Golden Hour on the Setsuri River

• Prize
  Silver in Nature/Sunrise / Sunset
• Photographer
  Francis Leslie Zabala
• Technical Info
  1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 800, Full Frame
• Photo Date
  January 5, 2025

Early morning winter on the Setsuri River in Hokkaido, Japan. The air is frigid, -20 Celsius, and the landscape is a stark contrast of white and gold. The river, home to the majestic Japanese Crane, gleams with a golden light. Frost clings to the trees like delicate lace, and the banks are blanketed in snow. Two cranes stand tall, their silhouettes sharp against the river's mist. It's a scene of quiet beauty, a moment captured in the fleeting warmth of the golden hour