cave rock sunstar panorama

I had envisioned this image for quite some time. This Fall season offered up a lot of stormy weather, and thus, a lot of dramatic light. I wanted my image to include Cave Rock, beautiful pine trees, the distant mountains and dramatic evening light. Well, after about a dozen visits in freezing blowing weather, I received that special few seconds in time. The winds were howling, it was about 12 degrees out, and the light was flat and dark. I set up my bellows camera, prepared my composition, set the exposure and waited. This was a very fleeting moment. As the sun broke under the cloud at the peak of the mountains, yellow light exploded onto the foreground, backlighting all of the foliage and adding that warm glow that makes an image special. As the sun diffracted on the mountain ridge, the sunstar formed. I don't think I could have asked for more. This is the drama Lake Tahoe is known for. That brief moment of exquisite light makes all the planning, waiting, freezing, and hoping worth every moment.