It was rough for my friends Andy Adkins, Matt Kloskowski and I to get out of bed yesterday. The wind had been whipping at the tent all night keeping us awake. It was cold; it was dark. It was only 5:30am... How easy would it be to stay in the warm sleeping bags a little longer.
Instead we got out, shivered, stretched, tossed our gear in my Outback and drove the highest road in Oregon to reach the top of Steens Mountain before dawn.
Was it freezing? Yes. Was the wind blowing over 50 miles per hour trying to push us off the edge? Yes. Was it all worth it? YES, YES, YES!
Sure, sometimes we photographers brave really uncomfortable conditions and wind up capturing nothing. Sometimes on those mornings we regret even getting out of the tent. Mornings like yesterday remind us why we have to get up and get out there.
-Hudson
Matt Kloskowski atop Steens Mountain at dawn. Nikon D810, Nikkor 14-24 F2.8.