My name is Alec Halstead, and I navigate life through the lens of a camera and the perspective of a 23-year military veteran. My journey has led me to witness and document the world's ugliness and horror. Yet, amidst the chaos, I've discovered an ability to find beauty in the smallest details—a gift I'm compelled to share with the world.
Yesterday was a prime example. My wife and I had to go to Kingston, N.Y. Coming back across the bridge, I looked down the river, the mist on the water so thick you couldn't see anything. I decided to take the back roads along the river on our way home to a spot I know with a gorgeous view of the Rondout Light, where the Rondout Creek meets the Hudson.
It had been a cloudy, rainy, foggy day all day. The air was still, thick with dampness and humidity, the temperature hanging just above freezing. Broken ice flows dotted the river, and the fog hung over the water like a thick blanket, reminiscent of a scene from a Stephen King story.
I looked across the river at the lighthouse, the scene breathtaking. The creek and the river were all fogged in, a weird glow from the struggling sun filtered through the clouds. The river was clogged with broken-up ice, creating a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow. It was so beautiful that I couldn't resist capturing the moment.
Setting up my camera, I took a few shots, hoping to freeze the magic I was witnessing. When I got home and reviewed what I had captured, I was humbled by the scene. Nature, even in the midst of a cloudy and damp day, could be so breathtaking. It reminded me that amidst life's chaos, there's always a moment of beauty waiting to be discovered and shared.
