Today’s Photograph

Panoramic view - Apple Valley, Utah - March 9, 2009

This particular pano is composed of nine vertical photos stitched together, shot sans tripod. (click image to see larger)

The Story Behind This Photograph

A few days before this day, back in 2009, I was staying with my friends in Utah. I’ve mentioned this several times, as I took many of my best scenic landscapes during this particular visit. How can you miss with snow, glowing red mountains and clouds? I was really excited about using my new Nikon camera to shoot panoramics. You take several photos in a row, with overlap, and the computer stitches them into a wide view of the scene. I was shooting these almost every day and perfecting my technique.

Anyway, my wonderful hosts, the Lewis’, are in the art services business specializing in custom painted wall murals. Patti paints and Jeff is one of the finest photographers I know. Jeff is also the salesman for the team.

A local woman, Kathleen Birch, was coming to the house to see Patti about a logo/sign for her quilting business. Patti mentioned that I was shooting these wonderful panoramic scenes. Kathleen said, “I’ve been looking for a photographer to photograph the view fro our ranch house. We are moving and I want a panoramic photograph to hang over our new mantle so we can always remember the great view we had.”

So, on this date, back in 2009, I was actually paid to do one of my favorite things in life. It gets better. While were were out on the shoot, Jeff yells, “Look over there!”

It was the full moon rising into the scene.

This was followed by a really unique sunset, kind of looks like The Day the Earth Stood Still (for you Sci Fi buffs).

Kathleen ordered a four foot print for her mantle, along with other photographs from the day.

A special day, indeed…

I took this earlier that day, at Jeff’s house, before we left for the shoot.

Here’s another shot I took in 2010, in Pennsylvania, on this date.

David