Dawn's early light

Near Marine, Illinois
Photograph by Tom Atwood

There is a moment before sunrise--my photographer friend Matt Granz calls it the "blue hour"-- when the only light you can see is at the horizon. For poor Matt, who lives in the mountainous area around San Francisco, the horizon is often obscured by those pesky, scenic hills. But here in the Midwest, in Madison County, Illinois, the horizon is able to show off during the blue hour. In all its glory.  Shutter: 17 seconds; Aperture: f/5.6; ISO: 200; Focal length: 18 mm.