When Willie and I flew into Calgary and drove to Banff we had high hopes for its season of Ice and Fire. November has earned this reputation based on the beautiful pink and red sunsets that are more common during this month, while at the same time, Banffs lakes and rivers begin to freeze.
On our first night in Banff we drove straight to Castle Mountain. Most of the riverbed was still flowing normally but we found a few patches where the shallow water was beginning to melt into neat patterns and shapes. We just had to sit and wait and hope that some clouds would arrive for sunset.
When you photograph a sunset with this much depth between the foreground and the background, you often have to focus in multiple places, take a number of photos, and blend them together later. Sometimes this means you have to compose your photo before you know how much of the sky will be lit on fire, and that was the case here. While I hoped for more dragonplay in the sky, both Willie and I were pleasantly surprised with the pink clouds and the icy reflection we were treated to on our first night
Nikon D800 w/Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8:
17mm, f/11, 0.8 sec, ISO 100
