In a previous article, I mentioned how the forces of nature can sometimes conspire to thwart good photography.  Here’s a counter example.  A convenient boardwalk skirts alongside Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.  The steam coming up from the water appears colored, showing the colors of the microbial mats surrounding the spring.  The blue sky and clouds cooperated marvelously, showing almost the negative of the colors in the water.  It was windy, sometimes blowing the steam into the lens, but only a little patience was required before the same wind parted the steam to enable seeing across the water.  Even the bison contributed to the interest, as their hoof marks are visible in the brown and tan areas in the foreground.  I was lucky to be there with a camera at that moment when the forces of nature collaborated for photographic good.

 

This shot was taken with a Canon EF 20-35mm f/2.8L lens, at the 20mm focal length, with an exposure of 1/400s at f/8.0.  Modest polarization helped cut the glare on the water.