5:00 AM...
The world in the mountains is something else entirely at five in the morning. It’s loud and quiet all at once ‒ if that makes any sense. The birds are just starting to wake up, filling the air with their songs, but the landscape itself feels like it’s still dreaming. There is a specific kind of stillness you just won't find at any other time of day.
That summer morning, the first light was what woke me up. I got out of bed and cracked open the cabin door. The sun was still low, its rays fighting their way through the branches. Dewdrops were glistening in the grass, and remnants of the morning mist were still rolling through the woods on the opposite hillside. It was one of those moments where you just stand there, staring, soaking in the atmosphere. But after a few seconds, the photographer in you kicks in, and you realize you have to turn around and run for your camera.
I stood there in the wide-open doorway, trying to capture what fascinated me most: that thin line where the ridges of the nearby hills began to dissolve into the clouds and mist ‒ that brief window where the mountains and the sky became one.
That was the morning I took the photo I later named "Clarity." It holds exactly what I was feeling back then: the crispness of the morning air, the warmth of the first sunlight breaking through the branches of an old spruce (which, by the way, is now just a memory, as it eventually had to be cut down), and that incredible peace before the world wakes up to its usual noise.
I edited this photo in Luminar Neo by skylum.com, focusing entirely on preserving the subtlety and calm of the scene. I didn't want to turn this into just another loud, oversaturated poster. My goal was for the image to evoke that specific feeling of peace you get when you're sitting by the window with your first cup of coffee, just watching a new day begin.
A little piece of peace for you...
I’ve decided to include this study in my boutique Etsy shop. If you have a spot in your home that needs a bit of that early morning light and mountain stillness, this piece is available for you as a high-resolution, print-ready file.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4438882952/moody-mountain-art-misty-sunrise-print
Also, as a thank you specifically for the Hive community, I’ve set up a discount code: HIVE50. Use it at checkout to get 50% off this print.
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