Downtown Bellevue Sunset - November 11

As I was slogging away at my computer late in the afternoon last Friday, I received a phone call from my wife Sue.  She was very excited about the “amazing lighting” that she was seeing as she was driving into Bellevue on some errands, and wanted to know what I could see from our house.  I popped open the window shade and looked out the window, and could tell that the lighting was really something special.  Having learned the hard way that special lighting doesn’t stick around very long, I wasn’t sure whether there was a chance of getting a photo or not.  But I quickly grabbed my camera and jumped in the car, with a location in mind that I hoped would give me a good overlook of the city.

As I drove, and started to reach an unblocked look at the sunset, I was tempted to stop and shoot while there was still light.  The colors were incredible; the sky was a cloudy and very dark, but there was a window in the clouds that allowed the setting sun to shine through, creating amazing orange light.  The maple trees along that road that were hit by the sunlight looked like they were on fire, with the orange light combining with the colors of the leaves.  But much as I wanted to get some shots of the trees I kept driving, hoping that I would make it to the spot I had in mind in time to get the photo I was seeing in my head.

As I drove up the hill to the location, I was able to see all of downtown Bellevue below and to the east.  The light was reflecting off of the buildings, and there was even a huge rainbow that completely spanned the city.  I jumped out of the car and started shooting.  Within the space of less than a minute the sun dropped low enough that there was no longer any light hitting the city, and the moment was gone.  I only wish i had gotten there 15 minutes earlier, I’d probably still be sorting and editing the photos I might have taken.  But I did get a few good shots, and here is my favorite.  Hope you like it!