Watching Sunsets Develop

My Traveling Eye was created to merge photography and information and encourage others to go see those amazing things that surround us.  Sometimes we really don’t have to go far, like maybe just the backyard.  That is one of the great things that sunsets have to offer is they set every day, around the world.  Admittedly, some sunsets are completely obscured by clouds and others aren’t all too exciting, but some are simply spectacular.

I am somewhat of a sucker for a good sunrise or sunset.  I have yet to find myself stressing life when face to face with an awe inspiring display of color and light.  There is probably not an easier way to put life back in perspective than just sit out and watch the sun fade away over the horizon.  You toss in a relaxing beverage and a good friend, hard to beat!  Having spent the last several years watching sunsets develop, there seems clues that signal a good one is on the way.  I was hoping to share what I have learned over the years on how to spot a good sunset brewing.

A couple of nights ago, we had friends visiting and were enjoying the great company on the deck in the back yard.  My first clue this sunset had potential was when the clouds started breaking up, making way for the light beams to start shining through.  The second clue was it appeared that as the sun set, it would be able to light the clouds from underneath which really brings in the phenomenal colors that sunsets exude.  Haze from fires in a neighboring state added another level of color.  So, as we sat on the deck enjoying a glass of wine, things started coming together.

The first shot was taken at 7:46 PM.  The clouds from the rain storm started dissipating and the colors were starting to develop below the clouds.

As the sun slid down behind the cloud, the rays of light being displayed both above and below the clouds were a good indication that the sun still wasn’t being blocked by other clouds in the distance.  Anytime you get strong beams of light, like those lighting up the mountains, things are looking good!

At 7:52 PM, the sun had settled behind the clouds and the light beams were starting to put on a show.  The edges of the clouds start to get a halo effect.  It’s interesting to see the white halo in the picture above at the top of the clouds compared to the orange halo in the picture below.

As the sunset developed, the lower clouds started showing some interesting patterns as the sun worked through the various thickness of clouds.  It was neat to see the impact of the smoke and haze on the lower part of the clouds bringing the deep orange color fading to yellow higher above the horizon.

At 8:11 PM, the sun began to emerge again below the clouds.  Zooming in accentuated the silhouette of the mountains and the hazy horizon offered some strong orange colors.  From a photography standpoint, underexposing the shot a couple stops helped avoid this just being a blob of light from the sun and allowed the features to come out.

Gayla pointed out the interesting contrast between the fiery sunset and the cool blue sky that remained above the clouds and suggested the next composition.  Good call to back out and bring in the perspective.

The last little glint of sun as it slips below the horizon at 8:15 PM.

We often tend to think the sunset is over when the sun disappears from view.  Sometimes that is the case but other times the show is just beginning.  This evening, the post-sun sky was simply spectacular.

I would say this was a half hour well spent!

I’d like to offer a challenge!  Find a place nearby to enjoy a sunset and briefly describe your experience.  Post it on this site, it will be fun to see what words you use to describe what you saw and how you felt while you enjoyed the show.

Here’s a link to quickly find out when the show starts:

timeanddate.com

Enjoy!!