Pic of the Week 4/1/22

“Sunset Tree Panorama”

Location: Burkburnett, TX

Date taken: 3/14/22

Sunset Tree PanoramaPanoramic image of a beautiful sunset under our local "Sunset Tree".

© Ben Jacobi

I love traveling to new photo locations. I love the opportunity to explore and photograph different areas. Sometimes, I’ll drive 5+ hours just to capture one image. After all, the adventure is the journey not the destination. But then there are times when I can’t get too far way from home. What do I do then? Well thankfully, I have a cache of extra photo locations in my Google Earth software for just such an occasion. These are subjects/locations I come across while out driving or just by browsing Google Earth. I have them for all kinds of distances, <30mi, <60mi, <90mi, <120mi, <150mi, etc. This really comes in handy on spur-of-the-moment-type photo shoots.

For example, while driving back from my in-law’s home I noticed this peculiar mesquite tree off the access road. The tree had an interesting shape could make for a good subject. When I got closer to examine the tree, I saw there was a stock tank directly behind it. The nearby ground had been dug out and pack to form an encompassing berm around the stock tank. This formed a little hill in which the tree planted itself. The gentle rolling of the berm made a much more interesting horizon line that could benefit the foreground. The background looked to be clear of any powerlines and other distractions, which meant I would have a clear view of the eastern horizon.  Lastly, the tree was facing west and towards the interstate—this would make it the ideal location for sunset photography. It also didn’t hurt that is just three miles down the road from my apartment!

Ashlee and I have utilized this tree on several occasions, but this was the first time I found an interesting enough sky to compliment the silhouette of the tree. High clouds had rolled in the area earlier that evening, and since we didn’t have to drive very far, we gambled on the sunset and won! A spread of beautiful pastel colors painted the sky above the Sunset Tree. Oranges, pinks, reds, golds, cyans, and blues all mixed to create a striking color palette on the scene. It was simple as show up and wait for the color. Like I said, I do enjoy experiencing new photography locations, but watching and shooting a stunning sunset practically in my backyard is just pure bliss. The best part was I didn’t have a long drive to get back home. Five minutes later, we were back at the apartment and heating up some dinner.