The Scenic Route--Approaching the Golden Hour

XianJu, ZheJiang, China

Following a path along the steep cliffs of the mountains, my friend and I rounded a corner to find a peak jutting up across the narrow valley below. It was late in the day, maybe an hour to an hour and a half before sunset, just as the natural light begins to warm the landscape with rich yellows and oranges. The opposite path snaking up the peak encourages the viewers eye to follow it as a hiker would, all the while enjoying the surrounding views offered to either side of the trail.

The mountain ranges sheer rock faces littered with slender, angular trees always remind me of the old landscape calligraphy paintings so popular centuries ago in China and Japan. I was tempted to try and mimic that style by making it a high contrast black and white shot, but the warmth of the sun reminded me of the day’s adventure. In the end, nostalgia won.

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