Sunset from Raven's Roost Overlook
Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
Aperture f/0 Shutter 0/1 Focal Length 0/1 
Apr, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Raven's Roost Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. It's about a 30 minute drive from my house and is my 'go-to' place anytime I need to clear my head. It offers one of those views that you could never grow tired of seeing. Each time is just as magical and awe-inspiring as the first time. More about the Blue Ridge Parkway: http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/Time
On this particular day in April, I drove up to the parkway in the late afternoon. Unlike the many other times I have gone to the overlook, this was the first time I had the entire place all to myself for a good 45 minutes or so. After that only one other couple showed up. Having such a gorgeous location to yourself is something to take advantage of, so I stayed there for a couple of hours and waited for the sun to set.Lighting
Mother Nature did all the work. The sky was a vibrant blend of pinks, oranges, blues, and purples.Equipment
Nikon D7200 with a Nikon 18-300mm lens. No tripod or flash used.Inspiration
It's hard to put it into words, but there is something very inspiring about the tree shown on the left side of the picture. It stands so resolutely at the very edge of this overlook growing in the midst of the jagged rocks. When you pair it with a spectacular array of colors from a gorgeous sunset, it's simply magical.Editing
I did some post-processing to this photo. Nothing too major though because the sky was an extraordinary array of colors. When processing the RAW photo, I decreased the highlights, slightly increased the shadows and dark areas, and I bumped up the saturation by just a smidge.In my camera bag
It was only about a year when I first stepped outside of my comfort zone to begin shooting in any mode other than "automatic". It's been a lot of trial and error along the way, and I still have so much to learn - both in technique and equipment. Currently, I have my trusted Nikon D7200 and two lenses: a Nikon 18-300mm and a Tokina 11-16mm.Feedback
I think the one piece of advice I have to offer is to take photos from many different vantage points and various distances away from the object (in this particular photo, the tree). I took a bunch of photos while sun was setting, and this particular photo was one of the last shots I had taken. So I guess it pays to keep experimenting.
