I think it’s fair to say that each of us, at one point in our lives thought about the notion of becoming a magician. Even today, go and see a magician and try not to smile. Sure, we may realize that this is all an illusion, but that inner (and sometimes outer) child still wants to believe in the magic. Some try to figure out how the trick was done, while others just embrace the moment.
As we get older, that sense of wonder and intrigue fades with time. Yet even as I continue my journey on this merry-go-round of life, I still hold to the notion that not all magic is an illusion.
The image above is a photograph of the Garden of the Gods I made in the spring of 2010 during a day trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado. There was a lot of magic on this particular morning. Some of the magic I anticipated and some I did not. Regardless, the magic carried the same amount of wonder.
For those of you who are unaware, the Garden of the Gods is comprised of ancient sedimentary beds of sandstone, conglomerates, and limestone in a wide variety of colors (including red) which over the millennia have been pushed into a vertical orientation. Add to that, you have the 14,110 foot Pikes Peak displayed behind the Garden so close you could almost touch it.
I had been to the Garden of the Gods for a sunrise shoot before. My wife, however, had not. So this particular Saturday morning we woke up very early and headed down to Colorado Springs. We arrived in the park, hiked to our location and waited for the sun to rise and do its magic.
My wife and I were set up and ready to shoot. As the sun began to peak above the horizon, the rocks began to glow. It started with a slight glow of intensity that slowly grew and grew until the entire Garden looked as if the rocks were on fire. I think it is fair to say my wife was rather amazed with this little act of magic that Mother Nature plays on a daily basis.
To experience this moment, and my wife’s first reaction to this event, was truly something special. It goes to show that when you are patient and know where to look, sometimes (even when you think you have seen it all) Mother Nature pulls another trick out of her hat and continues to amaze you.
The sheer brilliance and beauty of the scene and the emotion can be summed up in one single word. Magical. Houdini and Copperfield have nothing on this magician.
This image is available for purchase here.