Hymn to the Night ~ Silver Sunset Chena River Lakes North Pole Alaska North Star
From my collection:
Hymn to the Night
The pure fresh water appears as liquid pewter this peaceful evening on the water.
- Featured Art March 2009 Candid Photographs of Friends and Family
- Featured May 2009 _The X – Human Sentiment
Hymn to the Night
“I heard the trailing garments of the Night
Sweep through her marble halls!
I saw her sable skirts all fringed with light
From the celestial walls!
I felt her presence, by its spell of might,
Stoop o’er me from above;
The calm, majestic presence of the Night,
As of the one I love.
I heard the sounds of sorrow and delight,
The manifold, soft chimes,
That fill the haunted chambers of the Night
Like some old poet’s rhymes.
From the cool cisterns of the midnight air
My spirit drank repose;
The fountain of perpetual peace flows there,—
From those deep cisterns flows.
O holy Night! from thee I learn to bear
What man has borne before!
Thou layest thy finger on the lips of Care,
And they complain no more.
Peace! Peace! Orestes-like I breathe this prayer!
Descend with broad-winged flight,
The welcome, the thrice-prayed for,
the most fair,
The best-beloved Night!” ~ Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This is offered as a beautiful greeting card
It looks wonderful matted and framed
Copyright © Sharon Mau 2009
All Rights Reserved
Many have asked if this is altered or if this is a Sepia tone. This is virtually straight from the camera. The only post processing is some cloning cleanup of minute bits of debris floating in the water and smoothing the digital noise. It is one of those magic moments when the water appeared as liquid pewter.
This is a colour photograph taken at sunset on Chena River Lakes, a beautiful pristine 260 acre lake with crystal clear fresh water from the Chena River and glacial water from the mighty Tanana.
When viewed full size you may notice the red strap hanging from the back of the canoe in the water and the highlights on the couple’s hair and their two dogs coats as they paddled silently toward me.
The skies were changing day by day with winter fast approaching in Interior Alaska and the conditions were perfect for a Sundog so I raced out to the lake, which is a very large and pure (no motors are permitted, only kayaks and canoes) 260 acre lake of glacier fed water from Chena River with glacial runoff from the Tanana River, on the drive thinking to myself, which side of the lake would be most perfect for the setting sun, and as I pulled up to that area on the remote gravel road through the forest, boreal on one side and permafrost on the other, I saw the couple rowing toward the shore toward me!
I was scrambling to shut off my truck, grab my keys and camera, jump out and practically run down to the banks to get the shots before they reached me!! It was so funny for they had two puppy doggies with them, big shaggy ones, and after snapping about 100 images in quick succession, I called out to them “You’ll want to give me your email address!! I can assure you that you will want copies of these, they are fantastic! And the dogs leaped out of the canoe barking and barking at me while she called them back…. it was hilarious!!!
So yes, she gave me their names and email address and the remainder of the sunset with fish jumping, toads leaping and calls of the loons, and the brilliant sundog in the sky I can tell you I enjoyed the rest of the evening while battling mosguitos and looking over my shoulder for wolf, moose and bear with a big smile on my face! What a wonderful night it was.
Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
Shooting Date/Time 11 August 2007 20:42:03
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/500
Av( Aperture Value ) 13
ISO Speed 320
Lens EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Hymn to the Night ~ Silver Sunset Chena River Lakes North Pole Alaska North Star belongs to the following groups:
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Denis Molodkin
Wonderful capture
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Denis, I am happy you enjoy it!
Gyuri Nagy
Stunning capture
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo a nui loa my sweet friend!!
kathy s gillen...
beautiful capture
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Kathy, I am happy you enjoy it!
vadim19
Beautiful. Great composition. Love the story. Regards, Vadim
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Vadim, thank you so much!
Rosina Lamberti
gorgeous capture
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Rosina, thank you!
Tibby Steedly
Beautiful shot, Sharon. The water looks like liquid silver. Gorgeous composition.
Craig Ebel
Wonderful shot! Great reflections!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Craig, thank you so much!
Ann7f
such a serenely superb shot ,dear Sharon!! I can soo imagine you here too,battling Mosquitoes the size of small birds!! lol, Annie :.)
KSkinner
Great shot – this image really sets a mood!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo a nui loa!!
Béla Török
Brilliant image, my dear friend!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Bela, thank you so much!
Angie McKenzie
love this!!!!!!!!!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Angie, thank you sweetheart!
chen cohen
perfect shot!!! awesome image!!! so beautiful!!!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Chen, thank you so much!
Steve Buffington
Great job on this. I can hear the oars moving through the water.
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Steve, I am delighted you enjoy it!
SPQQKY
Outstanding shot!!! Lovely
Gordo’
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo my friend, thank you so much!
arteology
special and sacred, well done
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo, thank you so much!
Cora Wandel
Sharon, excellent image and writing! – Cora
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Cora, I am happy you enjoy it!
Ranald
Nice. Remember when you were learning to ride a bike and you had stabalisers on the back wheel? They have stabalising floats on the canoe, maybe they’re beginners! Looks like the sort of place I’d like to paddle anyway.
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Ranald, I am happy you enjoy this image. They are carrying two large dogs and I think the pontoons are to help stabilize the canoe for that reason.
Cheryl Lunde
So peaceful.. Love the feeling it evokes. Well done Sharon!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Cheryl, thank you so much!
sparkiesworld
This is beautiful
Ranald
Now you mention it, I see the head of one. My dog refuses to get in our canoe, which is a shame since we miss out on having him with us on trips.
