First light hits the dew

[Amy Earl]

This morning I left for work a little early so I could scope this spot next to Otter Creek (near Lake Champlain) for herons. I've been seeing them often but they're hard to sneak up on. I didn't see herons but I did get this shot as the sun cut through the fog. This morning light is really special. Reminding me I should get up early more often

 

[AlanLichty]

I like the mood the mist imparts - well seen.

 

[BlackRockArt]

This morning I left for work a little early so I could scope this spot next to Otter Creek (near Lake Champlain) for herons. I've been seeing them often but they're hard to sneak up on. I didn't see herons but I did get this shot as the sun cut through the fog. This morning light is really special. Reminding me I should get up early more often

Good misty light, Amy. Love it

Oliver

 

[Douglas Sherman]

That fog creates a wonderful mood, Amy.

 

[Timmeh]

I like the compositional interplay that you have between the near dark tree and the more distant lit tree. The dark grass at the bottom also keeps my eye in the frame effectively. The light beam at the left edge at the trunk of the tree kind of makes the tree fade out in an odd way. One of the things that troubles me with these kinds of images are the specular highlights that come off of the fully lit leaves. I'm not sure if a polarizer would have helped, but it may have reined it in a little bit.

 

[JimFox]

What awesome atmosphere Amy! It would be worth getting up early for. Love the fog and light playing together here.

 

[Amy Earl]

I like the mood the mist imparts - well seen.

Good misty light, Amy. Love it

Oliver

That fog creates a wonderful mood, Amy.

I like the compositional interplay that you have between the near dark tree and the more distant lit tree. The dark grass at the bottom also keeps my eye in the frame effectively. The light beam at the left edge at the trunk of the tree kind of makes the tree fade out in an odd way. One of the things that troubles me with these kinds of images are the specular highlights that come off of the fully lit leaves. I'm not sure if a polarizer would have helped, but it may have reined it in a little bit.

What awesome atmosphere Amy! It would be worth getting up early for. Love the fog and light playing together here.

Thanks everyone. I like trying to work with this light because it's challenging to find the right exposure and contrast. It's nice how fog outlines the sunrays but also how it shows objects gradually fading the farther away they are, making for a nice sense of depth and leading your eye naturally from forgeround to background. I like layers - in photos and in music!

@Timmeh - I noticed those bright points of dew reflecting the light but they didn't bother me because that is how our eyes see them. To me it's part of the realism.

Here's a different crop of this scene with more contrast. Still figuring out which one I like best. Less contrast = more subtlety. I notice that if I'm in a fast-paced frame of mind (like busy daytime hours where I'm multitasking) more contrast makes the image's features jump out instantly so it looks more attractive, but in slower, quiet moments I appreciate the nuances that less contrast reveals.