P#13: A Dramatic Photograph of a Cloudy Day at Denali National Park

When the Clouds Break

Jennifer Wu: This photograph was taken at Denali National Park. It's a photograph of a mountain and a peak I found there.

I was in Denali for a few weeks. It rained and it was overcast and gray. I was like, "Oh man, I'm just not getting anything."

Finally, one day, a few of us were having lunch. I looked out and it looked like the clouds were starting to break. It's so important to pay attention to the clouds and the light and the weather when you're trying to get shots. In just five minutes, everything can change dramatically. (click the image for a larger version)

I ran out, left my lunch, and saw the light starting to come through. I was like, "Oh, this is fantastic." I got a little bit of evening light here on the mountain during the fall colors, and then the clouds broke and I saw the peak come up through the top. It was great.

It's a really fun time to be able to photograph in those conditions.

In Closing

Sometimes observation is the best way to get great photographs. Because Jennifer was able to observe the changes in the weather and the lighting, she was able to capture this dramatic photo of Denali National Park.