Mountain biking at sunrise in the beautiful hills of Ventura County near Ojai, California, is one of my favorite ways to begin the day. On this particular morning, in Southern California’s winter, we were following the trail home as the rising sun began to fill the landscape with warm color.
Brilliant yellows and oranges appeared on the horizon, illuminating the hills and transforming the familiar landscape around us. As we continued along the trail, we approached one of the beautiful Valley Oak trees that are so characteristic of this area.
Its sprawling branches reached across the trail, creating a natural tunnel and framing the brilliant morning sky beyond. The dark silhouette of the oak was a striking contrast against the warm colors of the sunrise, and the trail seemed to lead directly toward the light.
It was one of those moments when I knew I needed to stop and photograph what was unfolding in front of me. I don’t usually hand-hold this type of image, but a tripod is out of the question when mountain biking. I did my best by pushing the ISO up and widening the f-stop. These settings let me capture the combination of the winding dirt road, the magnificent oak, and the glowing sky that captured the feeling of that morning.
What I love about photographing close to home is discovering how changing light can make a familiar place feel completely new. We have traveled this trail many times, but on this morning, everything came together: the quiet hills, the Valley Oak, and that wonderful burst of sunrise color.
Sometimes the most memorable photographs are waiting for us along the path home.
