California Coast: No Need to Wake Up for Dawn

Prevailing wisdom is that there is beautiful light everywhere twice a day: some time around dawn, and some time around sunset. A while back I wrote a post about the glories of shooting at dawn, and why it might be better than sunset. I'd like to update you on that, since I know you've been waiting with bated breath.

I'm rethinking it. As you probably already know if you read my blog with any kind of regularity, I'm not a morning person. However, in an almost unprecedented move, I have gotten up twice to see the dawn in the past couple of weeks. Both times on the coast of California (that is, after all, where I live), and both times: not so impressed. In other words, meh.

Recent case in point: the Twin Peaks fog debacle. It was almost impossible to take any decent photos until about an hour and a half after dawn, just due to the dang SF fog. But also, if you want any shots of the water, the light's going the wrong direction. Dawn is (I am assuming) way better on the East coast than the West coast.

Anyway, both of these were shot about 2 hours after dawn, when the light on the water improved (in my opinion).

Took this from inside the Cliff House Restaurant. See the reflection? I actually thought it made the picture better. What do you think?

True, hollandaise sauce doesn't require dawn light so much as the other, but there's really no wrong light for a breakfast as delicious as this. I might not be a morning person, but breakfast is definitely my favorite meal.

Hungry yet?