In 2008 my wife Joyce and I enjoyed a hiking tour through the French Alps. What gorgeous country this is! The day of our hike through the Claree Valley was overcast and drizzly, but that didn't dampen our spirits. Instead, it increased the vibrance and saturation of the colors of the vegetation. At every bend in the trail, new and more beautiful vistas unfolded. For this paricular view, I hiked some distance off the trail, down into the valley. My reward was a composition that contains and (I feel) balances most of the scenic elements: mountains, lush vegetation, windblown trees, rocks, and a fast-moving stream. I paid special attention to how the diagonals in this image play off of each other, contributing a certain energy that reflects the structure of this dramatic terrain.