Mat Malone
Break in the Storm
Parker Lake in the Eastern Sierras.
Steve Sieren, Mike Hornblade, Chris Chamberlain and I had all slept in our cars at the Parker Lake trailhead last Saturday night, planning to hike the 2 miles in before sunrise. It was a devilishly cold night, and when we awoke we had been dusted with a few inches of snow -- the first of the season I think. Luck would have it and the mountain was completely socked in, and we knew the light we were looking for wouldn't be there. That was the cue for plan B, and so we headed down to Mono Lake for first light.
After finishing up at Mono, we all noticed that the storm was clearing so we dashed back up to the trailhead. After a 45 minute hike in falling snow, the storm had moved back in and you couldn't see the other side of the lake or any of the surrounding peaks. After working with what were given for 15 minutes, I noticed that the wind changed direction and the snow was blowing against our backs instead of into our faces. Suddenly the atmosphere cleared, you could see blue sky and the massive peaks in front of us. Everyone was pretty excited that our fortune changed so quickly. Like the saying goes: if you don't like the weather in the Sierras, just wait 15 minutes.
I really liked how the clouds made the small valley feel magical, and so I actually went with an image with a fair amount of density in the air, while adding some pop where appropriate (not enough?). I hope you like it. Comments and critiques greatly appreciated! Feel free to be completely honest. Thanks for looking.
Break in the Storm
Parker Lake in the Eastern Sierras.
Steve Sieren, Mike Hornblade, Chris Chamberlain and I had all slept in our cars at the Parker Lake trailhead last Saturday night, planning to hike the 2 miles in before sunrise. It was a devilishly cold night, and when we awoke we had been dusted with a few inches of snow -- the first of the season I think. Luck would have it and the mountain was completely socked in, and we knew the light we were looking for wouldn't be there. That was the cue for plan B, and so we headed down to Mono Lake for first light.
After finishing up at Mono, we all noticed that the storm was clearing so we dashed back up to the trailhead. After a 45 minute hike in falling snow, the storm had moved back in and you couldn't see the other side of the lake or any of the surrounding peaks. After working with what were given for 15 minutes, I noticed that the wind changed direction and the snow was blowing against our backs instead of into our faces. Suddenly the atmosphere cleared, you could see blue sky and the massive peaks in front of us. Everyone was pretty excited that our fortune changed so quickly. Like the saying goes: if you don't like the weather in the Sierras, just wait 15 minutes.
I really liked how the clouds made the small valley feel magical, and so I actually went with an image with a fair amount of density in the air, while adding some pop where appropriate (not enough?). I hope you like it. Comments and critiques greatly appreciated! Feel free to be completely honest. Thanks for looking.