Sunrise Gets No Respect

'Morning Glow' - Sunrise on Lake Superior

Sunset photos get all the praise. Why is that?

At sunset the angle of the sun's light produces strong colours. The Earth's atmosphere acts like a giant filter because the light has to travel through so much more of it. The vibrant hues would seem artificial if we were not so familiar with sunsets.

The same physics apply in the morning but sunrise gets no respect. I imagine this has mostly to do with our daily schedules. People are awake at sunset but often still sleeping at sunrise (at least in the summer months). We may also be conditioned by centuries of fixation on sunsets. And yet a sunrise can literally give us the opportunity to see the world in a another light. Not only is the light filtered, it shines from a different direction.

'Red Rock Sunrise'

I've witnessed sunsets that reflected light off banks of clouds in the east. The light had the colours of sunset but shone from high in the eastern sky late in the day. This altered familiar scenes and created a very spooky otherworldly effect.

Photographing a sunrise on Lake Superior required that I get up early, that I change my routine, that I make an effort. Seeing the world in a different light can be very rewarding. I highly recommend it.

Visit 'Red Rock Sunrise' for another sunrise photo.

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