Burnt Orange

One basic principle in photography is to “look the other way.” In other words, when everyone else is looking at the obvious photo opp, look around. You just might find something even more enjoyable.

That’s precisely what happened on a recent outing to photograph another glorious sunset. Before the sun disappeared behind the Allegheny Mountains that mark the Virginia/West Virginia boundary line, I turned to look east to find this lovely scene.

The sharply slanting rays of photography’s golden hour bathed the already russet leaves of the stand of oaks around this home. This photo is the way I shot it, with no tweaking needed.

Whether alone or in a crowd, it always pays for a photographer to look the other way.

Author: Bruce Stambaugh

Writer, marketer, columnist, author, photographer, birder, walker, hiker, husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, township trustee, converted Anabaptist, community activist, my life is crammed with all things people and nature and wonder. My late father gave me this penchant for giving and getting the most out of life, my late mother the courtesy, kindness, and creativity to see the joy in life. They both taught me to cherish the people I am with. I try and fail and try again. View all posts by Bruce Stambaugh

4 thoughts on “Burnt Orange”

Love the reminder here! But found this interesting: when I viewed this photo on my phone, it was stunning. Now I am checking it out on my laptop and somehow the larger screen makes the colors more diffuse. (Is that the right word?) Still pretty, but not quite the same impact.

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Bruce Stambaugh says:

December 4, 2021 at 8:19 am

Thanks, Melodie. Thanks, too, for mentioning that phenomenon. I experience the same thing. The photos on my phone are crisp with vivid color. When I download them, they lose that wow effect.

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