20 years qualifies as a while doesn’t it? 🙂 I’ve been driving by this spot for all of that plus and always thought a shot like this would be possible. I came close once six years ago but not until yesterday morning did I achieve what I had visualized.
Looking north from Route 202 where the Middle Branch of the Swift River passes below. on its way to the Quabbin Reservoir.
I had stopped at the usual overlook in New Salem and, although there were clouds and the color was building, didn’t think anything different from what I had seen before was going to happen. But the clouds to the north brought this to mind and I sped up the highway hoping I was right. I arrived just as the color started to develop and it built and lasted for just a few minutes. Glorious few they were.
I’ll still have this location in the back of my mind, but don’t think I’ll see much better.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
Breathtaking beauty Steve.. stunning!
LikeLike
Thank you, Liz.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow! What a fantastic moment! I love the feel of early mornings (though I don’t see them often enough) but this is especially spectacular.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mornings like this make the early bedtime worth it…and the early wake up. Thanks, Ann.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s quite an improvement over the version from six years ago. Imagine if six years from now you could improve the view by an equal amount.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And if it doesn’t happen again, I am pretty happy with this result. Actually, I can’t imagine what better would be like. I’ll just be happy to still be making images in six years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I predict that you will.
LikeLike
Thanks. I hope you are a seer.
LikeLike
That’s just about perfect Steve. 20 years of patience rewarded.
LikeLike
Thanks, Andrew. I’m a pretty patient guy, but that was a long stretch.
LikeLike
Beautiful! A spectacular moment captured, Steve.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Lemony! A moment like this lives in the memory…but it’s nice to have solid evidence as well. 🙂
LikeLike
That’s simply stunning. I could see it as a wall-wide image. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, Val. It will hang somewhere and large sounds good. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It looks to me like it was well worth the wait. Beautiful colors. Perfect location for the sun to illuminate. Great composition with the trees almost framing the image and the water reflecting the shape and colors of the sky. Really nice work, Steve.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Todd. It’s nice when a visualization come through for us. Thanks for the nice thorough critique.
LikeLike
Beautiful composition, featuring the reflections. Patience does have its rewards.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Michael. My patience isn’t often tried, but I was not sure I’d see this. Happy!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m happy you did!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wooooooowwwwwww!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed. Thanks so much, Jessica.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amazing view – a moment so precious. Wonderful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ann-Christine. Wonderful luck to be there and get an image like this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Time, place and skills!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Incredibly beautiful. A once in a lifetime capture, perhaps?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I believe so, Yvonne. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Simply outstanding–and well worth waiting for!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Gary. Sadly, twenty years went by pretty fast. 🙂 An exquisite moment that I was happy to experience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good things come to those who wait, Steve! The photo is stunning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Tanja.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some say that patience is a virtue, and if that’s true, then virtue was rewarded at last. Of course, your image is not only beautiful and compelling, it’s also a reminder of the truth of the well-known quotation from Woody Allen: “Showing up is 80 percent of life.’ Sometimes it’s easier to hide home in bed. I’ve done both.”
Showing up may be 80 percent of photography. Maybe more. But you’ve been faithful about showing up, and this was quite a reward.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have had a day or two when I’ve lingered in bed. But most mornings, when I can, I am out the door thinking of making images but knowing that even if I don’t the experience itself of being in nature will be reward enough. But a pleasing image is always welcome.
Showing up has always been a goal whether out in the field or at work. Persistence helps too.
LikeLike
It was worth waiting for. Your photo of 6 years ago is lovely but this one is sublime.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well we start to approach an age when the time is getting shorter. I am glad it wasn’t going to be 30 years Thanks, Ann. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It took me 17 years to get back to my birth country(this year). My friends there kept saying, don’t wait another 17 years to come back. It quite shocked me to realise that, indeed, I can’t wait that long!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, it’s pretty easy to lose sight of our mortality while busy living life. It’s important to make the most of our time, especially while our quality of life is at a high level. I hope you get back there again soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I must make at least one more trip.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is absolutely stunning. It is fascinating to realize that while photography might appear to be a quick medium, in reality an image can be years in the making.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think that can be true for a painter as well. While you may be able to anticipate and create from that, I would think it takes the actual vision to really give an air of reality to something. If one doesn’t get it right the first time with a photograph, yeah a 20 year wait is a problem. Especially at 71. 😀
LikeLike
Oh it is true for sure. I notice that there are paintings I started years ago, ahead of my ability to paint them. Now I am more able to realize the vision, although of course I will always fall short.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: 09.15.2019 Twice. Really! | Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog
It’s amazing. I love it
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Robert.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are very welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person