This museum grade fine art photograph is available in a fine art limited edition of 200, signed and numbered with a signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance.
Halo - Mount Hood Aurora Borealis Reflections in Trillium Lake
Trillium Lake, Mount Hood, Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon
The Aurora Borealis over Mount Hood Reflecting in Trillium Lake in the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon
The Aurora Borealis dances across the night sky above Mount Hood. Fog begins to rise from Trillium Lake as Mount Hood and the Aurora reflects in the calm, still waters below while the vibrant pillars of the Northern Lights dance across the night sky above during a KP index of KP7 with a southward Bz of -20nT during a G3 geomagnetic storm. Trees rise up next to Trillium Lake, reflecting in the water while Zigzag Glacier, White River Glacier, and Palmer Glacier (Palmer Snowfield) blanket the upper slopes of Mount Hood in mid-October. Green and magenta colors of the Aurora Borealis dance across the sky like a Halo crowning Mount Hood, reflecting like a mirror in the silent waters of Trillium Lake while the Northern Lights come alive in all its glory.
This luxury limited-edition museum-grade print captures the Aurora Borealis over snow covered Mount Hood in mid-October reflecting in the mirror-like waters of Trillium Lake as fog blankets the water. It is part of James Mead's fine art documentation of Mount Hood and the Cascade Range, and is available as a limited edition luxury museum-grade fine art print by James Mead.
The Magic of the Northern Lights over Mount Hood and Trillium Lake
The Aurora Borealis is always hit-and-miss in the lower 48. Plenty of times I've headed out, only to find a faint Aurora glow emanating up from the horizon and not the dancing pillars I had hoped for. On this night, the weather was cold and I was a little over 3 months out from a widowmaker heart attack where I'd coded out for 2 minutes before my wife quite literally slapped me back to life while screaming for me to not leave her (something I'm eternally grateful for). My original cardiologist had me convinced just days prior to this that I didn't have long and needed an insanely priced surgery to "live a good life sitting in a chair" (he was wrong on both counts).
The Auroras were predicted to show up, but I was in too much of a funk to go chase them. I decided I wasn't going to head out; I was too down and worried. As I sat at my computer, the light above me and the light across the room started to flicker. These are lights that had not done this before (and have not done this since), so I took that as a sign from heaven that better days were ahead. My Dad had passed away 10 years earlier, and I thought maybe this was Dad telling me from the other side that I should live my life, enjoy the wonders of nature and head out. So, I talked to my wife, grabbed my cold weather gear, grabbed my camera gear and headed up the mountain, just as I've done my entire life whenever inspiration from nature gets the better of me.
It was 22° Fahrenheit, so I bundled up in multiple winter layers and headed out to Trillium Lake to wait. At first, it was the typical aurora glow in the sky without pillars that I've seen so many times over Mount Hood. Then it happened: greens, magentas, and pillars all dancing like a halo above the peak of Mount Hood and the waters of Trillium Lake.
It was honestly just what I needed at that moment, and it pretty much immediately pulled me out of my funk. It was as if a halo from heaven was sent down to dance in the skies above Mount Hood, while reminding me everything would be alright. The next day, I found a new cardiologist for a second opinion and scheduled an appointment with him. After testing, he would tell me I was perfectly fine, didn't need an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator) and things were looking up. He also told me not only did I not need surgery, testing showed I didn't even qualify for it. It was another boost of confidence I needed right when I needed it.
In the years since, I've gained my confidence back, continued to increase my ejection fractions and continued to see many wondrous things in nature. Looking back at this moment, the halo in the heavens above crowning Mount Hood that night was right: better days were ahead. It all started this moment, when those pillars from heaven lit the skies above Mount Hood like a sign from heaven to always keep the faith. Over the years, I've learned out in nature you'll often find just what you need right when you need it. It's these quiet moments in those thin places that blur the line between Heaven and Earth where things truly begin to make sense, and after a literal lifetime of visiting Mount Hood, it still does that for me every time I lay eyes on it.
This photo is dedicated to my good friend Robyn Lakeman, who I've photographed with at this spot before when she was visiting the area. She passed before I was able to show her this photo. RIP my friend! You're missed!!
