Down by the River at Sunset

South Prairie Creek in the Golden Hour just before sunset

Not many signs of civilization here, but it’s just out of sight. This part of the creek is a refuge from modern society. There’s a small pavilion to the left, and a little further there is a fairly large fire station with multiple engines. The bridge at right is a really old concrete one, I would guess at least 75 years old and possible more. I can always go here for a short mental escape—even if I’m photographing the same things, it always refreshes me.

The water level is exceptionally low; we haven’t had any rain in months. It’s several feet lower than I remember seeing it in the two and a half years we’ve been here. Most of the rocks you see here are normally underwater.

The big log at left looks more and more like a dead orc; from this angle, the resemblance is particularly strong for me.

A panorama of three images shot with the Sony α1 camera and Canon 85mm lens. I used a polarizing filter to soak in a little more color that I would get without it; it suppresses reflections from most surfaces. It was especially effective at top left, where the greens and browns remain despite the bright sunlight.

Here is a photo of the opposite bank, showing some of the roots exposed by the high water we’ve had the last two winters.

Again, nothing super dramatic; not the Grand Canyon, after all. But rich with natural color and details, which always soothes me.