The Aerial Horizon
Forget where your feet are and simply enjoy the view.
There are very few discernible landmarks to help identify the view, but the light, contour and color of the earth draw our attention with fascination. Wyoming’s Thunder Basin National Grassland appears as though the features of the terrain have been scraped away leaving a massive expanse of flat land. The sparse early Autumn snowfall creates a luminous sheen in the early morning light and provides contrast to the earthen hues.
Mist shrouds the Salmon River as it runs through the Salmon River Mountains of Idaho. As the mountains emerge from the clouds, the scene is like waking from a dream and questioning the reality before ones sleepy eyes. Gradually the hills and river become more defined as we pass through the Nez Perce and Payette National Forests.
Approaching Portland, Oregon, Mount Hood stands like a monolith above the horizon. At 11,250 feet, she dwarfs the surrounding mountains of the Cascades as a blanket of luminous snow at the peak exaggerates the contrast in elevations.
Meandering south on an Autumn morning, the Missouri River flows through Canyon Ferry Lake just southeast of Helena, Montana. The Missouri nourishes surrounding the farmland before taking its circuitous route through the arid lands to the South. A deep blue stripe through the raw umber landscape, it highlights the ridges and lines of earth.
As the Columbia River rolls westward toward Portland and the Pacific Ocean, we look back at Mount Saint Helens, Mount Rainier, and Mount Adams. These youthful mountains stand stoic on the horizon yet remind us of the energy stored in the shifting plates of the earth’s crust.
Silver Mountain overlooks the town of Durango, Arizona. On a narrow ribbon of rich green, the Animas River winds its way southward through the town toward Nighthorse Lake. Early autumn snow dominates the high terrain to the north.
Crossing the coastline as the sun’s rays begin to peak over the San Bernardino Range, the night rapidly recedes and twilight fades into the dawn. The line between daylight and night can be seen as an upward sloping terminator where the orange glow blends into a purple haze over the Pacific Ocean.
As twilight advances toward Pike’s Peak, the final moments of sunshine illuminate our perspective on the changing seasons. This is the first full day of Autumn and the warm light on the snow covered peak seems to glow and highlight the transition from the rich green foliage of Summer to the ochre hues of Autumn just below the snow line.
From Mount Aetna to Blanca Peak, the Sangre de Cristo Range spirals toward the horizon as it stretches from Colorado to New Mexico. The early Autumn snow defines the high terrain and provides contrast making the range stand out above the valley.
Colorado Springs comes into view as we approach Pike’s Peak. The street signs are illuminated in rainbow colors as they catch the late afternoon sun and our course aligns with their reflections.
A day at the office. When you find yourself staring out the window of your office and you realize that it is exactly what you are supposed to be doing… Keep your eyes on the horizon, relax and enjoy the view.
Lake Powell’s surface reflects the fading ambient light as twilight passes overhead and Monument Valley is cast into darkness. The glasslike backdrop makes each rocky edifice pop out of the scene. The red earth emanates warmth as it colors the shadows and makes us question whether we actually see the color in the darkness or if we merely sense it.
Revealing a colorful pathway through the heart of America, the Mississippi River winds southward marking each bend with silted bars. The fertile landscape pops with color in late Summer southwest of Memphis, Tennessee.
As we escape the congestion of DC, we enjoy a soothing view of the Potomac River flowing lazily southward above Great Falls. Meanwhile the morning commuters rush along Route 7 from Leesburg, Virginia toward Washington focused on the traffic ahead and unaware of our peaceful river scene beyond their horizon.
Scanning southward over Capital Reef National Park in Utah, we see the irregular sand colored rock formations of Waterpocket Folds. From our perspective the rocks seem to bubble and roll along the fold. The fold is a geologic monocline or a wrinkle in the earth’s crust and in its features are domes, bridges, cliffs and canyons.
As we approach Moab, Utah, we watch the landscape as if watching a suspenseful film…as we begin to understand the terrain, a visual surprise leaps out at us and we realize that this movie’s plot has many twists and turns and is perhaps more complicated than we can conceive. The ridges, canyons, and mesas of Canyonlands National Park leave us yearning for another look as we continue eastward toward Colorado.
“Never Forget”
“Light from Shadows” …As we mark the anniversary of September 11th, we stop to remember the fallen and to honor them. We quietly face the memories of the day in our own ways. Our world changed that day and for those of us who were close to the tragedy, while counting our blessings, we are forever changed by those events. This photo was taken while the Freedom Tower was still under construction providing a symbol of our commitment, perseverance and renewed sense of hope.
When flying at night near the tops of the clouds sometimes the canopy of stars will suddenly disappear. At this moment, we have no sense of the horizon except that which is presented on our instruments. In our moment of deprivation, St Elmo’s Fire begins to creep and flash in static discharges over our windscreen…a private lightning storm inches away from our faces.
The Aerial Horizon – Photography
The Aerial Horizon 