.
A large cloud lit up by the setting Sun drew me outside yesterday evening and over the next 22 minutes I shot no less than 139 images as the spectacle changed.
Far too many, but the scene was captivating!
As insects buzzed around my head, I kept thinking:
“Enough! Go inside!”
But I could not.
.
What is so special about a cloud?
.
It is unique and ephemeral..
There can never, ever be another that is the same.
.
As the light changes and the forms shift, each moment is another gift. I make myself giddy, turning constantly to capture every aspect, remembering to glance directly overhead.
By taking so many pictures, I hope to capture at least one or two that will be worth sharing.
In fact it’s going to be hard to choose, but here goes.
I was going to post them using Flickr, but there was a problem with that. Ho hum.
I have other cloud photos on Flickr but perhaps not as startling as some of these.
What exactly is “invalid” about this?
That was the response I got from Flickr when I tried to download these images to their site.
Overhead, the sky had become salmon-coloured.
When I turned back to look across the valley…
The bugs could buzz. I wasn’t going to abandon this.
The Sun became partly obscured as it sank behind a hill, creating rays.
Times like this call for a really wide-angle lens.
The light was turning mauve.
Overhead another bank of cloud was on the move.
Who could be indoors with all this going on?
It would be like those people who played Scrabble on the Antarctic cruise.
Playing board games while surrounded by that scenery seemed obscene.
The view from our hill last night seemed apocalyptic.
As night fell, I took two last shots from the doorway and bade goodnight to a passing skunk.
.
“What are you doing out so late?”
It asked.
(An earlier photograph. It was too dark by the time I saw her last night.)
139 is a lot of images, but those amazing skies were definitely worth the effort.
Best wishes, Pete.
Magnificent! Clearly you were channelling your inner Turner.
Stunning captures of your sky! Wow!
The color is amazing!
Can only imagine how beautiful it was in person!
Thank you for sharing.
Catherine
Thank you, Carolyn, for the out-of-this-world photos of spectacular clouds and sunset! I love the beautiful way you described the beauty and importance of clouds. It reminded me of the ancient Indian poet, Kalidasa, who wrote a poem, The Clouds, which elevated him and his verses to inspire composers, writers, and poets to use the clouds as a topic of their art and music. This one poem made him immortal, and so clouds have some magical pull to most people. I love to watch the changing shapes of clouds and imagine what they resemble.
Joanna
Wonderful pictures Carolyn. So many colours, shapes, images, and a real sense of the wonder of creation!
Your photos are amazing, but your words are just as beautiful. I love how you describe the moment—chasing the changing light, swatting bugs, and still refusing to go inside. You’re right, clouds like that are never the same twice. It really is like catching a piece of magic. And the skunk at the end made me laugh—perfect way to end a magical evening!🙂👍🙋💗
I agree – not even buzzing bugs will make me go inside while such a spectacle is playing out outside! I have no idea how you could choose just a few photos for this post, because wow … each one is as beautiful as the next!
Beautiful photos, Carolyn and what a stunning sky!