On a mid-October day in 2015, Austin Cochran picked up his father, Andrew Cochran – recently diagnosed with ALS, with “grim” outlook – and set out for a quick visit to Holy Hill. “He had a feeling that day was the perfect day to see the autumn colors from the hill,” Austin Cochran says. His father suggested Austin bring his camera, and the result was this spectacular view of the basilica’s tower and the surrounding forest.
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It has the perspective of an aerial or drone photo, but Cochran actually captured the shot from the other of the church’s twin steeples, his camera held with his arms extended out some 200 feet above the ground (and the rest of the countryside another 200 feet below the glacial hill). There’s a lot to see here – the shrine’s architectural details, the long horizon, the contrast between the pink-tinged sky and the earthy, naturalistic tones beneath.
But what’s really special about it to Cochran is the memory of the time spent with his father, who died three years later. “I’ll never forget that time with him,” he says. “He had been standing beside me when I took each photo and I’ll always cherish the memories of that day.”
