Shadows at Dawn: Don’t let clouds ruin your day!

Sometimes, your morning starts off like a perfect horror movie setup: you’re driving out to Kowen Forest in the pitch-black hours, a “NoSleep” podcast crackling through your speakers, and you half-expect a shadowy figure to leap from behind a tree. That was me today. The plan was simple—get up at 4 a.m., run through the forest, snap some epic starry-sky photos, and then bask in the glorious sunrise. But the moment I stepped out of the car, there it was: nothing but clouds overhead, not a single star in sight.

I’d checked the weather app the night before, so I kind of knew clouds might crash my stargazing party. But hope dies last, right? Deep down, I was crossing my fingers that the forecast would be as wrong as it often is. Let’s just say the weatherman nailed it this time. Mild disappointment set in. I was standing alone on a dead-end road, still spooked by the thought of something rummaging around in the darkness beyond my headlights. To top it off, the forest was surprisingly “loud.” The storms from the previous night had flooded the area, so frogs were having a full-on jam session while a humid mist hovered like a scene out of a paranormal thriller.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for a good adrenaline rush, but I definitely wasn’t expecting that kind of immediate jolt to the system. Luckily, I remembered the real reason I crawled out of bed before my alarm could even form a coherent beep: I was there to run. Taking photos was just a side quest. Sure, I’m a novice photographer (I’ve only had a camera for, what, four weeks now?), but there’s a sweet sort of magic in capturing the forest’s secrets—especially when the weather decides to improvise.

So I hit the trail, clouds and all, telling myself, “Hey, things change like the weather—just roll with it.” And here’s the thing: the overcast sky ended up being more of a blessing than a bummer. Instead of a shiny, star-flecked panorama, I got an eerie, almost cinematic vibe. The mist drifting through the pines looked like something straight out of a fantasy movie. By the time the sun started peeking through the thick blanket of clouds, it lit them up in wild hues of orange, pink, and gold, creating a sky that looked like it was literally on fire. I clicked my camera a few times (with no clue what I was doing, but excited anyway), and I can’t wait to share them.

If there’s one lesson I’m taking home from this run, it’s that we can still find something spectacular—even if the day seems dreary at first glance. Clouds might block the stars, but they can also transform the morning into a supernatural spectacle you never saw coming. So the next time you’re about to let a little gloom rain on your parade, remember: adapt, enjoy the unexpected, and who knows—you might capture something amazing you never even knew to look for.