about it. Maybe its the anticipation of the light as it slowly creeps in to the surrounding landscape as I pray to the photography gods that my subject doesn’t move. For me the morning light as it begins to rise gives me the time to shift around and move into position under the cover of some darkness where as during the evening hours its more tricky to get into position under the brightness of the day while the light gets better. Again I know I know they both have advantages and both are truly magical if you can capture those first or lats rays of light..but hey I like my morning light :). Below is a silhouette of a Spotted Sandpiper which I lined up in a small sliver of light as storm clouds moved in at first light.

4. Peacefulness - If you have ever woken at 3 a.m to head out for photography you will know what I mean by a sense of calm and peacefulness. There is very little to no traffic on the roads (at least where I live), there is very little noise other then the sounds of nature and so little movement of any kind from humans like walkers, runners, bikers and such. Heading to your location there are no distractions other then the enjoyment of being in nature as most of the rest of the world around you sleeps. I have also noticed that even on days that call for wind you will sometimes be gifted a short window of time before and just as the sun rises where things are calm and still; which after a full week of work and family life is a much needed change for the soul. Below is a male Northern Pintail on a cool morning back in April

5. Free Time - Being a family man with an 8 year old daughter and a full time employee of the govt I always try to maximize my time so I can balance all life’s priorities. So with that said morning photography works so great in my schedule especially during spring/summer. With such an early rise it allows me to photograph my subjects during the golden hour and if cloud cover allows me I can photography an hour or two after and still make it home in time for work or to spend time with my family doing all the other things we love to do…all while knowing in the back of my mind that I have a card full of amazing golden hour images to edit :) . Below is an image of my Daughter and I out in boat after spending the morning looking for Bald Eagles along the cliff edges.

As mentioned above I know there are pros and cons to both morning and evening shooting and the above are just my personal preferences and thoughts. The key is to get out when you can and enjoy each outing to its fullest…even if its in the evening :)

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