This autumn sunset scene is one of my all-time favorite landscape shots. I captured this image at a local lake that I visit at least once a week to capture a sunrise or sunset.
There are many shots I’ve taken at this location over the years that are better technically than this one. Even so, there are so many reasons why I will always love it.
For starters, I took it during my first autumn as a landscape photographer. I’ve grown a lot as a photographer since then, and this is one of the few from those early days that doesn’t make me cringe.
I also love it because it was a throw-away shot. Like Hail Mary shots in basketball, throw-aways are what I call the last image you take out of desperation when nothing else seems to be working. In this case, I had packed up my “real” camera and was starting to walk away. I happened to glance over my shoulder and saw the geese flying overhead, and half-heartedly snapped this image with my cell phone. With a little editing, this lovely image was the result. I have it on my desk to serve as a daily reminder to “take one last shot” whenever I’m ready to give up.
Finally, even though my style has evolved since the beginning, this image still represents who I am as a photographer. With its bold, reflective colors and touch of whimsy, I hope seeing this image makes your day just a teeny bit brighter.
Shot on iPhone X
Beautiful colors in this photo. If the geese weren’t there, the photo would’ve had a lovely balance. But the geese add an interesting-ness, a motion that’s neat.