November 25, 2017. -- It took me three days to go from something I had pictured in my mind to an image I'm happy with.

After a disappointing day yesterday, I almost stayed in bed this morning. But somehow, I managed to grab my tripod and drag myself out the door.

What a contrast with yesterday. Yesterday was fogged in, flat and cloudless. Today, perfect conditions, really. And I learned from my mistakes, and I was able to capture the lightshow on the Bridge and more details than on my previous attempts.A bird even showed up on cue: they seem to awaken with the rising sun, and somehow always follow this flight path. You just have to be patient to capture them at the right time.

Landscape photography is about capturing light. It's not about capturing a breathtaking scenery, an imposing mountain, a meandering river. It's first about finding beautiful light, and then finding a composition and a subject that will complement that light. The Bay Area can have some splendid sunrise and sunset, and I'm glad to have the chance to capture them in all their beauty. Even though I hate waking up early. But like Galen Rowell said: “You only get one sunrise and one sunset a day, and you only get so many days on the planet. A good photographer does the math and doesn't waste either.”