“Like pillars of fire, the pines on the roadside rose in blazing brilliance, beckoning, ‘Come watch, as we capture and play with the sun’s last kiss’ ” – Ed Lehming

As we drove home from an early evening visit to an artist friend’s home and some great music and conversation, a flash of brilliance caught my attention along the roadside. The sun was just setting, yet the tall pines where ablaze above the darkening underbrush. It seemed like a great moment to enjoy this light show and make a few photos along the way.

I had my D800 with me and quickly set about capturing this beautiful display before the sun dropped too much lower and the brilliance faded. I was able to capture a few different images before the light faded.

It’s moments like this that I realize that the many failed attempts I have made over the years have paid off. I knew right away how to set up my camera and how to frame the image for optimal effect. This one captures it at it’s peak, while subsequent images are a bit darker but still very appealing.

It was also the first time in a while that I shot with my pro body, rather than my iPhone. I simply can’t capture this scenery effectively without the flexibility my D800 offers.

As I turned back onto the road and headed home I was reminded that these moments we experience are often rare and fleeting and it’s such fun to be able to preserve the memory of those moments in my images.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 92 mm
1/4 sec, f/18, ISO 320