Copyright remains with Ashokan Gopalan. Please do not reuse this photograph without permission.
It was the morning of the autumn equinox, the valley was quiet, the air was cold and thin and the water still. At about ten to seven, the light began to arrive. At the far end of the valley, where the two slopes meet, a single cloud caught the first sun and lit up like an ember, with a pale glow above it that hinted at the sunrise still to come. Thin streaks of pink cloud drifted across the sky and the lake repeated every one of them.
On the left, the dry russet hillside already held the warm light, with scattered pines and a small wooden dock at the shore. On the right, a dark wall of evergreens climbed the mountain, with bright patches of green and gold where the aspens were beginning to turn. Autumn had only just begun here and the first gold was showing in the aspens.
The valley held its breath for a few minutes, and the lake kept the whole scene.
Comments are for approved members
Public previews can be shared for marketing, while community discussion stays inside CPA.
Log In