Today, we go back nearly 16 years to when I started with photography. My first photo tour was to the Grand Canyon in the US. I still remember waking up 2 hours before sunrise the first morning and driving from my hotel in Grand Canyon Village toward Yaki Point.
When I exited the car and went to the viewpoint, it was still dark. I couldn't see much of the canyon below me. The sky was cloudy, and not much light touched the canyon walls. So, I started exploring along the rim until I saw a small, gnarly tree. It's where I set up my camera and waited, hoping for some beak in the clouds around sunrise.
The sun bursts through the clouds at Yaki Point.
At first, not much happened, and I thought I'd have to pack up without a photo. But I stayed and waited until, finally, the sun burst through the clouds for a brief moment. I was ready to capture the image you see above.
That morning, I learned my first lesson about landscape photography: You must be patient to be a successful landscape photographer. When you're out in the cold, and there's no light, there's always the temptation to head back to the hotel. But don't give up so fast. If you got up and went to the photo spot, there's no reason not to wait it out. Sometimes, there might be no colorful sky at sunrise, but even an hour afterward, you can get spectacular light if the sun finally breaks through. Especially on stormy days, you should not give up too early.
There's no guarantee, though, that your patience will be rewarded. But that's part of the game and makes the successes feel even more special. During my few days at the Grand Canyon, I returned another morning and captured one more dramatic photo.
View from Yaki Point Viewpoint