Photography is all about light. In nature photography we study the weather, time of day and time of year to learn all we can about light. And the more diligently we study light the more it pays off.
One of my favorite types of light is alpenglow. There is a bit of confusion about what it is. Many people think it’s the sunlight shining on the mountain peaks during sunset, after the valleys below are in shadow. And while this is beautiful, that’s not it.
Alpenglow occurs after the sun slips below the horizon. Immediately after sunset the color on the mountain goes flat and lifeless. But give it a few minutes and the magic starts. It looks like it’s glowing from within. And this can go on for some time.
Alpenglow doesn’t take place just at sunset. It also occurs at sunrise while the sun is still below the horizon. That’s one of the reasons we like to arrive at our sunrise location at least 45 minutes early.
I wanted to create a video that shows this effect. So not long ago I was at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. It’s very much like Bryce Canyon, a beautiful amphitheater with red sandstone fins and hoodoos. The big difference is it faces to the west, the opposite direction from Bryce, making it an ideal sunset location.
I set up my camera just as sunset was in full swing. The last rays of the sun were still shining on the cliff faces. I did some time laps photography and assembled the images into a short video. You’ll see the shadows creeping up and then the light in the whole amphitheater will go flat. But keep watching because the alpenglow will begin. And the glow will continue until night claims the scene.
Alpenglow doesn’t happen in just the mountains. It can happen anywhere. So keep an eye out for it. And most importantly, when your shooting a sunset, don’t pack up your gear when the sun goes down. Stick around for another hour. Because, the show has just begun.
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