The sun was fading slowly behind a lightly overcast sky. I liked the horizontal streaks in the clouds and the way the diffused sun warmed the facades of the vintage buildings surrounding Santa Fe’s famous Plaza. I did not count on a pigeon to fly through my frame at the moment I shot, but I will accept this gift of nature. The pigeon’s fluttering wings elevates this image from an evening mood piece to a memorable salute from the natural world.