Monday, January 29, 2007

Glowing with the flow

It was wicked cold when I took this photo yesterday. The snow crunched loudly beneath my feet on a small bridge that spans Tyler Creek near my home in Elgin, Illinois. A brisk wind added to the miserable chill. My eyes dried out and my fingers worked in slow motion.

But I got this shot and several others like it.

The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, filtering through the bare trees past the bend in the creek. The sun’s golden glow cast itself on the waters of the creek as they stubbornly pushed their way past ice and rock in their relentless flow.

Life goes on despite winter’s best efforts to stop it in its tracks. And even in the midst of the cold grip of despair, the warm light of the sun shines a promise of better days to come.

Only 51 days until spring.

January sunset at Tyler Creek. One second at f22, ISO 400 film. 35mm lens with circular polarizer. Wind chill, -15 degrees Celsius. Click on picture to enlarge. Photograph © 2007 James Jordan.

8 comments:

Cedar Waxwing said...

That's beautiful James. Like something out of my mind's version of Narnia during the time of the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Back when I first read that book I lived near this creek and visited it often, although probably never on a winter day such as you describe.

(I remember walking to school in weather like that though, and tears really did freeze on my face!)

~pen~ said...

really wonderful :)

Visual-Voice said...

gorgeous light.. wonderful shot!

Standing under the Sky said...

You are an artist. This is stunning.

Marion said...

great shot...I love the light!

James said...

cedar, it felt like eternal winter while taking the shot!

m2, you were in mind as I wrote the description. I've been following your blog and the recent challenges and blessings that have come your way. Hang in there.

visual-voice, thanks so much. Late afternoon is a great time to photograph. The chances of catching some exquisite lighting is at its best.

standing, thanks so much.

marion, glad you like it. The results were worth the trouble of getting the shot.

Sheila said...

I do love the sun as promise of warmer days.

Kid Swelter said...

Keep up the good work, James! Your photographs have a mystical, engaging quality. I find them intriguing. Thanks for sharing them.