If you are an experienced landscape photographer you know exactly what I mean. You can picture the scene in your head.Waking up at 4 in the morning for the unknown. The long drive and then the hike in the dark, tripping over branches and looking out for wild animals that you can swear are following your every move, yet you cannot see them; if it is a popular spot (like Shwabacker’s Landing) you need to get there even earlier then usual during the busy season.

Then the moment you are waiting for finally arrives. You reach your destination, the picture perfect location, quickly you begin to setup your gear fumbling because you know sunrise is about to greet you, and then in great anticipation the mountains are gone.

Where did they go? Are you serious? Is that cloud going to go away anytime soon? Yep this is the moment you ask yourself was it really worth it? The answer is yes, of course it is. Now be careful, odds are your gear is expensive so don’t just slam it onto the ground in frustration, not just yet, you might not like it, you might end up needing a few extra cups of coffee that day, but this is the emotional roller-coaster ride of what we call landscape photography. Bottom line is you deal with the frustrations with the anticipation of landing that one good shot. The one you will hang on your office wall, The one that family members will ask did you buy that or were you really there? Did you really take that picture?

This picture was that one good shot, it was the moment I will always savior in my mind.

The question really isn't about how I got it, the question is how to prepare for the next best shot when this one isn't available. (Which it wasn't for quite some time).

The real question is how do you prevent the frustration in the first place?

To be continued.....