Some of the most memorable photographs are the ones that have what some would call bad weather. Early in my photographic journey, I always hoped that I would be blessed with blue skies and would be glad when they came. After studying other photographers' images, I realized that I had it all wrong. Plain blue skies are boring! I found that the images I liked the most were the ones that had clouds that contrasted with the sky. Even dark and stormy clouds add to the drama of a photo. Now when I head out, I hope for some not so good weather.
This image is a perfect example. When I headed out toward Colorado National Monument, the weather was actually pretty bad. It was stormy and raining a bit, and, if it continued, my planned sunset shoot would be a bust. As I drove up the road leading to the park, the sun began to break to the west, and I was rewarded with some terrific golden hour light on the sandstone rock formations. Even better, the dark and stormy clouds were still visible to the east. My kind of photographic contrast, and it reinforced the notion of heading out to a location no matter what the weather looks like.