"Failed” early morning

I had planned a photography trip to a bog near Muonio for the only rain-free and clear morning of the week. I had driven past it a few times on summer mornings and knew it had stunning morning mist at sunrise, creating a golden glow on the calm water's surface.

My alarm went off at 3:30 AM, and since I can’t function in the mornings without food, I needed breakfast and coffee to get going. For some reason, my departure kept getting delayed, and I was finally on the road around 4:30, with the sun already high in the sky. However, the morning was still beautiful. My nearby forest was shrouded in mist, and I almost decided to stay and photograph it instead. Along the way, I saw many potential shooting spots, but I had a specific image and atmosphere in mind that required the particular bog landscape near Muonio.

Just before reaching Muonio, the sun unexpectedly disappeared behind a cloud, and there was no sign of mist anymore. It was already well past five o'clock, and I knew that the morning mist and magical sunrise were coming to an end. The entire sky was covered in clouds, and the air was gray, like many other mornings. I realized I wouldn’t be able to realize the photography idea I had in mind that morning.

I was disappointed.

I’ve been reading about failure lately, exploring how it’s defined and whether it even exists. Does failure truly exist? A significant portion of history’s most important inventions has come about through failure. The largest companies in the world advocate for embracing failure, championing the mantra "fail fast and fail forward" to foster groundbreaking ideas from the learning experiences that come from failing.

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

It’s a thought-provoking question, isn’t it? An inspiring thought experiment. What would I do if I couldn’t fail? And then comes the follow-up question: why wouldn’t I do it anyway? Perhaps this question is part of why I’m here, writing, photographing, and creating something new, even though every moment of creation brings forth the fear of failure. Ultimately, the thought of failure is just that—a thought, an assumption. At worst, it’s merely an experience among many, from which I can learn and then leap toward new conquests.

Back to that early morning, where curious reindeer occasionally paused to stare.

I decided to take the morning as a learning experience, turned the car around, and headed back home. Along the way, I noticed a small forest clearing overtaken by fireweed. Behind the clearing rose a beautiful grove of birch trees, through which the morning sun’s last golden rays filtered almost perfectly into the mist that had settled over the area. I thought to myself, “This is better than nothing,” as I turned the car around once more on the empty road and parked on the roadside.

The fireweed and grass grew waist-high, heavy with morning dew. I knew I would get soaked if I mindlessly trudged through the clearing, and I wasn’t entirely sure if I could capture the moment and the atmosphere of the landscape well enough.

I hesitated for a moment, sitting on the damp and cold asphalt with my camera equipment in my lap. A lone reindeer strolled along the road from the direction of Muonio, curious about who was out and about at this hour of the morning.

I decided to give it a try, as it’s famously said not to give up, right? I waded through the water up to my waist to reach the other side of the clearing. I lost track of time; I forgot that it was wet and cold, and that it was half past six in the morning somewhere between Kolar and Muonio. I didn’t care whether I had set the camera settings correctly (which I often didn’t) or if the photos would turn out as I hoped. I simply enjoyed the moment.

The morning was not a failure. I didn’t get the bog landscape photo I had hoped for in the morning sun, and my plans didn’t go as I had envisioned. Yet, the morning was still wonderful, inspiring, and beautiful.

Let’s remember to embrace failure from time to time. I’m so glad you’re reading my story and joining me on this journey. Sending hugs!

♥: Sanna