Before Dawn

"I've always liked the time before dawn because there's no one around to remind me who I'm supposed to be, so it's easier to remember who I am." Story People

I am a big fan of the afternoon light and the so called "golden hour". But one of the greatest things I've also come to enjoy as a photographer is the time just before dawn. Now, big shoots are scheduled early in the morning to allow time for setting up before the sun is out. And even if I am flying solo, shooting for myself, I find great peace in tip-toeing out of the house when there is barely any light and driving to the beach or whatever location I'm headed to for the day. Something about the car all packed with gear, that first cup of coffee, a scone to go, thoughts and images swirling gently through my mind, creativity, clarity, freshness, the crisp air, the sky brightening slowly and the silent drive...  I feel whole. I feel right.

How about you? Are you a morning shooter, an all-day-play kind of girl or you'd rather sleep in and save energy for an afternoon delight?

Regardless... Today, why don't you share with us some shots of your favorite time of day?

Comments

[Jennifée]

Now that is just such a gorgeous image. There's just something about those abandoned boats that speaks to me - they seem so lonely yet waiting with hope for their crews.

We get little enough summer and sun in Norway that I tend to love bright sunlight in the middle of the day. I enjoy the possibility for e.g. strong colours and shadows
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/4866440530/
or silver on the water when the sun peeks through the clouds
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85057042@N00/4863621674/ .

[Marcie]

I am definitely an early morning person..awake before the sun...always in search of that magical morning light:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1258
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1263
http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1268

[Jenna]

We're currently on our way to our annual beach vacation. I have plans for many a dawn photoshoot! Thanks for the inspiration!

[cigi]

I love the early morning but rarely get it together in time to fully experience it. The truth is, I'm partial to golden hour:
http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/220365/
http://instamaticgratification.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/211365/

[sarah]

What a beautiful photo!

I love the lusciousness of late afternoon. Not only its light but also its ripened feeling, especially after a day well lived. Having said that, I'm going to offer you an image of morning ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shorelinesphotography/4785076573/in/set-72157624475150980/

[justine]

what a lovely photo. I love the early morning light and went out with my camera the other morning, I love it when no one is awake, a perfect time for an early morning run.

http://justinegordon.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunrise.html

[Puna]

What a lovely shot. I have the opposite time of day, dusk.

http://lifesignatures.org/wordpress/2010/08/august-20-lake-tippecanoe/

[Suki]

My favourite kind of time of the day is at around 10 am, when the sun is just strong enough to warm your still sleepy body. It always, always, always gives me a huge smile on my face
when I am able to see this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suki_fotografiert/4912808956/

[beth]

oh how i love to shoot late....but now the mosquitos eat us alive.
so morning has to be the time now....no more sleeping in !

[Jen at Cabin Fever]

My favorite time of day is either sunrise or sunset, but usually its sunset because I am not awake for sunrise.

http://www.cabinfeververmont.com

http://www.nekphotography.blogspot.com

[Tara R.]

Sunsets and sunrises are my favorite times of the day. When I was still working outside the home, I would go into the office very early, often just as the sun was rising. It was a wonderful way to start my day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifmomsaysok/3374679205

[georgia]

hmmm... i never really thought about it. i think i shoot mostly in the early evening. but i enjoy mornings too. in fact, it's morning now, and i'm off to the farmers market to shoot some produce.

your photo is very peaceful and moody. beautiful.

[WorthIt!]

What a lovely shot - I love how the color of the boats really pops in contrast to the background.

I wish I were a morning person but, I'm not. So, I take advantage of as many sunsets as I can...I love how the color of light changes over time. Here's one of my favorites from my time on the Oregon coast.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52055227@N07/4912687089/

[TheSmallGal]

I love shooting as the sun begins to set, but that is mostly because I'm not a morning person and can't seem to get it together to shoot at sunrise. Or even be out of bed for that matter. But I'm working on it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49322248@N04/4798209646/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49322248@N04/4797579061/

[Michel]

Due to having to work for the man - banker's hours - I tend to catch that last glimpse of light before sunset. In the winter months this can been much more tricky. We've had a really wet summer this year, lots of evening thunder showers and rain. I like to catch the aftermath of that, in the perfect light.

