Although most of Yellowstone is constantly changing, nowhere is that more visible than at Mammoth Hot Springs. This section of the park is made up of pools of water that flow through the mountain of travertine rock before they reach the surface. The water then deposits the minerals into these terraces, which shift from year to year. And nothing gets in their way, including walkways, benches, and this poor tree!

Now, for all you budding photographers out there, please remember one very important fact: an overcast day makes for excellent pictures, as long as you DON’T INCLUDE THE OVERCAST SKY. The reason I broke that rule in this particular photo was because there were a few light fluffy clouds at the horizon, and the overcast sky really adds to the foreboding nature of this scene.

As for the picture itself, I was very happy with it. So happy, in fact, that I submitted it to my annual credit union’s photo contest. When the results came out, I was disappointed that it didn’t place at all in any category. That is, until I got a call from the credit union asking me if it I would please send them the original file for this picture, so they could use it for the front cover of their calendar! I kept that calendar at my desk at work for an entire year and never opened it once.