That old saying “If life hands you lemons, make lemonade” doesn’t necessarily apply to photographers. Say you go out for a shoot with something specific in mind that you want to photograph, but when you arrive at the spot the weather or the animals or something else isn’t cooperating Don’t give up and make lemonade — figure out the best way to photograph the lemons!

Around Thanksgiving weekend I drove to the lake to catch a particular early-morning lightshow to which the rising sun treats us as the road winds along the woodland that comes before the lake. There’s a somewhat distant clearing, and when the sun shines precisely there, it’s magical. In fact, the first time I was ever there, three deer stood in the clearing. How’s that for beginner’s luck?

On this particular recent morning, however, I was just a bit too late. The sun was not casting its light where I had planned but still had distributed some beams here and there. Some years ago I took a course with a photographer who’s a genius when it comes to using light, and so I’ve learned how to find the light, however limited, and figure out how to work it into a good composition. In November, although much or most of the foliage is gone, yellow maples often stubbornly hang on, and they are a photographer’s gift. I found one, and sure enough, one of the sunbeams was illuminating it. Here’s what I got:

That was my alternative to making lemonade — I figured out how to photograph the lemons.