Timing is...

I have become convinced that timing is 75% of good photography. It is a bit of a gamble and a bit of a game to know when to stay an extra five minutes or to rush to another spot... You never really know if the spot around the corner will pay off or if you will get there and be disappointed. It only takes a split second for a cloud to move... a person to change expressions... or for the lighting to hit the right spot.... a second on either side of the right moment and the shot is just not right. There have been countless moments where I was off... where the shot/moment was lost forever... but occasionally... and just occasionally - The shutter clicks and I know that I was right there at the right moment. I think that this game is part of the reason why I like photography so much. It does not always depend upon me... sometimes I just get lucky and everything lines up just right.

All of this to say... my timing was right the other night. Dee and I had a group of students with us, and we had decided to drive up in the mountains for a scenic drive. It was not originally part of the plan, but at the last second the clouds were breaking, and we decided to do something different. Every turn as we drove through the mountains revealed a new and more awesome shot. Thankfully - the students were excited to park on the side of the road... to climb rock walls... and to run in the bogs with me as we chased the next perfect shot. In the end, We watched the sun set in three different locations, and I ended up with a ton of great pictures. Here is just one...








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