Sometimes in the evening, just after sunset, when the water is up and the breeze calm, there is a moment. Reflections fill the harbor as business lights come on, and, if luck favors beauty, a sky of many shapes and sizes completes the scene.

In the past, accompanied by one of my favorite old friends, a 4X5 Linhof view camera, once used by Ansel Adams in Yosemite, this window of opportunity warranted tidy analysis. Today, using most current digital cameras and a blast of program guided exposures, the likelihood of a well recorded image increases dramatically – pixels versus film notwithstanding. 

No matter how viewed or photographed, “the witching hour” is one of the most beautiful times in nature’s palette. The blend of colors and the transitions that occur just after the sun goes down is remarkable and worth the time it takes to delay the purchase of your ice cream of choice, soft serve or sorbet.