“If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you’re not out there, you’ll only hear about it.”
– Jay Maisel
The park is called Brotherhood Bridge Park. I heard about it... People in Alaska say that as long as the toxic but beautiful fireweed plant (Chamaenerion angustifolium) blossom the summer is on. In the background you can also see the popular Mendenhall Glacier. Due to the globally warming temperature and natural causes that Ice Age relic is receding about 30-40m annually. But its gracefully there and provides a blue backdrop to this painting like scene.
To get the colors I had visualized I needed to capture the fireweed on a sunny day. The blossom is on only for 3-4 weeks a year, hence the short and dry summer in Juneau. Obviously this statement is not totally true as most occasions I was trying to go to this spot during those short summer weeks it was cloudy or rainy year after year and it was either before or after the fire weed blossom.
I always felt grateful though just to be there. A perfect color treat from Mother Nature. My first good timing occurred after 4 years had been visiting this spot. Finally everything I had painted in my mind just happened in real time. Some beautiful blue skies with fluffy clouds, the green vegetation and the pink fireweed flowering, all at the same time. It was mind blowing to be there to say the least. Perseverance paid off.
I was there to experience this special place several times before and after, but at that one occasion I was truly blessed to capture this perfect panorama.
This 3:1 image is available in the LIMITED edition Series here.
