#42 Sunrise on the shores of Taal Lake

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

What does it take... to photograph an unforgettable sunrise? I know, I know... a really good alarm clock! Well, you actually need a little more than that.

In the town of Talisay in Batangas, along the cold windy shores of Taal Lake, we awaited sunrise with a jacket and a prayer. This time two years ago, we made a spur-of-the moment trip to capture our last sunrise of the year. We had a classic image in our minds: fish pens and stilt houses silhouetted against the dawn sky. Simple enough.

At about 2:30AM we drove two hours to the sunrise point, and in near-total-darkness, hauled our gear down a dirt path, winding through a field of waist-high grass. Standing by the edge of the lake, we identified true east, selected a workable vantage point, planted our tripods on the ground, and then compose our shots as silhouettes started to appear on the horizon. As the sky brightened, we swapped density filters and tweaked exposures, waiting for the exact moment when every element in our minds' image came together. Lucky as we often are, a lone fisherman was minding his nets nearby. This unplanned element would be part of our composition. About an hour or so later, we were done.

So what does it take?

To trade 4 hours of sleep for a handful of images, you NEED to really want to do this stuff! To witness the darkest part of the night become day... priceless. Try it! Enjoy.

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