I rarely take photos of scenery. However, there are moments that encapsulate the character of a milieu within which people, when captured on B&W pellicule, show a character perhaps influenced by the environment.
The photo atop is of sunrise in the bucolic cowboy town of Prescott where I enjoy life for e decade now. Perched at 5,500 feet in the High Desert and mountains, this town has a proud history from the frontier days. It also has large skies, a desertic setting I love, and an ongoing challenge with the future of water sources, which now plagues the Southwest of the country.
So, somehow the watering of the town center grounds, the monument of Bucky O’Neil and his horse, and the high clouds of the rainy season framed, in my mind, the above characteristics.
Prescott sunrises have to be captured quickly before the sun takes over the day and washes all shadows in a second. Sunsets however, are often impressive in the pastel colours they display above and over the mountain range. Such nature’s compositions are almost as picturesque in B&W as they are in colour. Here are two moments I froze at sunset from my balcony:
Thumb Butte, elevation 6514 ft, it is a natural landmark. I like the silhouette of Thumb Butte at sunset surrounded with clouds and shades of light.
And sometimes, these clouds and mist surround the mountain giving the peak a delicate chale to wear for the night.
August 12, 2023
© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2023
