This is perhaps one of the most dramatic photos I have ever taken, yet its taking was neither deliberate nor even imagined.

After a particularly hard hike through Zion that day, we decided to call it a day even though it was only 5PM, and we had other sights planned in our itinerary. Thankfully we made the right decision because an hour later, a lightning storm rolled into the park; by then, we were already well on the road heading out of the park. My girlfriend was driving, and for a very brief stretch, there was a break in the treeline to reveal this sight. By chance, my camera was already on my lap, so I quickly rolled down the window, adjusted the settings, and snapped a shot just as our car disappeared at 40 miles an hour back behind the treeline.

It was humbling to realize that although I have spent much time and effort trying to become a better photographer, the element of being in the right place at the right time will always be just as, if not more, important. All I can do is learn to try to create more of those opportunities and be ready when the time comes.