The Making of Emergence

This image, titled Emergence, is one that I took this past winter at an overlook of the Garden of the Gods, in Colorado Springs, CO. I was there on a cold winter's morning, hoping to get a view of Pikes Peak and the Garden with a fresh winter snow (one of the few we were to have last winter). The only problem was Pikes Peak was socked in that morning, and I wasn't even sure if I would be able to capture anything worthwhile.

As is often the case with landscape photography, sometimes capturing a good image requires some patience and perseverance. Not to mention a little bit of luck as well.

As I was waiting to see if the clouds over the peak would clear out in time to enjoy some early morning light. Stamping my feet and keeping my hands in my pockets to stay warm I waited, and as luck would have it, I could see the opportunity of a nice image emerging.

The clouds covering the peak in the distance began to slowly open. The sunrise behind me was also coming through some broken clouds, creating spots of light along the Kissing Camels rock formation in front of the mountain.

I managed to capture this image as Pikes Peak more fully broke into sunlight, and the spots of light illuminated the base of the red rocks, creating a nice symmetry of sunlight and shadows in the image. I love the way the broken clouds give the peak a distant and slightly ephemeral quality, especially contrasted with the dark rocks in the foreground. It looks bright and inviting, although not fully revealed. It maintains some of its mystery. And as I was making images of it that morning, I was wondering if it would ever fully…emerge.

And it did just that in this companion image, titled Greeting the Sun, also in my Colorado Gallery.

It's always gratifying to return to a place that I've been to many times and manage to capture a unique image. The combination of weather and lighting conditions makes images like this impossible to replicate, and I’m grateful that I waited it out that morning, and was willing to suffer some cold hands and toes.

You can find this image in the Colorado gallery on my website. I also lead photography workshops regularly in the Garden of the Gods, giving attendees to a chance to capture their own special moments in this beautiful place. I lead these through the Colorado Springs Photography Group.