What a fantastic sunset!
Capturing a fabulous sunset is always a roll of the dice, you never know if it will a hit or a miss until the moment arrives.
That’s why it’s so exciting to be in the right place at the right time to see the beauty of a sunset like this one! It was as if God took a giant paintbrush and continually brushed the sky with every hue of blue and pink and a touch of purple.
Every few seconds the color hues change, reflecting on different clouds and I just kept clicking away. The sunset is so captivating! I can’t stop shooting. Thankfully, it’s a temperate October evening at Pomme de Terre Lake in south-central Missouri. I’m so enthralled by the magnificent colors that I can’t leave–I might miss the best shot of the evening. Finally, I decide it’s time to head home. It’s still light on the point but as I walk down the trail it gets much darker.
Into the Woods
Rushing down the trail under the moonlit sky, I notice the trail dips toward the lake, and I realized this is unfamiliar territory. I have missed the fork in the trail; I’m on the wrong path.
Indian Point Trail runs along a peninsula which meant I just need to find a place to walk toward the uphill side of the trail and get back on track. So far, the uphill side is heavily wooded Up ahead, I see a dark wooded area with no moonlight. I really don’t want to go into that darkness.
My prayers are answered. To my right is a savannah, a grassy area that I explored on the hike in. This is a good place to cross over and find the trail! I head uphill, and sure enough, there is my trail.
Although there are many tree roots, twists and turns, I find my way to the car and make it to the campsite around 10:30 p.m.
What If?
What if I had gone into the woods? The following day, I hike the entire trail loop, curious to see what was beyond the deep dark woods. The trail weaves through the woods for a bit, then enters into an area of pine trees near the lake. The forest floor was covered in pine needles, totally obliterating the trail. There were no trail markers in sight.
It would have been impossible to hike this trail in the dark, a nightmare at best.
I am so thankful I found the savannah and made it back home!
Sunset Afterglow is my best sunset to date!
Sunset Afterglow is available in various sizes as a print on metal here.
Request a custom size here.