Michael Mroczek

Good Photography is Hard, Sunrise in Scotland Run Park

Sunrise over Wilson Lake
I don’t know why I’m saying this because I’ve been doing it close to 15 years, but real photography is hard. I spend most of my time, taking photographs in my backyard and I may have led myself to believe that good photography is largely the result of being in “a good location.” The thinking is, if you just change your surroundings and move to a “good” location, you’ll immediately make better images. An sunrise photography trip to a Scotland Run park immediately changed that. 

The reality is that I have become comfortable in my yard. Aside from the fleeting moments when a rare bird flys by, my yard is a safe space to practice photography at my own pace. A new location offers new challenges. It’s almost like you I to immerse myself in a new place before I can being practicing your craft. I have to figure out the lay of the land so to speak.

So maybe this particular morning wasn’t a win from a creative standpoint. Maybe the real win is that I woke up at 5 AM and got my ass out in the real world. As disappointed as I was about not getting any “good” images, I’ve got the urge to get back out there and give it another go next weekend.