Most photographers work at creating a mood or atmosphere to their photos. Lighting, color, scenery, emotion and expression are all contributors. Often the atmospheric mood becomes a style or trademark of the photographer and for us amateurs it is sometimes a pleasant surprise.
If you have never been to the Grand Canyon, you won’t know that every time you visit it is a different experience. Weather and sunlight are the greatest contributors to the dramatic photos. For me, living close by takes the visits to another perspective. I have the privilege to bringing many people for their first time. What captures my spirit is the sentiment and the emotion it brings to them, and what the camera captures is another story...sometimes. Regardless, no one forgets their first visit to the Grand Canyon.
On this particular day I hollered at my nieces and nephew to turn around. We had just arrived and I loved that nearby tourists had moved along so I could get just the three of them in the photo. The timing was perfect. The photo captured their initial expression, but the mood that sprung out of this shot changed the story. While their expression was that initial wow moment I expect, a look at the photo later convinced us that this might just be a performance of and up-and-coming pop band.
Wind Kisses, Donna
Has this ever happen to you? Did weather change the emotion of a photo or did the photo-bomb of someone make a photo that much better? Did the outcome of the photo change from the expectation? Maybe for a moment you realized what you didn’t see the first time. Love to hear your stories.
As always, let me know if Arizona is on your itinerary. As someone who doesn’t always like the beaten path, I will send you in the direction that suits just you.
The Daily Post: Atmospheric
Wind Kisses 
Way back in the nineties we did a sort of round trip by car. Started in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe. Mammoth Mountain, Death Valley, Las Vegas, Lake Havasoo, Los Angeles. Whilst not really photography related, on the morning we left Tahoe it started snowing and heavy. Our plan was to cut across the mountains using the 207 and 395, a really scenic route. The state troopers had closed the road, said it was unpassable and directed us to use the road along the lakeside towards Carson City and beyond and then we could turn towards Mammoth. So of we set, the road started to climb and there was a sign saying snow chains beyond this point. Guess what we didn’t have in our hire car. We decided to go on, no winter clothes, it’s late May and we’re tourists. Our mood soon changed when we realised that an automatic car on snow without chains is not the best thing to be driving. But to cut a long story short we made it to Mammoth. but boy we went from happy, to scared to happy again and them both of us suffered from altitude sickness at the resort we were staying in up the mountain and all in the space of about seven hours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow amazing trip, Mike and so many great places on your list. Sounds like you planned well, just the weather didn’t cooperate. It is amazing how storms can crop up in the mountains. We had a snow storm in Rainier in July one time. Same thing, not really prepared. This was certainly a journey and an adventure regardless of the mood. I am sure it was a great time and you laugh about it…now. Such a great itinerary. From Death Valley up to the mountains. Amazing. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
A stunning photo for sure! I haven’t been to the Grand Canyon yet, but I can imagine how the light and clouds and seasons affect the moods. I get so many different moods when I take photos in Yosemite 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. Always different. I love the mood changes. We need to get to Yosemite. You’d think with the amount of time we have spent traveling the west it would have been in our one of our journeys. I had wanted to do Half Dome on my 50th, but that is when we committed to working in Yellowstone. I think deep down we want to spend quality time there, not rush it. I know it is beautiful from the photos I look at. Thanks for stopping by Terri.
LikeLiked by 1 person