The Veil of Night

The vast mountain ranges of Vancouver Island offer some of the best conditions to photograph in. Due to our proximity to the ocean, the ever-changing marine layer cloaks our coastal mountains with dynamic fog, mist, and clouds. Gavin Hardcastle, Amanda, Colin Jackson, and I gauged the weather conditions and knew we would be in for something special.
After an enjoyable time photographing the peaks near the summit during sunset, I made my way down to basecamp and rendezvous with the crew. Completely socked in with clouds, I leisurely scouted for a potential composition for a twilight image. This shot, not more than 20 meters from my tent, stood out to me instantly. The heather flowers, along with the leading lines provided by the rocks, made for an interesting foreground, and the simple yet balanced frame of the trees created the perfect midground to help drive the viewer into what would hopefully be an epic background. With the temperature dropping, along with the winds dying down, I had a sneaky suspicion that the clouds would lower and dissipate, and I would get my "epic background." Not less than 10 minutes after setting up my shot, the moon started to peak through the dissipating clouds, and the beautiful Mackenzie Range revealed itself in all its glory.

Just a typical night in the Island Alpine.

Hope you enjoy!