Shot this morning:

Very beautiful, as always!
Do you live in that park? You seem to be there every morning :)

Yeah, my home is on the park bench with a newspaper as a blanket. I use my XHA1 for a pillow. I wouldn't recommend it though.

Yeah, my home is on the park bench with a newspaper as a blanket. I use my XHA1 for a pillow. I wouldn't recommend it though.

When you had the H1 I bet your neck got really stiff!

Seriously though, your images are inspiring. I have to ask....do you really take time to plan out most of your shots? I find myself in situations kinda like yours but I never take the time to have all of my equipment handy and by the time I go set it up, the magic shot has passed. So lately I just don't try! I see a beautiful landscape or shot, and I think for moment "I should go get my camera and tripod and shoot this".....but then I just enjoy the moment. I have too little patience to wait for a magic moment with my equipment ready......

Is that how you get some of these?

I am familiar enough with my environment by now to know what to expect. When I go to the same place over a series of mornings for sunrise shots, for example, the first day will be pretty random, the second, I will be inspired to shoot something based on what I captured the previous day and so it goes until the 4th or 5th day, I am very specific about what I want to shoot and how I will go about shooting that and that alone.

My compositions in general are pretty grip and rip. I have a pretty good eye at this stage for seeing the potential of a shot before I look in the viewfinder. For me it's all about knowing the limitations of my tools and then knowing how I can capture the magic I am seeing.

Also, I am familiar with the feeling of seeing a shot and not having my camera nearby. Should I go get it or just let it go? I am getting the camera more these days to cut down on my regrets. I tend to schlep my heavy tripod and camera and filters a few miles each morning. Hey, it's good exercise :)

Beautiful shots Steven - really inspiring stuff.

this is emotional !!!!