The Monument
We woke up early in Keystone and packed the car. It was hard to know what was in store, or when would be a good time or place to snap the picture that we’d done so much to prepare for. We rushed through the basics. I was making coffee. “Happy anniversary,” Katrina said through the bathroom door. I laughed and gave her a hard time. I apologized for the rush, knowing it wasn’t the most ideal circumstance to be celebrating our first year as a married couple.
The kids watched some cartoons as we packed the car, and then we were off!
The weather was perfect, so the place was packed with people when we arrived around 10 AM. Most people wore masks, and I even forgot to take mine off for our first snap, but there was construction leading up to the main lookout area. So we were pressed closely in as we walked up to view the mountain.
The amenities were amazing, despite the pandemic. They had temporary toilets because of the construction, but hand washing areas with sanitizer. So it made up for it. You could tell the construction was to make things even better, and the setup was so much better than I anticipated. I guess I didn’t know what to expect. My best reference point was from Team America.
“Happy anniversary.”
Katrina, through the bathroom door.
We didn’t know what to expect with COVID, either, but we had a sense that things were going to be busy if getting the last room available in our motel in Keystone was any indication.
We were nervous and unsure of where to set up. We didn’t know how to take the shot. We also didn’t know what kind of reactions we’d get, if any. Or what kind of restrictions might exist. We looked for a place that didn’t have so many people because I wanted to get a shot that featured just our family, and our flag, and our Black Lives Matter sign.
I peered over the edge of the Grand View Terrace and saw the Amphitheater below, mostly empty and bathed in sunlight. It was electrifying, and I couldn’t even believe how perfect the setup was. I instantly knew where to go and how to frame the shot.
We just had to get down there and do it.
The elevators were out of service, so Katrina picked up Tori, and I picked up her stroller packed with all our gear… and headed down. We set up and I took some shots of Aiden and the family to test things out and make sure I had the best angle with the right lighting. We had to adjust and stand down in the Amphitheater to take full advantage of the available sunlight. But it worked!
I forgot to take my mask off for the first shot, and it wound up being everything that I wanted and more. I almost picked another image (featured in the gallery), but decided to go back to that original snap. What better representation for the weird pandemic life that we’re living through?
