I never tire of sunsets.
I admit I’m spoiled with them, based on my location on a cliff overlooking the waters of Puget Sound in Washington State, USA. From this due-west observation point, nature spins a never-ending sequence of sunsets. Some are soft and dim, being filtered through thick clouds that offer a cold shimmer to the water. Other times the overhead sky blasts forth beams of fiery red and orange, turning the foothills of the Olympic Mountains into craggy silhouettes.
And then there are those jaw-dropping instances like the sunset I captured here. In this case, the smoke from a nearby forest fire converged into a thick sepia band that settled just above the horizon. I brought my camera gear out to the edge of the cliff, selecting my telephoto lens to enhance the size of the sun.
As the sun dipped into the band of smoke, all indicators pointed to what should turn out to be an interesting show. But this is what’s so exciting about sunsets: you never know precisely what you’re going to get. In this case, the sun’s appearance dropping below the smoke layer revealed a mystical landscape, one where mountain peaks were saturated in blood-red light shafts. The intense glow also provided the perfect backdrop to separate the line of trees in the foreground from the more distant mountains.
While I can say this is one of my most unusual sunset photos, experience tells me there are so many more that await. I simply need to pay attention and head out to the back yard when nature beckons.
About this Artwork
Entitled, Gifts from the Sun, this photograph demonstrates the glorious sunsets I’m fortunate to capture right from my back yard overlooking Puget Sound.
The work is available as a limited-edition framed print. Its accompanying narrative is etched into a black acrylic plaque, designed to be hung next to the print, as shown in the following illustration.
Click the image below to visit this piece’s detail page where you can read its narrative, check availability and pricing, and more.
Click to visit this artwork’s detail page in my portfolio.