Picture of the Day - May 26, 2009

Sunset on Mount Saint Helens

Photo courtesy of Winston Rockwell.                (Click on the photo for a larger view) Today's picture by master photographer Winston Rockwell is really quite remarkable, and so is his "story" behind it: "On May 18, 1980, Mount Saint Helens in south central Washington erupted, sending ash and smoke for hundreds of miles across the countryside. Fifty-seven people were killed, the mountain lost over 1,300 feet off its top, leaving a crater over a mile wide. Trees were flattened over an area of more than 230 square miles, and the landslide that followed sent mud and debris down the Toutle River as far as Castle Rock, near I-5. The eruption released over 24 megatons of energy... 1600 times more destructive power than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War II! On this sunny afternoon in late May 29 years later, however, the volcano was peaceful, and only the crater and the barren, almost lifeless flanks of the mountain bear witness to the incredible destruction that happened here. Standing at the Johnston Ridge observatory, looking across the valley at the crater five miles away, it was hard to imagine the hell on earth this mountain unleashed, and as the setting sun began painting the snow on the crater rim in pastel shades of evening, I was struck by the incredible, stark beauty of the scene before me. In the silence, where the only sound was the wind in the valley and the occasional call of a bird, I found myself feeling very humble and small. It was a vivid reminder that for all of humanity's knowledge and technology, we are still as insects compared to the incredible power of Nature."    --Winston Rockwell Here are the camera, accessories and settings used to capture this amazing image: Camera: Canon EOS 5D Lens: Tamron SP24-135 Focal length: 40mm Shutter speed: 1/30 second Aperture: f/13 ISO: 200 Accessories: Tripod and Remote Shutter Release Mr. Rockwell invites you to visit www.northwestnaturalimagery.com where you will find many more of his spectacular images.     Visitor Comments... Name: Travis Seymour Town: Midland, TX Gorgeous shot Mr. Rockwell. I remember the TV coverage of the devastation following the eruption, and it's quite interesting to see the crater where the top of the mountain blew off in such an up-close and personal way.     Name: Ron Trees Town: Spokane, WA Such magical light on this one Rocky!! Very well done. We were up there a few years back and your photo brings back many good memories. It is incredible the devastation that this eruption made that is still evident today. Very nice photo!     Name: Phyllis Helton Town: Bristol, VA Fascinating! Photo and commentary.   Comment on today's picture  |  View previous "Pictures Of The Day"  |  Submit a photo Why I publish the "Picture Of The Day"