John Moulton Barn at Sunrise - Grand Tetons NP...

     I left Devil’s Tower and was headed to western Wyoming anxious to view and photograph Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons. I crossed through Big Horn and Shoshoni National Forests and then over the
Continental Divide. With about 30 miles yet to navigate through Bridger Teton National Forest, I could sense as I drove through the coniferous forest, pines, spruce, firs and the tall aspens, high peaks and beautifully sunlit passes that I was nearing my destination. I yearned to get my first glimpse of the mountain range named by the early French voyagers that gave the name "Les Trois Tetons" (the three breasts) to the dominant peaks. My heart rate rose in anticipation of the first possible view. Without warning, as I rounded a curve and straight ahead, where the road carved out a view of the distant horizon, was the most wondrous view of the tops of the three peaks! The explorer in me now knew what it was like to be part of the Washburn - Langford - Doane Expedition in 1870 in seeing the mountain range for the first time in person.

     The Grand Teton valley floor has an elevation of 6,320 feet above sea level. The “Grand Teton Peak” rises 7,450 feet above the valley floor to an elevation of 13,770 feet. There is no other way of describing the feeling that comes with the view. It is humbling and absolutely breathtaking at the same time!

     My goal was to capture the morning light on these majestic mountains. I chose the Mormon Row Historic District because of the area being historically preserved. There are only two original barns still maintained, the T.A. Moulton barn and his brother John Moulton’s barn. Before dawn, I selected John Moulton’s barn due to the angle of the silhouette and the balance of peaks in the night sky from where I would be standing. I found an opening in the sage brush that connected to an access road to the barn that would add to the width of the planned panoramic photograph. I set up my gear and patiently waited for dawn and sunrise to occur.

     The dawn light created a glow over the mountains and the valley that awakened the birds. The
transition of the sun’s light from below the Earth’s edge started to brighten up the sky and dimmed the stars.
Although it seemed like an eternity, soon the highest peaks were illuminated by the sun’s morning rays. The sky was impressively clear and the sunlight became so bright. The dew was across the valley. As the sunlight made its way down to the bottom of the mountains, camera adjustments were checked, a deep breath was taken as the morning light reached the top of barn. For only a few minutes the sun would focus on the barn and then the fencing. Thoughts of capturing the image at the correct exposure and stopping for a moment to look up to forever remember the view at this perfect moment ran through my head. I will never forget that spectacular morning in front of the sunlit barn under the Grand Teton mountain range with the sun’s warm morning light.

     Capturing this emotion and propelling it forward through my photography is a gift that I am honored to share.