I made this image from a popular vantage point east of the Grand Tetons in western Wyoming. The previous afternoon, I had visited this spot and encountered several other photographers who had already claimed all the "sweet spots" from which to compose a pleasing view of the dominant peaks of this range, including The Grand Teton in the center, often referred to as "The Grand." Some thirty years earlier, I had climbed The Grand with my friend Chip Cole, who led the climb, since he was by far the better, more experienced climber. Ever since then I'd been determined to return to the area to make a good photograph of it. This was my big chance to do so, so the following morning my wife Joyce and I returned to this spot well before sunrise and staked out the position I deemed best.

At that point, it was simply a matter of waiting for good light. But, as luck would have it, the morning sky was laden with broken clouds, so there was no alpenglow. Nor was there any light on the peaks or the foreground until fifteen or twenty minutes after sunrise. But then, as my patience was running out, the sun burst through an opening in the clouds and washed the foreground in brilliant low-angle light. I quickly made my exposures, and the sun disappeared again. Such is the value of planning, patience and luck.

For any photographers who might be interested, I made this image with a Nikon D800E mounted with a 45mm perspective-control lens, tilted slightly downward to help put everything in sharp focus, near to far.