In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Happy Place.”
My happy place is a state of being — the culmination of numerous factors. A breath of fresh air in sun or snow. Freedom to run through the woods, twisting along a skinny trail. A beer and a dance floor with great live music, or a slow sunday with a cup of hot coffee.
Of course looking through a viewfinder is often a happy activity for me.
Above: A quiet and foggy beginning to the 2013-2014 season at Skiland. December 7, 2013 at 10:12 a.m.
December 7, 2013, marked the start of the downhill season at Skiland – the farthest-north chairlift in North America. Opening day is often a mad dash; wake up after a party; corral people, some gear, and grub; then try to get there for first run at 10 a.m., because last run comes quick at 2:30 p.m.
This year was relaxed, waxed boards the night before and went to bed at a reasonable time. The next day lots of clouds made visibility difficult, but unseasonably warm temperatures – over 10 degrees fahrenheit – complemented a snowpack that hide reasonable numbers of rocks!
Not much lifts the spirits in dark and typically cold December then an early opening at the downhill. Here’s a few examples of rapidly-changing light from the chairlift.
Above: A riverbed in late fall offers little more then a creek winding into Mt. Rainier.
The horizon, like the end of a rainbow, is unreachable. Constantly changing – expanding and contracting, becoming more open or more obscured. Horizons inspire adventures and dreams, spawn stunning sunsets and create wonders.
Horizon is also the weekly photo challenge.
Paradise, located 5,400 feet up Washington’s Mt. Rainer, can supply spectacular views. As well as keep them completely hidden. I got a taste of both possibilities hiking there August, 2012.
Clouds lift, if only for a moment, to reveal a expansive view.
This time clouds descended to create a more abstract horizon line.
Again clouds create the horizon, no panorama today. Panorama Point, elevation 6,800 feet.
The weekly photo challenge is a different photo assignment from dailypost. This week is near and far, two-dimensional images with a three-dimensional feel. Low point-of-view and converging diagonal lines are two ways to accomplish this, another approach is get some high elevation. To increase the effect foreground objects or size perspective give depth.
My image comes from a very overcast day on Mt. Rainier in Washington. Not only does the ominous hanging cloud provide more of a foreground it creates an extra horizon line and a tunnel for the eye, directing it towards the hundreds of miles of rolling foothills.
Please click on the image to view full size.
Far North Light 