Potter Marsh in a Snap

I didn’t have much time. The sun was plunging, the good light dying. I rushed down a boardwalk extending into Potter Marsh—a wetland in south Anchorage beloved for its natural setting and wildlife viewing—hoping to find an image that conveyed the mood of the serene fall season. I caught sight about 100 yards away of the old, toppled tree trunk in a mirror-like pool. Perfect. I climbed over the railing, trudged through the marshes, sunk into the muck, and set up my tripod with one leg in six inches of water. In minutes, the glow disappeared and the scene darkened. But I had caught the moment in the quickest shoot of my career. I was ten minutes from my home, shoes soaking, caked with mud, and exhilarated.