Download The Latest Issue

My normal daily grind is in an office tower in the city, so I take advantage of any business trips to more scenic locals. One such trip brought me to upstate New York on a Thursday. At the last minute, I decided to take Friday off and spend a long weekend in the Adirondack Mountains.

I found a spot at a campground on Lake George, grabbed my camera and camping gear and drove north. After a long drive and wrapping up business, I made it to the lake and set up camp late in the day. It was a dreary evening, and I did not expect much in the way of a sunset, but the forecast was calling for the skies to clear overnight, so I headed down to the beach to scope out some locations to shoot the night sky.

As I was heading back to my campsite, I stopped at the boat launch, deserted for the evening, and took a few shots. I lingered as the sun set and took a bit more time, setting up some long exposures. Out of an unplanned trip, and a simple scouting mission, came one of my favorite photographs, both for its composition and the mood it captures. It is a simple, almost minimalist composition, but there is detail in the textures of the boat ramp and the clouds in the sky that add interest. And while the dark sky is ominous, there is light peeking through.