I was very fortunate to have captured this photo. The location is in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The road is doable with a high-clearance vehicle, and the walk-in is pretty short. The biggest challenge with this spot is the timing. The fall colors need to look good, and the status of the leaves can change over the day. And the weather needs to be favorable. I've been to this spot multiple times, and nothing has been good. Then, this evening, the group I was with waited on this small beaver dam made of sticks and mud. We stayed for the sunset sky, which finally materialized. Thankfully, this was so because the very next year, this dam was gone, and most of the water had drained.

This evening, we set up our tripods all in a row. Our position was not one of preference but one of convenience because there wasn't much space there. I did, however, like my spot. I tried multiple compositions while we were waiting. When the sky started to take on a dramatic tone, I really liked the reflection of it in the pond. I decided to split the shoreline right down the middle of the frame because it felt balanced, showed off the reflection and really captured the drama of that evening. The rich autumn golds contrasted beautifully with the deep blues and purples of the sunset sky, creating a visual symphony of color that photographs rarely capture with such clarity. The stillness of the water created a perfect mirror, doubling the impact of that fleeting moment when nature's elements aligned in perfect harmony.