A windy cold semi-serene remote sunrise

Linda got dropped off at the airport yesterday morning for oh dark thirty, as the saying goes. Since I was so far north and east, I thought I'd explore the sunrise in the gently rolling landscapes there. My thought was to get a nice landscape with layers of farmland, and some trees between fields, maybe a river or small ponds, even a canal. My second thought was to get a nice unobstructed view of the sunrise. Well, that specific part of the world is flatter than I remember.

The problem with sunrise hunting is that you don't know what you're going to get till you've got it there in front of you. Then it's too late to move. You have to shoot what you've got the best you can.

As the sky started to lighten I realized I wasn't going to get either of those shots, but I'd have a chance to try another shot I've had in mind. Often, winter sunrises are completely cloudless, and you start with complete darkness. Gradually an orangy pink glow starts in the east. It gradually gets brighter and brighter along the horizon, but straight up it's still dark. The colour transitions from light to dark are subtle and lovely. My old camera didn't really capture it well, so I thought I'd have a go with the new one.

This is better, but I'm still playing with settings. I fumbled around on the focus with live view, magnification doesn't work quite the same and my fingers are still learning the buttons. I might add I had the tripod set up on the lee side of the car, on the shortest setting, and it was still really windy.

On the road, looking west.

These next two were shot at the same place. I saw the trees ahead of me bathed in this red light, and I'm glad there was nobody behind me. Then I turned around and walked a few feet to get the one tree and the sunrise.

Another stop looking east again. I could wish the clouds were lighted up better, but oh well, the trees look nice.

This is one of the most iconic travel Alberta shots I've ever done. Yes, lots of roads go on straight, apparently forever, with no fences, and precious few buildings in sight. There was not much tweaking on this shot, it really was this colour.

In the end, I had a lovely drive taking the scenic route from the airport to home, via Delacour and Langdon, (not forgetting to wave at some buddies that live there.

Now I'm off to Fish Creek for a photo ramble with a buddy!