doudy draw sunset

I was really hoping for some jaw-droppingly dramatic color in the clouds this particular Friday evening. I had banged-up my arm at work earlier in the week, and by Friday I had a bad case of cabin-fever from not getting out for a few days. So I decided to run over to the Doudy Draw Trail for sunset, and try to get a few shots with one or two trees I’d scoped out when I’d been there before. It’s not a terribly exciting spot, but it’s easily accessible (which I had to take into account because of my arm), and I’ve always liked the stately, barren emptiness of the landscape there… and I figured some Technicolor in the clouds would make for a cool photo.

Well, as you can see, I got a bit of color in the clouds, but nothing anywhere near jaw-droppingly dramatic. Still, I like this shot a lot. I enjoyed the quiet solitude here as I waited for the sun to set.

While I was waiting, I thought about how each day is made up of a rich variety of circumstances—whether I’m at work or at home, at the grocery store or watching a sunset, in a room full of people or driving alone in the car. And each set of circumstances I encounter are like crossroads marked by signposts. Go this way to choose joy, this way to choose discontent. This way to choose hope, this way to choose despair. Go this way to choose love, this way to choose selfishness. This way to choose adventure, this way to play it safe.

The great thing about these crossroads & signposts is that they remind me I have a choice. In a very real way, I can contribute to the creation of each moment. In all the people, events, and circumstances we encounter, the greatest gift we can give the world is to choose our contributions wisely and with integrity… and with a healthy dose of fun and adventure.

Anyway, back to this photograph. I initially found myself very disappointed in the sunset this Friday evening. I had set out wanting to photograph a dramatic sunset. What I was given instead was a moment of subtle beauty and quiet solitude. And so rather than walking away disappointed, I instead chose to enjoy the gift of that moment.

And I think I still got a pretty cool photo out of the whole deal!

Thanks for reading about stuff I’ve photographed. -Rich