A Colorful Sunset in Southern Illinois

Garden of the Gods, Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois

It’s hard to believe these rocky cliffs are located in Southern Illinois. The Shawnee National Forest has lots of beautiful areas, but the Garden of the Gods region has to be near the top of anyone’s list.

When I teach photography I like to spend some time talking about sunsets and sunrises. I think a lot of people miss the best part, and the evening I took this photo was a good example. There were quite a few people gathered on the rocks watching the sun go down. But, as soon as the sun dropped below the horizon, 90 percent of the people packed up and left – and they missed the dramatic light show that happens about 20 minutes after sunset.

The same goes for sunrise, but then the best time may be 20 minutes before sunrise. Those periods before sunrise and after sunset are called “civil twilight” and that’s the time when the most dramatic colors develop.

The next time you’re watching a sunset, stick around a little while and enjoy the show.

About Craig

I have a passion to create, and I'm fascinated with the tools and technologies of creativity. I strive to produce images that are graphically simple and technically precise in order to render beautiful photographic fine art prints. I work with a variety of digital transformations to create a finished image that reflects my artistic interpretation.
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