I camped a few weeks ago not too far from the Rio Chama. I got everything set up before it got dark and then, just as the sun was setting, I realized I was ravenous. I sat down at a picnic table, took a sandwich out of the cooler, and glanced around.
I spotted the tiniest sliver of an almost full moon coming up over the mesa and immediately forgot about eating. There was no time to set up a tripod — the moon and sun rise (and set) incredibly quickly when they’re near the horizon. I somehow managed to get a few shots even without a tripod.1
The next morning I kinda sorta woke up before dawn and glanced outside. Somehow, through my sleepy fog, I realized that the clouds in the sky might make for an interesting sunrise. I got myself out of my sleeping bag and into some clothes just in time to photograph the scene below.
Here’s another shot taken eight minutes later, from a slightly different spot.
Once again, the photography gods smiled upon me. I’ve noticed they’re far more generous with their smiles in October than in any other month.2
Courtesy of in-camera image stabilization.
The same might be true for me as well. New Mexico is so often drop-dead gorgeous in October.
Perfect!