This picture comes from the football game last weekend against N.C. State in Lane Stadium. The game started around 3:30, so we were all still in the stands as the sun set to the West. There were a bunch of clouds along the horizon which made for some really cool colors as the sun sank lower and lower. At the bottom of the picture is the top corner of the south endzone, shot from our group section in the east stands. I happened to look up during a break in the action and was captivated by the two contrails. As a piece of random trivia, this is photo #2222 that I’ve taken since I got my new camera this summer.
The first thing that really catches my eye in this shot is the transition in color of the two contrails. They fade from a bright orangish-white at the bottom to a much darker gray at the top of the image. I’m not entirely sure why the ends closest to the top are so much darker than the bottoms, but it makes for a really cool effect. Even the middle sections of the trails are neat, with a mixture of dark and light. The regular clouds in the picture are also colored nicely, with pretty much the same pattern. The ones closest to the top are much darker, and the ones at the bottom, behind the stadium, are a deep, vibrant orange color. Those clouds at the bottom give the whole picture a kind of moody feel, which is definitely enhanced by the silhouette of the stadium. The black of the stands and the flag seem to bring out the dark orange color in the clouds surrounding them. I also like that there were a few people standing up along the back row of the stands to break up the line of the top of the stadium. The waving flag also helps.
I returned to Blacksburg today after a thanksgiving break that was, for the most part, very relaxing. Sure, I had a lot of work to do while I was home, but at least I was at home. I didn’t have to go to class every day, and I got to see my family again, which is always a plus. There’s only a week and a half left of the semester before exams, but I feel like it’s going to be a very busy time for me. I already know about two projects and a test that I’ll have during that time. Then there’s exams, one Friday morning, one Monday morning (on my birthday 😦 ), and one Thursday afternoon. At least they’re all spread out. But at least there are a couple of things to look forward to. There’s always salsa, and I get to teach my first intermediate lesson tomorrow night, which is exciting. We also usually have a few community events like the Mentor toast at the end of the semester which are fun. Anyway, I look forward to getting back in touch with people after being away for a week.
As an interesting aside, I went running this afternoon in order to stretch my legs after the 4.5 hour ride. As I turned past the cross country course, a hawk swooped down and across the road right in front of me and landed in a tree about 15 feet away on my left. It perched on the highest branch in the tree, stretched and flapped its wings three times and then turned around and looked straight at me. I stopped and stared back for a few seconds before it flew away again. Too bad I didn’t have a camera with me.
-Ben
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