Eva and Klaus ...
Stunning!!!
ldeiter78
Awesone photo! I love the silhouettes, lighting and the ripples!!! Congrats!!
David Lade
Very lovely Sharon!
Joanne Bradley
Amazing capture, a magical moment indeed!
Rachel Stickney
Wonderful image! So relaxing, and reading your story, I almost feel like I was there too. :-)
Steve Chapple
I agree, wonderful outcome, much because of the simplistic finish you’ve achieved here.
DevineDayDreams
very serene! love it!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo sweetheart! Has this image been ‘resurrected’ in one of the groups?
Ingz
excellent!
Rick Todaro
Wonderful lovely Image !!! And an excellent back story… really helping one can feel as if they are there… kudo’s
DawsonImages
Beautiful silhouette
Sharon Mau replied
It is good to hear from you, mahalo!
Etienne RUGGER...
Nice reflection ! Beautiful !
Michael Matthews
A beautiful peaceful image Sharon. Great work.
Jan Timmons
Just gorgeous lighting! What a beautiful shot, with such smooth, silvery water. Well done.
Milos Markovic
Peacefully rowing their way…
Etoile de Mer
Lovely!
Sheila Pasket
March 2009
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Sheila, thank you so much!!
Natasha Harsh
Lovely capture-congrats on being featured!
Blair Wainman
Wow!! What an awesome silhouette! You have the most incredible talent of capturing people in the most naturally interactive position. Well done!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo my dearest friend!! I am so happy to hear from you Blair!
Lee Donavon Hardy
Beautiful image Sharon…now i’m really tired of winter!
DesImages
A superb silhouette, and I can really feel the stillness and peace in this. Great work!
Lee Varney
wild shot!!! love it!!!
janfoster
truly wonderful capture : )
BlaizerB
this is really such a beautiful and striking image. well composed and super choice of exposure, cheers
Pete Costick
Congrats…..featured work
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Pete, thank you so much for the feature!
chrispua
Excellent photography.
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo my sweet friend, thank you so much Chris!
whalegeek
Sharon, your description of that evening near the water brought me to that special moment in time. Thank you for your eloquent essay. One terrific photo, too!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Gina!! Thank you so much sweetheart. This is one of my favourite images. I love the natural light and the amazing silhouette. I am so happy you enjoy it!
Rick & Deb Larson
So serene and tranquil, a moment in time that we would all like to be a part of, a beautiful capture and writing. Belated CONGRATS on it’s features!!! Take Care ~ Rick & Deb ~ :)
Sharon Mau
Aloha Deb and Rick, mahalo my sweet friends! I am so happy to hear from you. ‘Ae, it was a beautiful evening. I will always remember this night. Along with this wonderful encounter there was a most amazing sundog and a beautiful silver sunset reflected in this lovely lake so clearly it appeared as another dimension in time.
TheBlindHog
Beautiful image and text, Sharon. Thanks so much for capturing and sharing this wonderful moment.
John Edwards
A beautifully composed and atmospheric image
LisaR
Fantastic! It is even more special (I think) when it is the actual moment that is captured, there is just something about not needing any alterations to your photo, that it is just as you saw and captured it in that moment. This is truely one of those shots!
i l d i l a z...
Very nice capture!
Monika Juengling
This is wonderful!
Scott d'Almeida
incredible work,
Danica Radman ...
wow. outstanding picture
artisandelimage
beautiful composition !
my best, francis.
x- pose Klaus ...
So beautiful!!!
BigD
Excellent work
bubbleblue
Beautiful
JimFilmer
beautiful, peaceful and serene
Jan Timmons
Saw this on your webpage. Beautiful, Sharon.
RichardIsik
nice work..peaceful..
CarolM
This shot has a special silence to it. The only think I can hear is the sound of the paddles in the water. Anyone who has ever been on the water like this in the early, early morning or late evening can relate. Lovely image.
janfoster
wonderful capture Sharon : )
starikarp
wonderful cpture!
Yool
Wonderful photography….WOW!!!!!
Cheryl Lunde
Wonderful narrative! A gorgeous shot with great composition, well done!
Scott d'Almeida
cheers
Brenda Dow
Lovely scene….. I remember when…... thanks for the memories!!!!
Beautiful capture!!!!
Barbara Burkhardt
peaceful picture
Hans Goepel
Wonderful photography….WOW!!!!!
Thank you dear Sharon for your visits and constant support, dearly appreciated.
DawsonImages
Great silhouette
Sharon Mau
i l d i l a z...
Gorgeous silhouette image!
EvaMarIza
I love this image :)))
Sharon Mau replied
Aloha Eva, I love this image too, I am so happy you enjoy it, mahalo :))
waitin' for rain
awesome silhouettes !!
awefaul 6 days ago
I was going to say, like rowing on a mirror but the ‘pewter’ is better. Funny thing about silhouettes is that, if it wasn’t for the ripples, they could have gone the other way towards the top left. (See enlarged) . And, of course, the poem that is like a magnificent bowl that a delicious dish is served in.
Sharon Mau replied 2 days ago
Mahalo for your lovely note Faul :))
Marion Chapman 5 days ago
Sharon Mau replied 2 days ago
Aloha Marion, thank you so much for featuring my work in your wonderful group :)))
eoconnor 5 days ago
wonderful capture of a peaceful moment !!LIZ
Sharon Mau replied 2 days ago
Aloha Liz, thank you so much sweetheart :))))
Sharon Mau 2 days ago
ccwri 2 days ago
On your FEATURE!! Beautiful image :O) Carolyn