Summer Nights

Summer nights are one of Boise’s little secrets. From Memorial to Labor Day we get long, magical evenings that slowly surrender their daylight. The sky will glow until as late as 10:30 in June — long enough that I can head out to shoot as late as 8PM and get photos in the soft summer light. Like this photo, taken at 10PM in June, 2015.

By December it’s completely dark by 5PM. I browse my photography from last summer and reminisce about the gentle summer sunrise and languid twilight through that cold, dark month.

As a teenager, the long summer nights were our ticket to stay out late. We played basketball in the street until the ball disappeared and then walked together through the neighborhood in the warm night air. 

No matter the heat of the day it always cooled off. As the night air descends, the river smell thickens: wet earth, rocks, tree branches.

The sky is close to rain here. If it had already rained the chalky white river rocks in the foreground of this picture would be dark and glossy.