The past few gloomy days and some time spent working in soggy conditions took the wind out of my sails, so I came home from work early to sleep off a headache and head off a cold before it could get the better of me. When I woke up my little boys were excited to show me that the skies were looking bright red and pink on the western horizon!
I was in no position to get the shot, but it gave me the idea of going back into the archives to grab one of my favorite pink sunsets along Highway 25. Much like the fallen farms which only exist for a while, this tree has been whittled down a lot since I took this series of photos. Most of the branches are gone, making this a photo I can never really duplicate.
One of the greatest appeals of photography to me is that it's about capturing a specific fleeting moment in time, one that may never come around again. The merging of proper technique and simply being in the right place at the right time is thrilling and addicting, just like nailing a corner just right while leaning over on my knee at triple-digit speed. The nice thing about the photo is that it lasts longer!
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( 2.9 / 119 )
I took my little fellas out for a short trip tonight, and the last thing we did before bolting home for a late dinner was to catch some rays. Thankfully we had some clouds to oblige. As the sun found a couple of windows in the advancing clouds, I was there for the few fleeting seconds to catch the rays traversing the sky.
The rays came and went quickly, and so did we. In fact, if we had stayed another couple of minutes I could add some red and purple sunset photos to this batch. Satisfied with the rays, however, and ready to make my two famished boys' respective favorites for dinner and story time, I bolted home for some special time as Daddy.
Oh yes...today's Sunset Song of the Day is "The Reflection of You" by Bear in Heaven (iTunes link).
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( 3.1 / 135 )
One thing a cold snap will do: instantly remind me that it wasn't too long ago when I was taking golden summer/autumn sunset photos! This one is actually quite recent. Weather changes quickly in North Dakota this time of year, and it can be quite shocking not only due to temperatures but also as a reminder that the photographic game has just changed for another season.
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( 3 / 92 )The colloquialism in the title of this post is the racetrack equivalent of "Go to war with the army you've got." I didn't have a photographic equivalent, so I'll have to write one someday and utilize the racing version for now. I had finished watching a niece's volleyball game at Fort Lincoln Elementary and saw a nice sunset developing, so I did what I had to: bolt to the nearest known photo subject. In this case, and given the letter "E" adjacent to my truck's gas gauge needle, Fort Abraham Lincoln was the most logical choice.
I started with the above shot. Stereotypical. Unremarkable. I really prefer the blockhouses with the railings on top. Okay...time to work the area a little bit...
The clouds were changing quickly and it looked like the horizon was about to be obscured, but I did have time to try something else. Taking a position far away from the blockhouses had proven uninspiring, so I decided to get close and still try to capture some of the wispy clouds while they remained overhead. I figured the blockhouses had little else to offer tonight given the sky conditions, so I did a 180.
Now that's what I'm talking about. The full size version of this photo is much more pleasing due to its detail in the fall colors, but I don't want to post a photo that big here. It was the shot I was looking for, however, in order to satisfy my criteria for a successful photo trip: come home with at least one photo I really like...even if it's the only one from the trip that turned out well.
About that time I noticed the National Guard guys practicing autorotations with a Blackhawk over at the Mandan Airport, so I hung out to watch the frivolity and snap a couple more last minute blockhouse shots. The clouds had changed yet again and were providing a dash of color and light in the sky overhead, and I wanted to milk this trip for all it was worth. Success. Then it was time for home and little relaxation to go with my satisfaction.
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( 3 / 143 )
We had a pretty dramatic, golden-orange sunset several nights ago...and my boys and I were there to capture it. It's always characteristic of others' misfortune, when forest or grass fires plague areas north and/or west of us: the smoke makes for some amazing sunsets.
We haven't had much for clouds lately, at least not at sunset, but this particular evening was pretty well adorned. I have a "secret spot" that's the best place to take such sunset photos of the capitol, and permission to be there, so we bolted to catch the combination of color and clouds before going home for story time and bunk beds.
The Sunset Song of the Day for this photo is an old favorite of mine, "Buildings and Mountains," by The Republic Tigers (iTunes link). It's also a great song for a road trip through the wide open plains with those beautiful North Dakota skies overhead.
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( 3.1 / 126 )
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