This is Bryce canyon. I’ve chosen this picture because I’m trying to psych myself up for the upcoming winter. To ready myself for facing those cold, cold mornings. Sort of like those really goofy guys that belong to Polar bear clubs that cut holes in the ice so they can jump in and see if the shock doesn’t kill them. Or like those misguided souls who walk into a Cowboy bar in, say, Thermopolis or Sheridan and yell “The NRA sucks! All guns should be banned! and, You bastards killed Bambi!” at the top of their lungs. If you’re going to do something like that and I equate standing out in sub-zero weather for hours to get to that one moment when the light is perfect so you can get the shot, very much like The Cowboy bar scenario in terms of pain suffered. You have to prepare for stuff like that.

You might be thinking “Well that’s a little extreme.” but then you hadn’t been standing out there since about 5:30 that morning in below zero cold, hopping back and forth from one foot to another, wishing you had worn two sets of insulated Sorrels and stuffed foot warmers in them to boot. And you’d already gone through both thermos’ of hot tea and the sun wasn’t even up yet. That’s like an average morning in the photo business in the winter. You may call it extreme, we just call it Wednesday.

Also what made matters worse was the sunrise was a little late that morning. Apparently it was so cold that the grease in the bearings of the axis that supports the earth had jellied due to the freezing, tortuous temperature and retarded the spin of the earth, which caused the slower rotation, hence the later sunrise. That’s what they told me at the Ranger Station anyway. I believed them, they’re rangers for cripes sake, they can’t lie. The reason didn’t matter, the cold did.

That’s why I’m starting early this year and getting myself ready for those mornings when I know what I’m going to face, and how much it is going to suck, and yet I have to do it anyway. That’s the code of the shooter, “Never miss the shot because you’re a wimp.” You have to be true to yourself even if the world thinks you’re stupid. Even if you think you’re stupid. Wake up, put on every piece of clothing you’ve brought, even the nine pair of underwear, and get out there and face the day. Cold, wind, misery, frozen fingers, doesn’t matter. Just protect your camera and get the shot. Now you can call yourself a photographer.