You Never Quite Know

Is it worth going out for an overcast sunrise?

Cooperstown, NY, is crowded in the spring and summer. But at 4:30 in the morning, there’s a sense of being behind the scenes. It’s still quiet. The street lights are on, and some of the store windows are lit for the night.

There was one sure sign that the day was starting. I could smell breakfast cooking somewhere.

We were camping nearby, and I wanted to come to the lake for sunrise. I came early, looking for pavement, doorways, and brick buildings still wet from the night before. But the overnight rain had been lighter than expected.

I hunted for some compositions of the pre-dawn street lights, shooting part of a roll of film, but overall came up empty. So I decided to go down to the lake. The sky was starting to brighten just a little.

Today was cloudy. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, except that it wouldn’t be bright or orange. But I was after something quieter than that.

Where I stood, it was cloudy. Occasionally, I could feel a slight mist. I switched to a digital camera that doesn’t mind the rain.

Miles away, the hills at the far end of the lake were shrouded by mist and rain. The intensity gradually pulled back, then closed in again as I watched, revealing more, and then less of the landscape.

The light, the sky, the lake, all blue.

I wanted a mood. The lake delivered.

✅ Where to Find Me

You can find more of my work on the web at: Simmons Photography

If you want to work with me, or inquire about licensing images: Contact Page

More of my work can be seen on Vero and Flickr.