The last few days have seen ideal conditions for colour in the sky – high scattered cloud and a clear horizon so the last rays can illuminate the underside of the clouds. Local social media has been full of “wow, look at this” images – some spectacular and some so horribly oversaturated as to make one’s eyes hurt. And of course, the time of year means that the colour happens out to sea rather than inland behind the cliffs, here on the south coast.
Although I am as happy as the next person to go outside and enjoy the spectacle, I don’t often bother to take photos any more. The real thing is just so much more enjoyable – immersive if you like. The breeze on your face; the smell of wet earth or autumn leaves or seaweed; the sound of soughing branches, surf, twittering finches or the peeping of oystercatchers – they all contribute, perhaps subliminally, to the experience of “being there”. So, just a photo is inevitably a bit of a disappointment. That being said, we were treated to some rather pretty skies yesterday and this morning, so here they are!
And the low light does give opportunities for some creative camera work too …
In the summer, the view over the sea opposite the sunset can sometimes be interesting – this was taken one July evening a couple of years ago – and was one of the most serene and wonderful evenings I have ever spent on the beach, as the Belt of Venus rose over the horizon, and the full moon came up.
