Imperfect Sunrise

Elk at sunrise in Hayden Valley

On many of my 18 (so far) visits to Yellowstone NP, it was my habit to rise before the dawn to explore the photo opportunities the park offers. Sunrises always amaze and the big game animals are often prolific. Hayden Valley is one of those places.

The photo shows a bull elk on the shoulder of the road that winds through the valley with the sun rising over the river and hills beyond. I was standing beside my car on the opposite shoulder of the roadway. Had I thought to move a few steps to my left, I might just have gotten that once-in-a-lifetime picture with the sun ascending between the silhouette of the elk's antlers. 

Alas, whether from fear of startling the majestic critter into flight or just not having that positioning adjustment cross my mind, I never moved. What I have is an excellent and delightful photo of the elk at sunrise in one of my favorite spots on Earth. 

It was just one more of God's surprises. He has given me many in our travels over the decades. Perhaps He expected a little more of me than I delivered that morning. What I now possess is a panoramic view of an Imperfect Sunrise.