Winter Prayer Flags Over Lhasa Valley

Vibrant blue, red, yellow, green, and white prayer flags stretch tightly across a rocky mountain saddle, their edges fraying in the stiff winter wind. Below, a frozen river reflects the pale afternoon sun, sending scattered beams of light across the gray stone. Heavy, dramatic clouds stack high above the jagged peaks, casting shifting shadows over the deep valley floor. The flags snap against the cold air, their cotton texture rough and worn by the season. Snow dusts the ridges and rests on the crevices of the saddle, while the flags remain the only source of saturated color against the muted earth tones of the landscape. One red corner flutters sharply against the pale sky.