A Beautiful 24 Hours Near Home:
I took a drive on Friday afternoon with the intention to hike a trail in the woods, only to find that by the time I arrived near 2PM, the trail was almost entirely in the shade. I stopped for a short time to test the composition of the first photo, which I’ve imagined several times in the past but never taken the time to trial. I think this demonstrates proof of concept, and i’ll be back when the grass is green and wildflowers fill the foreground.
I originally planned to take the first image near sunset, but by the time I arrived I realized that too much of the imagine would be in the shade. I opted to take the image first, and after discovering the hike I’d planned would be entirely shaded on a cool and cooling afternoon, I opted to drive somewhere else for sunset. With the sunset happening near 4:15 PM this time of year, I headed to a popular local pullout to watch the sun sink below the Aldrich range to the west. It was one of the more beautiful sunsets I’ve witnessed from this spot and one of the few times I’ve ever taken photographs from here that I enjoyed.
We awoke the next morning to what I believe classifies as radiation fog, where heat loss from radiation on a clear night causes the ground to cool and chills the air in the lowest few meters to below the dew point. I should have driven to a higher elevation sooner, as I could’ve watched the sunrise above the clouds but what I did catch was worth the drive and the experience. This particular morning caused me to make a resolution to hike to the top of the mountain behind the house or drive up to the airport across the valley if we ever wake up to fog with a prediction for clearing into sunny or partly cloudy weather.
These aren’t the most incredible images I’ve ever taken, but you don’t take the best photos of your life each weekend. Frankly, that isn’t the point of taking photographs. In a few years they’ll be fun to look back on and stir good memories, and in twenty or thirty years they’ll be worth even more. As it has been for the past five years, having the camera and the ability to capture the beauty of nature around me is great incentive to get out of the house and take a drive.
Until next time,