Through the light

...and sand.

The plan was to capture a red sunrise at lake Lauwersmeer this morning.
Together with Richard I went there, very early. We left at 05.30 and arrived on the chosen location a few minutes before 06.30.
Coffee time.
The sky was colouring already and the sun would rise at 07.33.
Because of all the Sahara sand that is floating high in the sky, a beautiful red sunrise was exptected but as we drank our coffee I began to have doubts about that. 
Of course there was red, pink and yellow in the sky, but not as intense as I'd hoped. On top of that, we couldn't find a good composition on the shores of lake Lauwersmeer. Around 07.00 we decided to move a bit further to a more familiar location, the little lighthouse of Oostmahorn.

I didn't want to shoot the lighthouse though, no matter what.
When we arrived on the scene we saw 5 other photographers capturing it already, so I was even more convinced not to shoot it. I went the other way, to the shore and the weeds in front of it.
But again, I couldn't find a nice spot. Maybe this wouldn't be my morning. No problem, I was having a nice time anyway being out there in the field.
Richard headed for the lighthouse and turned to familiar (and obvious) compositions.

After a while (the sun was way up, and the sky had changed to an intense yellow after all) I decided to do things completely different. 
I ditched my tripod and put on my 100-400 telelens.

Every once in a while groups of geese came flying by, right through the sun. Here was my composition! Geese flying in and out of the light.
Wow! Everything fell into place.

Afterwards with our second coffee, I was happy with the results. I knew I had made a few good captures. Richard was happy with his results as well, although he did have similar photos in his archive already, he said.
He flew his drone for a while also. I didn't this time. Don't know why, just didn't feel like it.

We went home, I changed clothes and by 10.15 I was behind my desk at my office. Time to go to work.