I get up early every morning, I love to wake up and get the day started (most days, some just let me lay here until I get bed sores).    So this morning, I realized I am up, I am near downtown, lets go shoot the sunrise.  So I decided to head to North Avenue Beach, a popular Chicago spot for sunrises.  There were tons of news crews there at Castaways filming the morning news, most likely for the upcoming start of the season and the beaches officially opening.  It was a pretty standard sunrise, with actually the best light coming way before the sun actually rose above the horizon. 

For us in Chicago and Lake Michigan to the east, sunrises can be particularly beautiful when the conditions are right.  I know motivation can be lacking especially at the times that summer sunrises happen, but the sacrifice of a few hours of sleep can be outweighed by a spectacular sunrise. 

Also, keep shooting before and after the sun come over the horizon because these can be the best pictures.  You can catch some dramatic blues, bright pinks and stellar oranges. 

For me, shooting when you are out staring at this type of event can really clear your mind and let you think.  It was a great way to start the morning and keeps me smiling thinking of what I viewed this morning.  As a photographer you should really feel what you are shooting, have some love for it, some care.  Not just be about getting a photography, but bring emotion into it, and have emotion come out of your photograph.  Light provides moods, brings emotions, and can convey them just as well.  It is liking shooting a wedding or other event, they should make you smile, make you feel in the moment and not just worried about getting the shot (though that is important in those cases).  But the thing is, when you are feeling “in the moment” that is when the best shots, “The Shot”, comes.  let the camera convey your thoughts and let your subject move you. 

Have a good Wednesday!