http://www.wishfulthinkingblog.com/wishful-thinking/2010/8/9/just-after-the-rain.html

[Leslie]

Sunset is my favorite time of day. This is from a visit to Paris earlier in the summer.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thel-list/4743789226/

[Stephanie]

I love the boats contrasted against the grayish-blue water. I'm rarely up in time to enjoy dawn, though I want to make it a point to get up a little early now that I'm finally on vacation. I do love a beautiful sunset though: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephaniecourt/4910257733/

[gilding lilies]

Beautiful photo. I'm going to go with twilight. I love the glow that the sunlight gets.

http://gildingliliesjournal.blogspot.com/2010/08/twilight-fan.html

[Sherralee]

Even before I started taking photographs, I always loved the late afternoon light, but now I love it even more...I can see life through my lens in a way that I didn't before...

http://flic.kr/p/8skTB4

[shirley]

Ah, beautiful, serene capture.
My favorite time is early, early. I love to watch the sun rise.
I have some from this morning - raindrops on berries and leaves. Before the sun rose high and dried off the dew:
http://www.shirleybehindthelens.com/2010/08/sooc-saturday-rains-impact.html

[Zhuoshi]

I love mornings but can never get up early enough. so I guess afternoons are my thing:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zhxie/4912760559/

[Zhuoshi]

ooops, wrong link. here's the right one

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zhxie/4911312075/

[NinaRevenant]

Night is my favorite but my other love is early morning. I love getting up extremely early because it always reminds me of all of the trips I went on when I was a child. My Dad used to get us up around 4am to 5am, sometimes earlier, to head to Pismo Beach, Las Vegas, Disneyland, wherever we were going..... He always wanted to beat traffic and get there early so we wouldn't waste our days, and he was totally right, it was worth it. Still is <3

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ninarevenant/4914012358/

[Nicci]

eenie meenie minie moe...I think I love the morning light the most :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/niccirf/4353372337/

[misty]

I just took this, this morning.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dontforgetthehorse/4914097587/

[Bettina]

I love to watch the day wake up :) its my favorite time to be out walking the dogs..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettina2/4712996029/

But there is nothing like a nice sunset

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettina2/4883982169/

I think i'm an anytime kinda gal!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettina2/4884584270/in/photostream/

[B. Harrison]

Definitely morning light!

[AnnGeeDee]

I'm a sucker for early morning shots as well. I have to be at work so early (before 7 am!) every weekday, that it just feels natural to see the sun rise. Here's one that I took before walking into the office. You'd never guess it's in the middle of an office complex with parking lots all around... http://www.flickr.com/photos/40070449@N08/4769656633/

[Robert Hill]

Love the colors - sunrise and sunset my favorite times of day.

[soupatraveler]

i'd say i'm a sunset shooter. anything to get a little sunflare and that soft light just after the sun sets is so soothing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46922592@N00/4906025881/

[Kate Sutterfield]

http://happyinthehamptons.blogspot.com/2010/08/sundays-for-me-have-become-safe-haven.html

Sunday mornings :)

[Hannah]

I love early morning shoots. Your description of it was so perfect and brought a smile to my face.
These two shot were from sunrise at the beach:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4582191403/in/set-72157623611168558/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hannahmayo/4627749387/in/set-72157623611168558/

[Diane]

I love your early morning image and love how you feel about getting out for that early morning capture.

I used to be that way about morning and somehow, in the hubub I've gotten away from that. I'm still up early but am always so busy here to sneak out in the early morning hours anymore. I have embraced the golden hour for that reason but still am entranced by the early mornings.

[Patty Reiser]

I love creeping out of the house before sunrise. Not many people are willing to venture out so early in the morning. I even did it while on vacation. We were staying in a cabin near Bryce Canyon National Park. I awoke at 3:30am to grab my gear and head into the park. I was not alone at Sunrise Point so I ventured further on a trail towards Inspiration Point. I was rewarded with this image, one of my favorites: http://www.pkphotographyblog.us/2010/07/branching-out-in-the-sunrise/

[Michelle]

I love that storypeople quote so much - I've had it saved in my quotes file for years :)

I think my favorite is sunset: http://www.flickr.com/photos/whollyafool/2694720904/in/set-72157606123862661/