Accidents Happen

Hazel Road near Edwardsville, Illinois
Photograph by Tom Atwood

The most unusual and interesting part of this photograph is actually a mistake. During the almost nine-minute time exposure I abandoned my camera and went inside the van parked behind it along Hazel Road. It was cold (1 degree above zero) and I wanted to get warm. I turned on the engine, the tail lights came on, turning the snow bright red. I didn't realize it until I looked at the image and thought, "You ruined the picture." But the longer I looked at it, the glowing red snow, the more I realized I had not ruined it: I had accidentally made it better. Shutter: 512 seconds; Aperture: f/3.5; ISO: 100; Focal length: 18 mm.