DAY 44

NATURE & LANDSCAPES

Sunset

GET IT WHILE IT’S HOT

It’s very likely true that most people see sunsets more frequently than sunrises. After a long, tedious day in an office, the sight of that giant orange, yellow, and red ball of fire sinking over the horizon would be just as inspirational, maybe more so. If you’re fortunate enough to live near a body of water that faces west, the vivid colors of the setting sun shining on the placid water could make you forget the day’s troubles.

Watching a Great Blue Heron meander across a tranquil marsh in the foreground one day, I was happy to have remembered both camera and telephoto lens. A telephoto lens makes the setting sun look huge. Walking swiftly along the beach, I lined up the heron with the sun, set my camera to Program, and began firing away. When the sun finally dipped below the horizon, a quick check on the LCD monitor showed some real dazzlers. —WTD

Photo © Bill Diller.