Smith Rock State Park is famous for its dramatic vertical rock features, formed by deposits from ancient Cascades volcanoes. Rock climbers worldwide are drawn to this Central Oregon park to test their skills and enjoy the seemingly endless variety of faces and climbs. Photographers also frequent the park year-round to capture a wide variety of compositions that vary significantly with weather, seasons, sunrises and sunsets.

This image was captured from a vantage point known as Asterisk Pass, and presents a composition that is less frequently seen than in many of the more iconic Smith Rock photographs. After hiking to the location in the pre-dawn nautical twilight, I was able to take a few test shots, determine my desired location and composition, and then wait for the sun to make its appearance. As it rose just out of frame, there was a brief moment when a beautiful soft pink bathed the sky and the rock formations before me.

I was thankful to be in the right place at the right time to capture that moment, and to then sit back and enjoy the emergence of the day.