Orland Grasslands at Sunset

Yesterday I made a visit to the Orland Grasslands. It’s the kind of place you drive by and say to yourself, “I just want to run wild in that vast prairie! I want to run and run and run and never stop!”
Orland Grassland is huge. It’s about one and a half miles long by one mile wide.

Here is what it looks like at sunset:

If you want to take photos like a professional….do it at sunrise or sunset. It’s a no fail mission. You can’t screw up and none of your pictures will be mundane. By the way, they make perfect subjects for future paintings! This picture was taken looking west at the oncoming clouds. The temperature was unseasonably warm (40°F), not a lot of wind, and the footing underneath was soft due to the melting snow.

This scene is looking east. I love the soft blues and pinks. Can you see the moon? I heard some birds in this spot but could not see nor identify them by their call.

Waiting just a few minutes and looking west again, the sky looked as if someone had set it on fire. I love seeing that hot flaming color right through the most delicate branches of the distant trees. A burning sky and a cold snow covered ground makes for a wonderful contrast.

Finally, by just moving my camera from portrait to landscape in the same spot, a new scene is made. It’s so interesting to see how the camera allows less light in landscape mode but creates a new dramatic effect. Maybe this will be a painting some day.