Hallett from Sprague lake

I photographed this last year at the end of a freak spring blizzard and wanted an accompanying photograph from the early summer.  So, I got up at three am and pointed the Jeep west.  This is an easy place to see the sunrise.  It's a pleasant hike that's all but paved and about a twenty minutes drive from the nearest motel and convenience store.  This particular morning I wasn't alone, a local photography guide was out earning his keep.  Whatever, it is low hanging photographic fruit in a national park, after all and very pretty at that.
One person from the group mentioned to me that "it's a shame the colour didn't happen this morning."  I was stunned and didn't have an answer.  (well, OK, I had an answer, but I've learned not to let anything out of my big mouth until I've put coffee in.)  Maybe I just see colour differently.
In the foreground of the photograph above, you will see that the trees and grasses are somehow brighter than the ones immediately behind them.  That's the lake reflecting the light of the sky.  This one is from early in the morning, the earth shadow has just receded from the pink bath preceding the sun.  It happens everyday, but never the same way twice.