Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Above the Below

This was supposed to be a clear morning with photos of the autumn sunrise taken from the top of a steep cliff above the lake - it's a perfect place to begin the day if one fancies a rigorous climb. One has to tread carefully (particularly when carrying a tripod and camera bag) because of the trail's steep incline, but there is much to see on the way to the top, and the view from the heights is always astonishing.

Here instead was one of those nebulous late fall days - no sun or sunlight, just trees, rocks, dense billowing fog, and somewhere far below me, fast flowing waters which could not be seen. The climb had been undertaken to watch the sun rise on a clear day, but this mist shrouded beginning was just what I needed, and I sat for some time with my feet dangling over the edge, just breathing in and out, in and out. All was well for a while, and I felt as though I was sitting among the clouds on the roof of the world, limitless expanses of sky, space and cloud all around me.

... oh yes, and there are fabulous moons to be seen and captured on a memory card from up here, if one cares to make the climb at sunset.

8 comments:

Tabor said...

Wow, I saw something similar at the new house, but was too lazy to try to capture it. Maybe when I will retire I will use your lovely motivations to get me going.

Rowan said...

These are fabulous photographs, I love misty days like this but don't have anywhere quite that majestic to climb for views like this.

Chris Kreussling (Flatbush Gardener) said...

Wow. Where is this? It looks unreal. And how early did you have to get up?!

It reminds me of old chinese scroll paintings, showing just the hints of tall mountains with trees on them, and mostly "empty" canvas. Negative space, captured wonderfully.

Anonymous said...

Nicely done! I love the bicoloring.

Jennifer S. said...

Gorgeous! So serene

Anonymous said...

Good morning kerrdelune,
I felt my anxiety melt as I read your post. What a beautiful moment you carved out for yourself. Thank you for sharing this.

kerrdelune said...

I left the house around 5:30 that morning with a Lanark friend, lugging camera and tripod, no idea why I was up that early but there was a compelling tug to get out to the lake and watch the sun come up there. The climb was rough - there was a heavy dew that morning and the thin scuff of soil and grasses on the way to the top was slippery. I probably won't make the climb again until the ground dries out next spring.

When I finally arrived at the top, the view took my breath away - it was just like an Oriental woodblock print, but I didn't think the pictures would turn out, let alone turn out as they did - all magical, mysterious, ethereal and other worldly.

It was a miracle that I didn't slide right off the top into the gorge and land up down below in the lake.

Anonymous said...

Those images are simply excellent