Dawn musings

The alarm shrills at you, it is way too dark and way too early.  Quick you have to switch it off, can't wake anyone else, after all it was you who decided it would be a great idea to wake up this early.

Stumble off down the passage way to the kitchen, thank goodness you have packed your gear the night before it will save stumbling around in the dark looking for filters and cable releases.  While we are on the subject of thanking higher powers lets add the humble thermos to the list of thank you's - without this and its' scorching caffeinated contents you are pretty sure life would be unbearable at this hour.

Into the car and off down the road.  It should take about 25 minutes (give or take) to reach your spot.  You are feeling a lot more awake now, sipping on that coffee and enjoying how empty the roads are and the quiet drone of your thoughts..... "hope the sky is good, just the right balance of clouds and clear patches".

You arrive and park up, jump out and feel that clean cold morning air and the utter stillness of pre-dawn.  It is a short walk to the beach, you checked the tides last night and know you will have a shin-deep wade to get to the spot you want to be at.  The water is glorious, not too cold and not too warm, refreshingly right!  That is what is so good about these beaches along this part of the Manukau harbour, their long shallow stretches that are ripe with photographic opportunity.

You spot the tree lying out on the tidal zone you saw a couple of weeks back.  Mental pat on the back, this is exactly the situation you were hoping for, an incoming tide that will surround this fallen giant that has been battered and shaped by the elements.  Quick look up to the sky, yep it looks good..... if you being greedy you admit it could be a bit better but this is still what you are looking for.

The gear is all set up, a few experimental composition shots taken, you are now happy with what you have lined up time to just pause and enjoy, wait for the moment in time you are looking to distill into immortality.  Man it is quiet..... just so calm and peaceful, the world feels really clean right now.

You see the moment you are here for, frantic but controlled activity takes place.... you've got it, you know inside of you that you've got it.  You cannot really explain how you know but that feeling is there... that inner smile of satisfaction.

The alarm is gone and forgotten, the groggy hall way stumble a distant memory, you breath in deep and close your eyes "it is so good to be alive!!!!"  This is why you wake up this early, the pursuit of natural glory that is shared everyday first thing with the few who are there to witness it.

Mental note: Gotta do this more often...