Fort Tryon Park Dawn

I know I’ve written the story of this morning earlier, but it’s really the most relevant and interesting thing I have to say about this image: it was New Year’s Day and a gorgeous, mild morning at that. I had planned to get up in time to shoot the year’s first sunrise, which actually is not all that early so close to the winter solstice. But I ended up being just a touch behind schedule so I was rushing about, still with time to make it to my chosen location and set up if all went well. But then things did not go well as it was impossible to find any available parking within even several blocks of my intended spot on the upper east side.

I did not really have a Plan B in mind, but I did have a plan to someday, eventually, shoot in Fort Tryon Park in the extreme north of Manhattan. So I headed crosstown and then up to the park. As it turned out, given the topography up there, I was still able to get some “just about” dawn shots even though I arrived and set up much later than official sunrise. This shot was even taken roughly 15 minutes after my first exposures in the park. I’m not sure which maxim applies best: Always Have A Backup Plan.  Be Prepared. Turn Lemons Into Lemonade.  Go With The Flow.

Whatever. If you cannot take the shot you planned, look around, move if necessary, and find the best shots you can take. Too long for a catchy aphorism I suppose, but Tim Gunn already invented “Make it Work!”

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This Post Has 6 Comments

  3. LensScaper

    16 May 2012

    Great shot, love the light on the foreground tree. My attitude to situations like the one you found yourself in is to ‘think laterally’ – andother way of saying Plan B I guess.
    LensScaper recently posted..Rustling Spring LeavesMy Profile

  4. Jon Hochman

    16 May 2012

    Love this shot, Mark. The sun on tree in the foreground really makes it a terrific landscape.

  5. Mark Neal

    16 May 2012

    You definitely made it work, Mark. Very nice shot!

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