Taking photos at the golden hour.

Landscape photographers always mention the golden hour as the best time to take photographs. It's a limiting practice, one hour before sunrise or sunset and one hour after. It's so true that there is a drama and warmth created by the light at these times that move your photos to a different level.

The photo above was taken at 7.30 on a freezing cold Jan morning. I arrived at 6.30, planned the compositions I liked and waited for the magic to happen. I had scouted the location Months before, checking weather forecasts and length of journey. You can arrive at planned locations many many times and it's just not happening. But then when it does it's a massive rush of adrenaline trying to achieve the image you wanted within a very small window. I have been told on many occasions, "That's a great photo, you must have a great camera!" I always smile thinking, if only you knew the effort that had gone into making it.

Photo info: Nikon d800

24-70mm 2.8 lense

Apature f8 to give focus from front to back.

0.9 grad filter to allow me to expose for foreground and retain detail in the sky.

Edited in Lightroom.