Downtown Reflection - The Dallas nighttime skyline reflects in the flooded Trinity River

When the Trinity River spreads out between the levees, the bright colors of downtown shine!
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It was a rainy night in October when I found myself climbing down inside the Trinity River levee with my camera gear. The spot I had picked out was just a couple of feet above the rapidly flowing floodwater. The grass was wet and slippery and I was carrying my heavy (very stable) tripod so I was being extra-careful. The river was at about 35 feet, 5 feet over flood stage, and I could see a few tree branches floating past, washed down from upstream. The rain had slowed to a drizzle and though the river was high, it was almost silent.

This was my first stop for the night, trying to capture the colorful Dallas skyline reflected in the overflowing river. The grey clouds overhead still had a little glow remaining from the setting sun, but the brilliant blues and greens of the skyline dominated the view. From my chosen location I could see smooth and turbulent areas of the river, fracturing and diffusing the downtown buildings. The silhouettes of the partly-submerged trees along the completely submerged riverbank lurked below the cityscape. The lights on Reunion Tower were shifting shapes and colors, but when the blue heart appeared I knew I had my shot!

I trekked back up the levee and made the journey upstream to the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. This iconic bridge has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Dallas. The clouds were dark, illuminated only by the city lights from below, and the brightly lit bridge stood out brilliantly against this backdrop. Again I scrambled down the slippery slope, trying to keep the rain and the river off of my camera! For this shot I wanted a smoother reflection and the river was more turbulent around the bridge, so I chose a longer exposure. That gave the small spots of color a chance to stand out against the white & black. And you can still see the star in the Texas flag!

The rain was getting harder as I made my way back up the levee, with a smile on my face because I knew that I had caught the essence of the evening from the banks of the flooded Trinity River!