What a beautifully composed shot. You’ve captured not only the foreground and hills, but the valley in the distance and then mountains (hills?) further on (as clouds cast shadows across each of them).
It was pure luck to be there at that moment when the light was just right. The very dark area of the mountain in about the center of the photo is a burned area from the Copper King fire.
Wonderful shot! It has a magical quality to it. I can almost fill the brisk air, and yet the image is also warm and inviting. Does that make any sense?
Thanks! Yes, that makes perfect sense. I felt that way about it too. The air temperature was in the 20’s or possibly the teens and we had been hiking in a show storm, part of which can be seen in the upper right of the photo, and when the sky cleared to the north for just a little it gave a warm feeling to the scene.
Yes, the lookout cabin remained undamaged. The protective wrap is off now and it looks just as the renovation crew left it, with a nice stack of firewood to the west and the materials that would be damaged by the weather safely inside. The fire, fairly early in its life, was pushed by a strong wind from the south and about a mile or so from the lookout swept north over the ridge in a swath about 400 yards wide running nearly due north. Then it slowed going further north down the othere side of the ridge and spread to the east beyond and below the lookout, perhaps a half mile north of it. I will post photos of the cabin and the swath of severely burned timber a little later.
Thanks! Appreciate the info and the pictures you posted of the lookout. It will be one of the featured lookouts in my second guidebook about lookouts in NW Montana….hopefully coming out in Spring 2017.
Yes, the light was wonderful. We had been in a cloud at the lookout with snow and sleet coming down. At this spot in the trail enough cleared to the north to make a window in the clouds and I was lucky enough to be there when it did.
This doesn’t look real, Terry! This is just so beautiful. An award-winning shot. How perfect! You make me crave your mountains with scenes like that. 🙂
The only way it is possible to get a shot like that is to be there at just the right time. The clouds in the upper right of the photo were part of a snow storm through which we had been hiking for hours and the lighting of the scene lasted only seconds before the clouds closed in again over the high ridge. I live for experiences like that.
It’s so good to hear you say that being there at “just the right time” does play into it all. I’ve been ranging from irritated to distraught over my inability to capture the prairie in photographs. But what I have learned is that the light is the biggest player. It changes constantly, and even at the same moment, facing one direction or the other can make such a difference. I have a couple of series of photos taken at the same spot over the course of an hour. It’s amazing how the grasses change in the changing light.
This is just splendid. I’m anxious to get home and see this entire series on a computer with decent screen resolution. I’m just sure it’s even more spectacular than on this old clunker I have with me.
Yes, light conditions always have to be right for decent scenery shots. I actually prefer to hike on cloudy and stormy days, because direct sunlight makes it nearly impossible to get good photos. Dark days all have at least very brief periods of good light and if you are in pretty country they will show you where the good photos are. Nearly all of my photos are hand-held because those good light conditions usually last only seconds. The light condition in this photo probably lasted less than 20 seconds.
By the way, this photo does look very nice on a large screen. I set it as my desktop background and it looks great there.
That is absolutely gorgeous!
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — October 17, 2016 @ 9:25 pm
Thanks Anneli. The photo was taken in the few seconds of sun that we saw on the whole hike.
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Comment by montucky — October 17, 2016 @ 9:35 pm
Wonderful photo, Dad! I LOVE this! It would make a nice print. ♡
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Comment by Juls — October 17, 2016 @ 10:27 pm
Thanks Hon! I like it a lot too. I think I will have a print made.
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Comment by montucky — October 17, 2016 @ 10:29 pm
Superb! What an amazing place and you have captured it so well – exceptional 🙂
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Comment by smackedpentax — October 18, 2016 @ 3:46 am
Thank you. That part of the sky cleared for only a few seconds before the snow storm closed in again and I was lucky enough to be right there!
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 7:38 am
What a beautifully composed shot. You’ve captured not only the foreground and hills, but the valley in the distance and then mountains (hills?) further on (as clouds cast shadows across each of them).
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Comment by Vicki — October 18, 2016 @ 5:42 am
It was pure luck to be there at that moment when the light was just right. The very dark area of the mountain in about the center of the photo is a burned area from the Copper King fire.
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 7:42 am
As always, your photo is spectacular. Have you ever thought about getting a book of your pictures published?
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — October 18, 2016 @ 7:27 am
Thank you! I have thought about it, but I doubt that very many people would be interested in seeing just the back country.
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 7:48 am
I think more folks would like it than you think! Besides, your photos are so beautiful, I believe they would attract attention for sure. 🙂
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Comment by Mama's Empty Nest — October 18, 2016 @ 11:43 am
Thank you! I’m content that quite a few folks see the photos on the blog and on Flickr.
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 4:48 pm
I love the trees in the foreground. Beautiful landscape.
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Comment by Candace — October 18, 2016 @ 7:44 am
That’s a beautiful section of forest through there. I’ve decided to spend a few nights there next summer. The trees are thick and lush an pleasant.
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 7:50 am
Beautiful!
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Comment by Val — October 18, 2016 @ 8:25 am
Thanks Val!
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 8:58 am
Wonderful shot! It has a magical quality to it. I can almost fill the brisk air, and yet the image is also warm and inviting. Does that make any sense?
