This is the same subject as yesterday’s photo, but from a different perspective and at sunset instead of 2am.
I was walking back to the truck after feeling a bit let down by a sunset that went, as the poet said, gentle into that good night, showing very little warm light on the section of the lake that I set up to capture. As I walked along the snowy path, I noticed that after the sun had disappeared, and much later than I’d expected to see any color, the long-gone sun had sent up a little flare of orange that by some miracle was reflecting nicely one the lake.
I started running, or as close to it as I could manage in my snow boots, with my gear on my back, tripod in gloved hands, feet sinking into the snow every other step, looking for something in the water to make this scene into a photograph. Lo and behold, moments later I was back at this little island with the lone pine tree where I’d been much much earlier that day for the Milky Way shot. The reflection on the water by now was absolutely gorgeous, and I love how the little tree (which is actually 12-15 feet tall, I’d guess) seemed to be watching the sunset with his collection of rock friends.
I know it’s odd to personify these inanimate objects I find in nature, but somehow the solitary experience of spending time with them as I’m working the camera and waiting for the light gives the feeling of sharing that time with my subjects. I haven’t come up with a name for this tree yet, but I expect I will shortly. He’s not too far from the Tenador Del Diablo, so perhaps he will have a name that relates to his neighbor one day.
