Oxbow Sunset

This week's SKYWATCH FRIDAY / SCENIC SUNDAY post takes me back to Grand Teton National Park and the oft visited Oxbow Bend observation point. This view looks toward the massive Mt. Moran across the Snake River. On this night late in June, I was luck enough to capture the brilliance of sunset on the fleeting clouds. The richness of the color was due in part to the presence of smoke in the atmosphere from California wildfires that had been burning the few days prior.

Oxbow Sunset

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Wyoming Skies

One of my favorite spots on earth is the northwest corner of Wyoming where you'll find two gems of the US National Park System. Both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks offer the visitor a tremendous wealth of stunning sights from the waters of their lakes and rivers to the brilliant colors to be found in the skies from dawn through dusk. This week's SKYWATCH FRIDAY & SCENIC SUNDAY post is a view of the godlight at sunset from my perch up on Mount Washington looking toward the west in Yellowstone National Park.

Wyoming Godlight ~ Yellowstone National Park

This week's second image is taken from the banks of the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park looking up at the early morning light kissing the peak of Grand Teton Peak.

Teton Dawn ~ Grand Teton National Park

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Teton Twilight - An Ode to Maxfield Parrish

Even as a kid I really enjoyed the look of  Maxfield Parrish's work. He seemed to always find the perfect hue of blue to supplement the mood of whatever piece he was creating. I am especially keen on his tones of cobalt blue.... this twilight silhouette makes me feel that I captured some of his spirit as I clicked the shutter here.

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See some other SKYWATCH FRIDAY Images.

Enjoy a peek at this week's SCENIC SUNDAY Collection.
This is also part of  the WEEKEND REFLECTION series.

Marmota flaviventris- The Rockpile Sentinel

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Yellow Bellied Marmot

Grand Teton National Park

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The Moulton Barn - A personal favorite!

For many photographers, saying one of your images is your "favorite" feels a lot like publicly admitting that one of your children is your favorite. Lucky for me photographs do not have feelings! This week's Photo of the Week is indeed one of my personal favorites as I am looking at it hanging on my office wall as I write this blog entry.

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This image is of the Moulton Barn in a section of Grand Teton National Park known as "Mormon Row". The image appeals to me on several levels. First, the Tetons are one of my favorite spots on Earth. Every time I have been there, I have felt a deep sense of well being and awe. Second, the image evokes a great combination of nature and history. If you know nothing of the history of the Moulton barn, you can still get a great feel of the "Wild West". Indeed, I half expect to see a group of cowboys ride up to the barn when I look at the photo for any length of time. While the photo suggests the history of the barn, the mountains looming above also serve as a reminder of the force and power of nature – especially in this part of the country.



The actually history of the barn dates from the "late 1800s" according to descendants of the barn's builder, Thomas Alma Moulton. It sits in a region of the park known either as "Antelope Flats" or as "Mormon Row". The latter name comes from the Mormon homestead community that existed along the road of the same name. According to "Country Magazine", this is the most photographed barn in the United States. If you have been here and have stories of the area, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to comment at the end of this entry.

Cheers!

John

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