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Comment by btweenblinks — October 18, 2016 @ 8:35 am
Oops. I meant “feel the brisk air.”
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Comment by btweenblinks — October 18, 2016 @ 8:48 am
Thanks! Yes, that makes perfect sense. I felt that way about it too. The air temperature was in the 20’s or possibly the teens and we had been hiking in a show storm, part of which can be seen in the upper right of the photo, and when the sky cleared to the north for just a little it gave a warm feeling to the scene.
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 9:01 am
Wow! Almost textured like a painting. How beautiful!
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Comment by WildBill — October 18, 2016 @ 1:33 pm
It’s amazing when Nature sets a scene like that, isn’t it. A good reason to spend a lot of time out there with a camera handy!
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 4:50 pm
I’ve never seen either, but this side sure is beautiful!
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — October 18, 2016 @ 3:39 pm
Yes, it’s a beautiful piece of old forest!
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 4:50 pm
I know they wrapped the lookout to protect it from the fire….I’ve heard nothing about it….I’m assuming and hoping that it survived unscathed?
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Comment by Anonymous — October 18, 2016 @ 3:56 pm
Yes, the lookout cabin remained undamaged. The protective wrap is off now and it looks just as the renovation crew left it, with a nice stack of firewood to the west and the materials that would be damaged by the weather safely inside. The fire, fairly early in its life, was pushed by a strong wind from the south and about a mile or so from the lookout swept north over the ridge in a swath about 400 yards wide running nearly due north. Then it slowed going further north down the othere side of the ridge and spread to the east beyond and below the lookout, perhaps a half mile north of it. I will post photos of the cabin and the swath of severely burned timber a little later.
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 4:58 pm
Thanks! Appreciate the info and the pictures you posted of the lookout. It will be one of the featured lookouts in my second guidebook about lookouts in NW Montana….hopefully coming out in Spring 2017.
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Comment by Anonymous — October 19, 2016 @ 3:56 pm
Good luck with the guidebook!
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Comment by montucky — October 19, 2016 @ 7:42 pm
This has the quality of a vintage postcard …. wonderful.
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Comment by Teresa Evangeline — October 18, 2016 @ 8:09 pm
It sure was good to get to see that beautiful part of the forest with fresh snow on the ground and more in the air!
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Comment by montucky — October 18, 2016 @ 8:18 pm
Stunning – what beautiful lighting! Almost as if you’re shining a spotlight in front of you.
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Comment by Jo Woolf — October 19, 2016 @ 2:04 am
Yes, the light was wonderful. We had been in a cloud at the lookout with snow and sleet coming down. At this spot in the trail enough cleared to the north to make a window in the clouds and I was lucky enough to be there when it did.
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Comment by montucky — October 19, 2016 @ 7:31 am
That is gorgeous!
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Comment by Brenda Davis Harsham — October 19, 2016 @ 11:10 am
Thanks Brenda!
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Comment by montucky — October 19, 2016 @ 11:28 am
Fantastic image … 😃
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Comment by Julie@frogpondfarm — October 20, 2016 @ 8:45 pm
Thanks. Lighting like that lasts only seconds: fortunately I was ready!
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Comment by montucky — October 20, 2016 @ 9:34 pm
This doesn’t look real, Terry! This is just so beautiful. An award-winning shot. How perfect! You make me crave your mountains with scenes like that. 🙂
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Comment by Jane — October 21, 2016 @ 5:49 am
The only way it is possible to get a shot like that is to be there at just the right time. The clouds in the upper right of the photo were part of a snow storm through which we had been hiking for hours and the lighting of the scene lasted only seconds before the clouds closed in again over the high ridge. I live for experiences like that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by montucky — October 21, 2016 @ 8:23 am
It’s so good to hear you say that being there at “just the right time” does play into it all. I’ve been ranging from irritated to distraught over my inability to capture the prairie in photographs. But what I have learned is that the light is the biggest player. It changes constantly, and even at the same moment, facing one direction or the other can make such a difference. I have a couple of series of photos taken at the same spot over the course of an hour. It’s amazing how the grasses change in the changing light.
This is just splendid. I’m anxious to get home and see this entire series on a computer with decent screen resolution. I’m just sure it’s even more spectacular than on this old clunker I have with me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by shoreacres — October 24, 2016 @ 8:50 pm
Yes, light conditions always have to be right for decent scenery shots. I actually prefer to hike on cloudy and stormy days, because direct sunlight makes it nearly impossible to get good photos. Dark days all have at least very brief periods of good light and if you are in pretty country they will show you where the good photos are. Nearly all of my photos are hand-held because those good light conditions usually last only seconds. The light condition in this photo probably lasted less than 20 seconds.
By the way, this photo does look very nice on a large screen. I set it as my desktop background and it looks great there.
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Comment by montucky — October 24, 2016 @ 9:13 pm
Magical!
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Comment by bayphotosbydonna — November 5, 2016 @ 1:44 pm
The lighting on that scene lasted only about 20 seconds and I am glad that I was there at the time and had my camera ready instead of in my pack!
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Comment by montucky — November 5, 2016 @ 7:46 pm