Pink winter light and the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline, Arctic, Alaska. Canon 1Ds Mark III 100-400mm f/5.6L (100mm) 1/4 sec. @ f/16, ISO 200
I took this photo on Sunday afternoon at 3:16pm, and it reveals the very last hint of light falling on the mountains about 50 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The sun will be gone in a day or so and won’t appear again until sometime in later January. The colors in the sky at this time of year are of that “classic” arctic color palette: pastel pinks, blues, and light yellows. In spite of the lack of direct light, there is some magical colors and gentle quality to what light does exist. It is however, a very narrow window of photography. I’ve taken pictures at this location many times, but not with this soft light and the spruce trees decorated with snow. It was -20 below zero. To get some altitude over the trees, I placed my camera on a bean bag on the car’s roof and shot a slow exposure from the sunroof. It is important to roll down the car windows for a minute or so and let the warm air blow out so there is no heat shimmer that leaks up in front of the camera lens. See more pictures of the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline.
BRRRR! You know that I love it up there, but not that kind of cold. I’ll send you a postcard from Maui. 😉
Jon, send me a plane ticket instead!
nice shot 🙂 here, in Poland is also cold… greets
It looks surreal! The colors look more like a painting than a photo. Did you apply some after effects in Photoshop, or did it really look this way? Except for the metal of the pipe itself, my brain refuses to believe it’s real…
I try to think of the beautiful light and skies when it’s clear and cold as a payoff for the bitter chill. It truly is the most beautiful colors you ever did see, a rainbow of gradient hues. Thanks for sharing this is a beauty of a shot.
Your sunroof doesn’t freeze shut?
Thanks Lara,
So far so good with the sun roof, it works fine in the cold weather, and I use it often!
I bought 4 tickets for my family back in August They were on sale, I used some miles, and picked non-peak times to fly for $380+10k/each. Plan ahead next time! 😉
My -40° suit might get some use out of it during the next solar peak, but my hat is always off to those of you brave enough to live up there all winter.
That is an excellent photo! The pastel colors are gorgeous. I love how the snow has been sticking to the trees for so long. We pay for it with the cold temperatures. 🙂
Jon,
I’m one of the weird ones who likes winter. I find it a pleasant compliment to the intensity of light that swirls in the Alaska summer. However, the beaches of HI are a fond thought as well. Enjoy your visit there. I’ve got a free ticket anywhere AK Air flies to burn by the end of March…
Eli,
All good things cost 🙂