early mornings.

The alarm goes off. You give yourself another 10 minutes, because while it doesn’t sound like it will make a difference, it does. It totally does. It goes off a second time. You drag yourself out of bed. Consider putting on makeup or something to improve your appearance, but then don’t bother. Sunnies and bed hair is heaps cool right? Grab all your different cameras and lenses together. The disposable film camera. The Pentax and zoom lense. The handy little digital that will wifi the pics to your phone (handiest thing ever). Put them all in a bag, make a cuppa to go and race out the door.
Drive into town sipping on the tea, windows down (how good are not-cold summer mornings) and listening to Bon Iver, thinking ‘is there any better way to start a day?’ I don’t think there is.
Take a photo of the pretty western sky. That’s always the tough choice in the morning -eastern sun or western haze. Try and find a high point and do both. The sun is beginning to rise, but there’s a cloud right in the way. Still real attractive though. It takes your breath away. You take a minute to watch it sans camera. Just be in the moment, watching how fast the sun moves in those early hours.
Run into a pal or two who are exercising, kudos to them, and then head round the point for some more photos. You decide that you’re liking more taking photos of the…effects of the sun, rather than the sun itself. The world is at its prettiest when the sun has just come up, and it’s still got that warm yellow hue. The water is a ridiulously beautiful colour (you have a bit of a fangirl moment), there are early morning surfers out there. It really couldn’t get any better.
Visit a couple of your favourite haunts and take some photos. The new lookout above Newcastle beach. The lookout above Bar beach. From Bar itself. Around the corner to Merewether. Hickson St. Realise Newcastle has way too many pretty lookouts.
Head back home. You have work soon and it already looks like you’ll be skipping the hair this morning. Fire up the laptop while boiling the kettle again. Make another cuppa and a bowl of hot Weetbix. Transfer all the photos from the various devices over to your phone.
Fall in love with the photos you took. Be proud of your work. Recognise that you’re getting better. And that somehow, so is the universe. It’s peaking.
Now throw on some slap and race out the door. You’ll be a little late for work, but honestly, it really is worth it.