[Views of Cincinnati] Wrought Iron Sunrise
It's not that I haven't seen or photographed or a sunrise before, it's just that I've never done one around downtown or of the skyline. If I'm ever awake and the sun's coming up, it's usually because I haven't been to sleep yet either due to alcohol or homework.
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I had a long weekend. I took a half day from my co-op on Friday. They encouraged me to go home, mainly because I had just thrown up in the trash can next to my desk. I went to the store to get some Gatorade and didn't even make it into the building before I was keeled over again. My girlfriend was awesome enough to come take care of me, but I spent the most of the day with a headache and laying in my bed or with my head in the toilet. On Saturday I felt better and wanted to stay inside. However, I had found a buyer for my car and that happened to be the only day he could pick it up. So despite being sick, I spent half the day out in the cold cleaning the car before I dropped it off, made the deal and borrowed my dad's Mazda CX-7.
By the end of that day, I was exhausted and fell asleep as soon as I got home. For the first time in months, I slept for more than five consecutive hours, but I woke up at 6:30 A.M. I tried listening to music, but just couldn't fall back asleep. I checked the weather, saw it was supposed to be sunny and grabbed my gear. It was cold, but "fuck it, how bad can it be, I'm gonna go photograph the sunrise," I thought to myself.
The car I had sold was twelve years old and usually heated up by the time I hit downtown. The car I borrowed from my dad though, heats up instantly. It also has this wonderful modern feature known as "heated seats." I didn't even have powered locks. Knowing very little about sunrises, except that they rise in the East, I wasn't sure where to go and I knew I was limited on time. I decided to pop over to Mt. Adams, but not the usual viewing points. I drove around looking for something interesting. I found a nice little spot off Oregon St. The sidewalk and the wrought iron fence that guarded pedestrians from falling onto the parkway below was obscured by brush and overlooked the hillside and Cincinnati skyline just as the sun began to rise.
I chose the spot because it seemed hidden and forgotten. It's not one of the usual Mt. Adams overlooks that people choose to visit if anyone ever uses this sidewalk at all anymore. The skyline is framed in the center, with the apartments and Wrought Iron fence providing leading lines in the direction of Columbia Parkway becoming smaller as it falls into the city center.
I lasted about 20 minutes outside. My head was still pounding, the wind was blowing the cold air everywhere and my hands were so cold that I couldn't even adjust my metal tripod anymore. I went back to the car's heated seats and went home ...where I still couldn't fall asleep.
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