The Simple Action that will help a Photographer Capture Sunrise with Success

Are you one of those people that cheerfully wakes at the crack of dawn? Do you rise from bed with a spring in your step, humming away to your favourite tune, feeling refreshed from your restful night's slumber while happily dialling in your coffee machine settings for that perfect brew to start your day? 

Or are you more like me? A slow riser who taps snooze for the third time as you try and squeeze two more minutes of sleep into the morning before you absolutely must rise, regretfully, from the warmth of your comfy and soft duvet? 

Mornings are definitely not my forte.

But, there is one thing I will rise early for, and that's sunrise. 

There's no doubt that success in landscape photography requires effort, and sometimes the action necessary for a successful image is an uncomfortably early wake-up call. 

Captivated by the Rockies: Larch has just wrapped up. Most mornings, we rose painfully early, but when we arrived at our destinations, I was repeatedly reminded of why we forced ourselves out of bed outside of those humane hours for waking.  

Making an effort to arrive early and set up at a sunrise location will not only guarantee you a choice in good composition in popular locations but also increase your opportunity for a variety of quality images.  

If you arrive early enough for sunrise, it's likely that a few prominent stars or nighttime features like the glow from a boathouse or hotel will still be illuminating a landscape scene. In such cases, you'll be able to capture a bonus few images before the sunrise show. 

Alpenglow is a highly sought-after effect in landscape photography. This phenomenon appears as a reddish glow often across the peaks of mountains and in clouds, but it's important to understand that this effect occurs before sunrise. Therefore, arriving close to sunrise time can result in missing out on this beautiful effect. 

Finally, arriving early for sunrise will give you time to enjoy the gifts that nature has in store for you so that you can drink in the goodness that only nature can bring to your life. 

^{ISO 200, 24mm, f5, 20 sec}

Next time you plan to head out for sunrise photography, remember this one simple tip because it will help you capture the sunrise with success:

Arrive at your landscape location about one hour before sunrise to help facilitate your successful landscape image! 

I get it! Sunrise photography isn't easy for the non-morning person, but it's oh so worth the rude awakening when you're set up and ready to capture the morning as she wakes from her own night's slumber.