Streams of Light

I enjoy photography while I am hiking. First of all, creativity seems to come a little easier for me when I am walking through woods where sound is hampered by the surrounding foliage. You can think a little more clearly and slowly than when sound is coming at you unhindered and from all sides. Another plus to the woods, is the lighting. The streams of light come down in sporadic places, ever changing as the sun progresses through the sky. So if you took a picture of the same location a few minutes apart, you would get a totally different lighting scheme to the scene. There have been plenty of shots I have missed because I didn't get my camera out quick enough. By the time I was ready, the light had shifted and the shot was gone.

In the shot below, you can see how a shaft of light has lit up my father-in-law's back while the woods just past him are completely black. I like the stark contrast of the picture and also the colors that are brought out by the direct sunlight. Thank goodness for the uneven light of the woods.

Light on the Back, Appalachian Trail, TN