Sunrise from the bivouac: Waking Up to Magic

There’s something incredibly special about waking up in a cozy wooden cabin high in the Austrian Alps. I had stayed overnight in the bivouac, a simple structure perched on a mountain, designed for those who want to experience the raw beauty of the Alps. The night before, I had set my camera gear aside, knowing that the sunrise would be the highlight of the trip.

I used the Alpenglow app to check the sunrise and sunset times, ensuring that I would catch the light at just the right moment. Waking up to see the first rays of light hitting the mountain peaks from the comfort of my bed was something I’ll never forget. There’s a sense of calm when you know that the world outside is slowly coming to life while you’re still warm and cozy inside.

But it wasn’t long before I couldn’t resist. It was time to grab my camera. I ventured outside to see the panoramic view unfold before me. The world seemed to transform in front of my eyes, as the peaks, valleys, and sky lit up in soft oranges and pinks. The landscape looked completely different from the quiet stillness I had left behind in the hut. As the sun rose higher, I felt like I was witnessing a painting come to life, with the mountains as the frame and the sky as the canvas.

Editing the Sunrise: Turning Moments into Art

Below, you’ll see a few before-and-after images that show how I enhanced the colors, contrasts, and details of the photos I captured during that magical morning. The editing process is where I bring my personal vision to life, turning a beautiful moment into something unique that speaks to me.

RAW Image (before):
The image is nice, but the sky is a bit washed out, and the mountains lack contrast. The photo doesn’t capture the full range of colours and textures I saw in real life.

Edited Image (After):
(Insert the edited version of the photo)
I brightened the highlights to bring out the soft colors of the sky, boosted the saturation to make the sunrise pop, and enhanced the shadows of the mountains to create a better contrast with the sky. A little sharpening also helped bring out more details in the landscape.

Settings I Used:

Exposure: +0
Contrast: +14
Highlights: -45
Shadows: +30
whites: -30
Blacks: +10

What I usually like to do for the colours is up the vibrance and put down the saturation a little bit. However for this photo I put the vibrance up to +15 and the saturation up to +9. I also warmed it up and tinted it pink.

The Ethics of Editing: Where Does it Cross the Line?

Photography is a form of art, and like any artist, I believe that photographers have the freedom to edit photos in any way they want. I don’t see it as “cheating” to enhance a photo in post-processing—it’s simply another tool in my artistic toolbox. To me, editing isn’t about misrepresenting reality but about translating what I saw, felt, and experienced into a way that speaks to others.

Sure, nature can look beautiful in its purest, untouched form. But the reality is, sometimes the camera doesn’t capture the full range of light, color, and atmosphere that our eyes can. Often, when I go back to my edited images, I find that they actually resemble what I saw in person more than the raw, unedited photo did. The camera is an instrument, and just like a paintbrush, I can use it to create something that feels true to my experience.

It’s important to strike a balance between authenticity and creativity. For me, the goal is to bring the viewer into the scene, not just show them what was there in the moment, but what I felt being there. And that’s where the magic of editing comes in—it lets me fine-tune the emotions I want to evoke.

Final Thoughts

Sunrise at the bivouac hut was a moment that was too magical to capture in just a single photo. The mountains, light, and colours all came together in a way that I wanted to preserve forever. But through editing, I was able to add my own touch and convey the beauty of the scene more accurately—at least, as I saw it.

If you’re ever in the Austrian Alps and find yourself at a bivouac shelter, I highly recommend waking up early to witness a sunrise. It’s the kind of experience that stays with you long after the light fades.

And remember, when it comes to editing, don’t be afraid to enhance the photo to express how you felt in the moment. Photography is all about telling a story, and editing is just another way to tell that story in your own unique voice.