Diane Again: Taking Back the Sun

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Taking Back the Sun

Here is tonight's sunset from Stevens Pass.

It's pretty much breathtaking, isn't it.

As I was watching the sky and waiting for the colors to intensify to just the right point for my photo, I reminisced about some of the other sunsets I have captured in ski seasons past. I came home and dug a few of my favorites out of my photo archives to share with you.

There's something about a sunset that touches the artist in our souls. Maybe it's the beauty of the warm pinks and unearthly blues. Or the way that the colors of the setting sun fill the sky, changing from moment to moment, riveting our attention till they finally fade away. Or perhaps it's the anticipation we feel as we await each day's end, knowing that whatever patterns and colors fill the sky, they will be fresh and new, different from what we saw yesterday or will see tomorrow.

I get edgy and keyed up for sunsets. I'll gladly walk or drive out of my way for a good view, hang around a windy beach till the last colors fade away, take photos of a spectacular sky as I'm driving (umm, I mean while I'm waiting at red lights), or sacrifice my right hand to potential frostbite for a mountain sunset. Some days it's enough to simply watch and take in the beauty with my eyes; other days, I drag out my camera and try to capture the colors, just to see if it's possible.

My second daughter shares my passion for sunsets, and her blog, Aesthetics, reflects her enthusiasm. If you're interested in checking out more photos of glorious sunsets, and some of her recent sun-inspired paintings, you may pay her a visit here. Enjoy!

Postscript: My photos were taken with plain ol' cell phones and the colors are completely natural and unedited.

Post postscript: As I was pondering an interesting title for this post, a friend of mine randomly texted me the lyrics to one of our shared favorite songs, You're So Last Summer by Taking Back Sunday. Whoa. Taking Back SUNday. Perfect inspiration for the title. I was also perfectly inspired to post the song for your enjoyment. I hope that somehow, it inspires you.