Alpenglow, Mount Whitney
by Douglas Taylor
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Price
$200
Dimensions
45.000 x 30.000 inches
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Title
Alpenglow, Mount Whitney
Artist
Douglas Taylor
Medium
Photograph - Fine Art Digital Photography
Description
Alpenglow is one of the most divine natural phenomenon on our planet, and the iconic eastern face of Mount Whitney in California is one of the finest locations to witness it.
As sunlight travels through the air the various wavelengths are scattered according to their position in the spectrum. Basically, this is why our air is blue, and the same thing happens in water, making us the Blue Planet. Magenta and blue scatter first, followed by cyan and green, then yellow, and finally, red; the wavelength that travels farthest in the air. This gives us the phenomenon in tall mountains known as alpenglow, where the distant, scattered and refracted light from the sun’s rays may tint the rocks with a bath of reddish indirect light before dawn.
Not only is Mt. Whitney the tallest peak in the lower 48 states at 14,505 feet, but it is fortuitously located where its sheer eastern face will best intercept the light of the distant sun as it rises. It begins while the sun is cresting the horizon far to the east over the high plains of eastern Colorado and the darkness of night begins to lighten further west. The light grey granite of the mountain slowly starts to reflect more and more of the scattered red light, culminating when the mountain appears to glow almost pink as the sun crests the Rocky Mountains many hundreds of miles to the east.
I had picked the location for this photograph after carefully studying a topographic map, looking for a site with a great view of the impressive eastern face of Mt. Whitney. It was a bonus that I could drive straight to it about 10 miles east and 4,400 feet above Lone Pine, California. Still, Mt. Whitney towered an additional 6,700 above me where the steep rock wall would intercept the first rays of the rising sun. And that is why I was there on this clear spring morning.
I’m not unfamiliar with this phenomenon, having experienced it numerous times at Mt. Rainier and other Cascade volcanoes. But is has never been a planned part of an expedition, just a fortunate if expected bonus. Now, as I sipped coffee, I started with some seriously long exposures of many seconds. The problem with such long exposures is that any refraction of light by the movement of air is recorded as a fuzzy blur. The mountain started off with a slight violet glow that turned the grey granite to a deep red against a dark blue sky. There was just enough reflected light to make this multi-second exposure that came out tack sharp.
This fine art photograph is the first in a sequence of six images, capturing the exquisite changes of colors on these magnificent mountains in the early morning light.
Uploaded
August 13th, 2019
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Viewed 745 Times - Last Visitor from Beverly Hills, CA on 03/21/2024 at 5:22 AM
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Comments (34)
Gary F Richards
Magnificent beautiful composition, lighting, shading and artwork! F/L …voted for this piece in the contest MOUNTAIN PAINTINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
Gary F Richards
Magnificent capture, lighting, shading and artwork! F/L …voted for this piece in the contest OH THOSE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS - GROUP MEMBERS ONLY
Douglas Taylor
Featured by SJ Elliott in the Photography Hub art group, 7//16/20. Thank you! I consider it an honor to be selected among the superb photographers who exhibit here.
Douglas Taylor
Colette V. Hera Guggenheim has honored me by choosing to feature "Alpenglow, Mount Whitney" in the Colors Blue Turquoise Photos and Paints art group, 7/12/20. Thank you, Colette!
Douglas Taylor
Chosen by Dane Walker to be a feature in the Discovery art group, 1/22/20. Thank you, Dane!
Douglas Taylor
Romuald Henry Wasielewski has chosen to feature this photograph in the Skytwitter Art Gallery artists group, 12/10/19. Thank you, Romuald!
Douglas Taylor
Romuald Henry Wasielewski has chosen to feature this photograph in the Artskynet art group, 12/09/19. Thank you, Romuald!
John M Bailey
Congratulations on your feature in the Fine Art America Group "Images That Excite You!"
Jan Mulherin
Congratulations!! This stunning image has been selected to be featured for the week in the “Art for Ever with You” Group Home Page. You are welcome to add a preview of this featured image to the group’s discussion post titled “2019 November: Stunning Group Featured Images and Thank-you’s” for a permanent display within the group, to share this achievement with others. Also feel free to post your feature on our group Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/296998814248643/ Thank you for your participation in the group! ~Jan (November 1, 2019)
Jurgen Lorenzen
What awesome color, Douglas!
Douglas Taylor replied:
Thank you, Jurgen! Anyone who appreciates the natural world really should have the alpenglow experience near the top of their bucket list.
Douglas Taylor
My thanks to Patricia Keller who has honored me by featuring "Alpenglow, Mount Whitney" in the Art Submissions To PKA artists group. I appreciate it, Patricia!
Douglas Taylor
My thanks to Ludwig Keck for featuring "Alpenglow, Mount Whitney" in the All Red Rock Country art group. I appreciate the honor, Ludwig!
Douglas Taylor
James Lanigan Thompson MFA has chosen to feature "Alpenglow, Mount Whitney" in the Beauty art group. Thank you, James! I appreciate the honor.
Douglas Taylor
Doug Norkum has chosen to feature "Alpenglow, Mount Whitney" in the SunriseSunets art group. Thank you, Doug! I appreciate the honor.
Lyric Lucas
Congratulations, your beautiful artistic has been was Featured in the "Bedroom Art Gallery" group. 8/18/19
Jurgen Lorenzen
Gorgeous light, Douglas!
Douglas Taylor replied:
Thank you, Jurgen! The truth be told, I drove over 1,000 km chasing this light, and then had to arise in the pre-dawn gloom to capture this sequence. Magnificent mornings like this keep me seeking the magical light.
Douglas Taylor
My thanks to Carole Sluski who has honored me by featuring "Alpenglow, Mount Whitney" in the World Landscape Lovers of Art artists group. I appreciate it, Carole!