The yellow flowers of the alien looking agave plant certainly contrast the landscape. Once this plant flowers, it will die and eventually topple over.
I have always found the Okanagan Valley in the interior of British Columbia to be strikingly beautiful. However, every attempt I have made to photograph this unique landscape has resulted in a struggle to walk away with any images that I am truly happy with. It wasn't until I spent a week in Vernon while attending a course for work, that I began to find all sorts of "off the beaten path" areas I have missed during all my previous trips to this region. Lining Okanagan Lake, the sandpaper-like granite slabs have a tendency to reflect a warm glow revealing their textured surface well after the sun has fallen below the horizon. This is truly a photographer's paradise. This experience has served as a reminder to break away from the routine I tend find myself in of continuously photographing what's obvious, and try focus more attention on what makes an area unique.
During my one-day visit to Smith Rock in Central Oregon, I was busy trying to capture as much as possible before losing the morning light. I was so engulfed with what I was doing; I never noticed the hot air balloon passing by. At the last second, I was able to switch to my telephoto lens and capture this image just before the balloon disappeared behind the rocks. When I spotted the balloon, I knew it was a magnificent photo opportunity since it would really help give scale to the size of the foreground rocks that make up Smith Rock. It was a complete bonus to get the North Sister volcano in the background.
