Photo of the Week: Nov. 10, 2011

HOW I GOT THE SHOT: This photo can only be described as "rescued from the rubbish bin." The conditions of the day seemingly defied any possibility for success, so I had resigned myself to a pleasant walk amongst the vines. Only later – in fact several years later – did I rediscover this image with fresh eyes while researching a book project. The reason for my initial rejection, I believe, is that the photo lacks a strong center of interest and appears to be nothing more than a random snap of a mountain valley.

On closer inspection and with the wisdom of hindsight, I realized just how rare was this moment. Landscapes seldom repeat themselves, and subsequent autumns have just not lived up to the fall of 2005 in the Judean Mountains south of Jerusalem, where I shot this image.
In this photo, I sought merely to include the breadth of the varied color and texture of the valley, ablaze at the peak of nature's finest seasonal magic. I worked in a smattering of dark green trees and brush, which help to define the crop and contrast with the brighter colors of the vines and fruit trees. There wasn't much else to do, except maybe stand and applaud, which I often do when witnessing a marvel of creation.

Technical Data: Nikon D70, 28-105 zoom at 100mm, f13 @ 1/25th sec., ISO 400.