ColorChallenge; Green Thursday:

“At the Source of All Greens”

Photography and text by @eric-boucher.

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_{Photo taken on my way out of Lake O’Hara, during the best hiking day of my life, Yoho National Park, Canada, August 4th, 2016. Canon PowerShot SX60 HS, ISO 125, 5.525, ƒ/4, 1/125.}

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The cadence of my steps were suddenly halted by a stunning image of perfect proportions: Happily tired and gratified by the most beautiful hike I had ever experienced in my life, while not being as exhausted as my friend Sylvain who had just came back from a hike worth a marathon all the way up to the highest cabin in the Canadian Rockies and back, the sight of a pristinely untouched spring flowing out of its natural environment caught my heart and soul on the fly.

Not even wanting to drink from it fearing to disturb its beauty, I crouched down feeling the strain in my thighs not quite burning, but definitely soar. The framing was easy sailing in this dimming late afternoon light, luckily, as our throbbing muscles were only dreaming of a solid rest. To boot, an even stronger motive was ticking as we were trying to beat the clock to catch a bus ride arriving within minutes and requiring our departure. This alone was strong enough of an incentive not to linger around for too long. Thus, I caught the shot and almost mindlessly kept on going…

As months went by, the picture often came running through my screen saver and never missed a chance to catch my eyes one more time. Thus, today, I share with you this picture, elevated by its lush greens nesting the purest of springs in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.

The spurting edginess of most rocks and the few branches is complemented by the roundness of the water’s edge surrounding the spring’s outflowing waters. The growing green hues melt back and forth with yellows and reddish-orange. Meanwhile, the greys, as well as the black and white tones are sparse throughout the general area centralized around the presence of water, rocks, lichens and the finger-like dried tree limbs protrude toward empty space.

Poetry in situ still summon feelings of elation, to this day: The feelings experienced while living at this elevation and the oxygen laden air still punctuated, somehow, by the smooth ensuing gurgling of the creek, my mind soars to this heavenly shrine.