One cold morning in February 2007, I got up really, really early to drive up Haleakala in Maui before my flight home later that day. You’d think in Hawaii, where it’s generally warm and lovely, there’d be no need to pack a parka or gloves or 18 layers of long underwear. But you’d be wrong. The temperature does get ever so slightly colder as you climb from sea level to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). I almost couldn’t wait out the cold, even though I was wearing nearly every piece of clothing I’d packed. Fortunately I did though, and shot through the very cloudy sunrise, which made for a spectacular view.

As the inky black moved to blue and ultimately red, my lens was treated to the kinds of hues you don’t find on any color wheel.

Haleakala Volcano, Maui, Hawaii @ Feb 2007 | Canon EOS 5D & 24-70mm ƒ/2.8L USM @ ISO 100, ƒ/2.8, 1.0s

The first photo was taken at some of the earliest light of the morning. The next one is roughly 30 minutes later.

Haleakala Volcano, Maui, Hawaii @ Feb 2007 | Canon EOS 20D & 70-200mm ƒ/4L IS USM @ ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/320

Shortly after this, the sky washed out and the color sank like a stone to the ocean, ten thousand feet below.