St Paul Skyline Sunset Print: Mississippi River, Minnesota Wall Art

From $33.75 · fulfilled through Etsy

One of the best views of downtown St. Paul is from Indian Mounds Regional Park and I've certainly taken advantage of the view previously to photograph the skyline. In fact one of my favorite photos is a sunset view when the skies suddenly turned blue and pink. I was back to try again almost a year after taking that favorite photo but hoping for something different. It might seem strange to go to the same location to take a different photo but so much of what can make a photo dramatic and spectacular is the lighting and the weather. Ever since capturing my first skyline photo with a dramatic sky I wanted to feel the rush again and so I was back again in the spot. I've also come to understand that getting a good sky is very much a roll of the dice. There are certainly times when there are no clouds in the sky and there is zero chance of a dramatic sunset. But clouds don't always make for a dramatic sunset. The hardest thing is to be in the right spot when the sky is beautiful or dramatic unless you have the time to show up every day just in case. But even though there have been way too many times I've gone out to photograph but come back with nothing, I was back at it again. I don't give up too easily. I drove out to Mounds Park watching the sky the entire way. The clouds looked gray with no sign of any color but I knew it was still early. I unzipped my backpack and reached in, feeling the velcro strap holding my camera in place. After setting up I just stood there for a moment and again accessed the sky. No color yet. I could hear the roar of a train passing at the bottom of the cliff below. I shifted my gaze toward the river and noticed that in the span of just a few days since I had last been here, the ice had almost completely disappeared. Another photographer and companion showed up and set up a few feet from me. I could hear their muffled conversation. Dog walkers came and went, passing by on the walking path just a few feet away. I viewed the image I was about to photograph through my camera's viewfinder as I reached up and felt the ridges of my control dial and I adjusted my settings to compensate for the decrease of light. Then I backed away, and took in the view. Far in the distance I could see the downtown lights start to come on. I felt a slight chill from the breeze. I felt happy to be there, in this spot, taking in the view as the lights of the city continued to come on. I started shooting, first starting with the classic view zoomed in as the orange in the sky became more prominent. Something wasn't right. I realized that if I wanted to capture more of the color I needed to zoom out. I tried various compositions and exposures but soon realized that I just wasn't feeling it. Somehow the view was wonderful but for some reason what I was seeing through my camera wasn't doing it justice. I shot more but soon the color was starting to leave the sky and I didn't see the point of taking more photos. The light wouldn't be getting any better. Did I have anything special? I was pretty sure I didn't. So maybe this would be another one of those nights I would return home without any photos I felt excited about. I quickly packed up and headed for my car. As I approached the street the bluff line was much closer to the sidewalk and I noticed the view again. I hadn't particularly thought much of the view from this point previously. I had been trying to get the sweep of the railroad tracks and road below in my photo and that wasn't possible from this spot. But I realized this spot afforded a view that better included the other side of the river, and now that it was darker, the city lights. I also noticed the last traces of color in the sky were off in this direction and was a close match for the orange light on the bridge. I quickly set up and started shooting. Maybe I would get a shot I was excited about after all! And just like that I came away from the evening with a keeper! And I particularly love how the color of the city can be so different depending on the sky. Production and Shipping Time: 5 days for printing, 5 days for shipping. There are 4 ways to print these images. 1). Premium Photo Paper • High quality, professional paper-prints • Sharp, vivid and rich color sets this apart from a casual photo print • Long lasting • Intended to be placed in a frame • Optional framing is available. Contact me directly for options and prices. 2) Ready to Hang Canvas • Ready to hang right out of the box with zero assembly required • Gorgeous finished look • Well-known, high-end way of displaying photographs • 1.5 inch thick wooden stretcher-bars give it shape (similar to a traditional painting) • No staples or ugly lines visible on the sides • Optional framing available. Contact me directly for options and prices. 3). Acrylic Prints • Light refracts through the museum-quality acrylic bringing vibrancy and depth • Premium polished, best-in-class, 99.9% optically pure acrylic 1/8” thick • Superb image quality from edge to edge • Absolutely stunning, brilliant color! • Back mount frame with lip ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box. • Optional framing available. Message me for options and prices. 4). Metal Prints • White Gloss Chromaluxe Aluminum • Texture and shine of the metal creates depth and dimension so your photos truly stand out • Incredibly durable and long-lasting • Scratch-resistant, waterproof, and resistant to fading • Lightweight, extremely robust and durable • Back mount frame with lip ready to hang on your wall, right out of the box • Optional framing available. Contact me directly for options and prices.

The term “Etsy” is a trademark of Etsy, Inc. This application uses the Etsy API but is not endorsed or certified by Etsy, Inc.