Seize the Moment

After setting up our tent and settling  in around the campfire with our friends at the Swift Reservoir in Washington, Mother Nature pulled out her palette for the evening sky. It was stunning and I knew I should grab my camera to catch the colors but I was tired and I wanted to spend time with my friends. I just figured that the sky would dance for us in the same way the next night.  

However, I’d been in this position before where I pushed off the moment, thinking I would get another chance but not getting it. Realizing my past mistakes, I got up and set up my gear and captured this:

This time I did not have to kick myself for being lackadaisical, which I would have if I had only taken shots of the sunset the following evening, which left me with this image

While that was a lovely evening in itself, you can see that the sky just behaved differently. For the three nights we camped, it was only the first night that presented itself in such color. So, it is even more cemented in my head that I can never take any moment I want to capture for granted.  

Next, I will have to “learn my lesson” of doing whatever I need to change my POV to get the best perspective. Which in the case of the first image was to get into the water so that Mt. St. Helens wasn’t blocked by a branch. Baby steps.