Patience, Grasshopper!

I'm not very patient, I find it hard to stand in one spot waiting for the light, consequently I miss a lot of great shots. I mostly take opportunity shots while hiking and try to be at a decent place for sunset or sunrise. On this morning I had decided to drive up to Mesa Arch for sunrise. Driving up in the dark, the skies looked pretty cloudy and sure enough as sunrise approached and it got lighter the skies were completely overcast. I was there mid-week and no one else was there so I got to pick my spot to set up, only if the clouds would cooperate now. I tried to wait but finally gave in and headed over to Arches for a hike. Well, as I was approaching the parking area for Balanced Rock the clouds parted and the skies lit up everywhere, so I pulled into the parking lot and ran over to this spot and got a few shots off before the clouds took over again. Ah, what could have been, but I got this as a consolation anyway.

An unmistakable icon no doubt. I like this image as is however I'm divided a bit on whether to keep the shadowed elements or lose them all together, considering you went with a silhouette look. The patches of snow wont help trying to go all silhouette.

I hate to say it but you may have missed a great opportunity to shoot just the rock and clouds, which is one of my favorite comps for this location. You can't shoot just the rock, without clouds...and these are fantastic clouds. Or, maybe you did get that shot?

Scott, you had to leave Mesa Arch at least an hour before sunrise to get to Balanced Rock for this one. You are correct, you are impatient! These conditions remind me of my own Mesa Arch shot last winter. Looked too cloudy and nothin was gonna happen, and at the last second the sun ripped through the cloud cover and put on a nice show.

Thanks for the input Kane. No, I didn't get any of just the rock and clouds with color in the sky, there was only color for a minute or so, so I didn't get any other comp. After sunrise some other interesting clouds behind me developed and I got just the rocks and those clouds, but no good color just blue skies. And yes I did leave a full hour early, it looked hopelessly overcast.

A nice quick reaction to changing conditions, Scott. A very cool and beautiful sky. I like this as is with your thirds comp, and I think you have choices such as cropping up about half of the foreground and going all black silhouette with the rocks. But, that's just the old film guy in me trying to come out again.

Its hard to say whether the sky would have opened up for you at Mesa Arch. Weather can be fickle and local. So can the angles of light.

I look at landscape photography as fishing - we get up super early and sometimes we catch nothing. But a good photographer will be prepared when something does get on the line. In this case, you caught an interesting scene with dramatic sunrise light. You were ready and had the skill to capture it. Nice fish story.

Same for Kane.

The only thing missing is the six pack of beer.

Well, you make the calls as best you can, and the live with the decision.
It took me four trips to Mesa Arch to get some decent light.

But, yes, it's remarkable how many times that hopeless light turns spectacular.
I was in Zion shooting the Towers of the Virgin at sunrise a few years ago.
There is no view of the eastern horizon from the valley, so you just have to wait.
When all you see of the sky is a solid mass of grey clouds in all directions, it's just natural to be pessimistic.
So, on this morning I arrived to find a large photo workshop, led by two well known photographers.
The leaders must have been really hungry, because they told every to pack up and head for breakfast.
About the time everyone made it to their cars, the skies lit up with a to-die-for, epic sunrise.
A few from the workshop scrambled back, but it lasted for only a few minutes.
Needless to say, the workshop leaders taught their group a great lesson !!

Under the circumstances, the rest of us couldn't understand why the leaders didn't stay just a bit longer.
After getting up early, and waiting for over an hour, another 15 minutes until official sunrise would be justified !

Don't worry Scott, my ebook is being redesigned and in a week or so it should be ready--tat will solve all your worries

Sweet, I've been waiting for the Stan Rose "How to Instantaneously Change the Weather So You Don't Have to Sit Around Like a Bump on a Log" ebook!!!!