On a chilly November afternoon with a cold wind blowing in my face I stood on the shore of Jackson Lake looking towards Mount Moran and the Teton mountain range. Though the location was beautiful, things weren't looking very good.
It was my last evening in Grand Teton National Park and I was holding out hope for calm water, great light and a colorful sunset.
Instead, I had brisk wind, heavy cloud cover and no light to speak of. In fact I was looking at the scene in the photo above.
With more than a couple of hours until sunset I was willing to wait. I put on my warm hat, scarf, heavy coat, and gloves. I even broke out some hand warmers and put them inside the gloves. I took my tripod and camera gear and walked along the shoreline until I found a spot near a big rock and some driftwood that seemed less exposed to the wind.
Although conditions weren't ideal I had a couple tricks I could use to try and make some decent images. By using a slow shutter speed I could effectively smooth the rippled water of the lake and get some reflections as in the picture above.
Since there really wasn't much light, there really wasn't much color and I was working in monochrome. Yet, I could occasionally see the sun trying to shine through and kept hoping for the best.
Even the least amount of light, as in moments like this, buoyed my faith. If the sun could slip under the clouds for even the briefest amount of time the colors could be unbelievable.
As sunset drew near the wind quieted and the lake became more still.
Though the water was much calmer, it was pretty clear there'd be no fiery sunset or colorful skies on this night.
Yet, I was grateful for the experience. The cold wind on my face, the time standing and walking along the rocky shore and the beautiful world all around me.
All and all, it had been a great last evening. Before leaving I took the time to make this self-portrait just before night fall. Alone with the majesty of the Tetons at the end of the day.
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