Technical Specifications
- Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8 L II
- Settings: 24mm | f/2.8 | 20 Seconds | ISO 3200
- Process: Manual 7-Frame Median Stack for Foreground Noise Reduction | Single Exposure Aurora Night Sky & Water (to preserve dancing pillars and mirror reflections) | In-Camera Long Exposure (The Mead Method)
Note on Provenance
This photo uses median stacking to ensure clean shadows and details throughout the frame. It is natural to the scene as it was taken. Exposures were taken back to back, one immediately after the other. Captured using the "Mead Method" developed over 15 years of nightscape experience. No trackers, no sky-swaps, and no generative AI. Just a single moment in time, preserved.
Photo © copyright by James Mead.
Chromaluxe® Metal Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
Vibrant. Modern. Impactful.
My Chromaluxe® Metal Fine Art Prints offer a sleek, modern presentation that’s both bold and beautiful. Using a high-heat dye sublimation process, each image is infused directly into a specially coated aluminum panel resulting in vibrant colors, ultra-sharp detail, and a striking glossy finish. The dye sublimation process infuses the image directly into the metal, creating a scratch resistant surface while helping provide permanent protection.
These prints feature:
• Vivid, color-rich surfaces ideal for modern spaces
• High contrast and incredible sharpness: perfect for clean compositions and bold landscapes
• Durable and lightweight aluminum construction
• Float mount backing for a frameless, floating display. Ready to hang out of the box
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
These metal prints are ideal for collectors seeking a contemporary look with museum-quality output. Resistant to scratch, moisture and UV fading, they work beautifully in both home and office settings.
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Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
Museum-Grade Brilliance. Gallery-Worthy Depth.
Bring home the brilliance of nature with the industry’s finest print medium. My Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints are crafted using a state-of-the-art process that infuses archival pigments into a transparency layer, backed by a clear acrylic backer and mounted under crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic. This creates a luminous, almost 3D effect. Colors appear to glow from within.
These gallery-grade prints feature:
• Incredible depth and clarity, fine details leap off the wall
• Exceptional color fidelity with deep saturation and smooth tonal gradations
• Anti-reflective, scratch-resistant museum grade 1/8” TruLife® acrylic offering unmatched viewing clarity under all lighting
• UV Resistant: TruLife® acrylic blocks up to 99% of UV rays
• 1/8" clear acrylic backer mounted using an archival adhesive layer
• 1.25” Roma wooden rear float mount frame inset 2” from the edge for a clean, frameless display that is ready to hang
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether you're designing a luxury interior or curating a personal gallery, these prints are built to impress and designed to last a lifetime.
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Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Museum-Quality Ready to Hang
Timeless elegance. Unrivaled depth. A true centerpiece.
My Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints represent the pinnacle of archival display. These statement pieces combine the award-winning brilliance of Lumachrome HD with the craftsmanship of custom Roma wood mouldings, transforming your chosen image into an heirloom-worthy work of art.
Each piece is handcrafted by master printmakers and framers in the USA using museum-grade materials. The print itself is infused with archival pigments into a transparency layer, mounted to an archival acrylic backer and face-mounted and sealed under a 1/8" layer of crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic: a premium optically-coated surface that eliminates reflections and enhances depth, vibrance, and clarity.
Surrounding this luminous presentation is your choice of genuine Roma Moulding, hand-built with a choice of 3.5" or 4" Italian made wooden Roma frame with a 3" black linen liner for a refined, framed, museum grade appearance. This adds approximately 13 to 14 inches to both the height and width of the final piece. This level of finish is rarely seen outside of luxury interiors and gallery exhibitions.
After placing your order, I’ll reach out personally to confirm your ideal frame and liner pairing from my curated Roma collection. If you’d prefer to finalize your framing choice in advance, feel free to reach out any time for a custom recommendation.
These museum grade works of art feature:
• Gallery-grade presentation with luminous depth and 3D effect
• TruLife® acrylic: anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and blocks 99% of UV
• Archival quality construction with pH-neutral adhesive and backer
• Available in your choice of 3.5" or 4" Roma wood mouldings with a black linen liner for a framed, museum-grade appearance
• Museum-grade 3" black linen liner for added depth and visual separation
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 4-5 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether displayed in a luxury residence, corporate lobby, or fine art collection, these framed prints command attention and offer a sense of permanence few art mediums can match.
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These are investment-grade art pieces designed to last generations. If you have any questions, need any mock-ups or if you need anything else before purchase, please reach out and I will be in contact shortly.