Wildfires have been burning in much of the western United States, before my trip to Montana the skies here in the Salt Lake Valley had been filled with it causing milky looking skies with a slight yellowish tinge. All the way from Salt Lake City, through Idaho and into southwestern Montana. I kept hoping that the smoke would drift away and that the fires would go out.

Smokey sunrise over the Lower LakeSmokey sunrise over the Lower Lake – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/180, ISO 320, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm at 120mm, natural light

The smoke-filled sky created interesting conditions at sunrise, the sun glowed differently as it rose above the mountains to the east of the misty Lower Lake.

Sunrise with smoke filled skiesSunrise with smoke-filled skies – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/8000, ISO 320, -2.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm at 56mm, natural light

This image was taken the same morning as the first image, a little later and closer to the water.

Smokey sunrise over the Lower LakeSmoke-filled sunrise over the Lower Lake – Nikon D200, f16, 1/2500, ISO 320, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm at 200mm

On another morning I zoomed in all the way with my 18-200mm VR lens to capture the mist rising off of the lake as the sun rose into the layer of smoke as American Coots scurried around on the water’s surface.

While I was in southwestern Montana during the daylight hours the smoke seemed to either dissipate because of the wind or it hung over the mountains, a reminder of the large wildfires burning in neighboring Idaho.

The smoke got in the way for creating crisp images of the beautiful landscapes of southwestern Montana yet it also helped me to create the images above.

Life is good.

Mia

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