Waking Giant

Part of the enjoyment I get from the mountains is the awesome immense presence they have, a permanence that requires you to acknowledge they have seen so much more than you will ever imagine.  Capturing this in a two dimensional image has always been a challenge for me.  I used to think a composition showing their size or span conveyed that spirit but I've come to realize it's not that I'm admiring.  It's the details of their construction, the ridges and columns that go on forever to make up the whole. 

We were out early one morning in the Tetons waiting for the sun to come up and the fog over the cliffs was just breaking up, revealing this ridge line.  As the sun peeked through the breaking clouds it swept across the face of the rocks, lightening some and leaving some in shadow.  I suddenly realized this was the three dimensional look I wanted to capture and that the light was almost perfect to convey that in two dimensions.

Watching the sunlight play on the mountain was like a private light show as nature showed off one spectacular sight after another.  The fog would reveal a part of the ridge and the sun would spotlight it, then the show would move to a new part of the mountain to repeat the sequence.  it was a great revelation for a photography student, a wonderful lesson right where the application could be made.