I Lift Up Mine Eyes ...

It had been another one of those changing weather kind of days - alternating sun, gray skies, a threat of rain followed by more blue sky. Then after dinner the wind kicked up and storm clouds gathered. In no time rain was pelting against the north-facing windows. But as suddenly as the storm had come upon us, the wind blew it southward.

The sudden quiet made me glance out the window and I caught the remains of a double rainbow. I figured since I was outside with camera in hand I might as well also capture some of the summer blooms, freshened by the rain. I was absorbed in catching the raindrops hanging from petals and bees scurrying to gather nectar in the golden hour.

I finally lifted my eyes when I came around the west side of the house and was greeted by a sky in turmoil. Another storm further away had roiled the sky in the west while at the same time the sky in the northwest was trying hard to revert to blue. It made for an awesome sight ...

[Have a listen to an oldie goldie below while you relax here for a few minutes]

'Twixt storm and sunset

The weather today was a mixed bag of alternating blue sky with puffy (a very scientific term) white clouds drifting by and dark angry clouds which threatened but didn't deliver a deluge. As time came for the sun to close out another day the question was which would prevail.

Turns out we had both - to the northwest the sun put on another spectacle after storm clouds, illuminated by the setting sun, moved gradually to the southwest. Luckily for yours truly the storm stayed to the west so I could capture both events.

I'll save the sunset shots for another time; here are some of the storm. [while there were no winds I could see blowing the storm south, you can listen to Neil Young sing about it by clicking on the link below the last photo]

At last ...

I don't want to jump to a hasty conclusion, but ...

The relentless heat engulfed us once again today. Our lawn is a major fire hazard - only the weeds flourish but they lend themselves to easy pulling since their roots can't grip dust.

Towards noon clouds started forming. Our hopes had been dashed so often over the past 2 months that we didn't put much credence in the '40% chance of thundershowers' forecast. The clouds gathered into darker thunderheads but despite the occasional rumbling, no moisture materialized. Now masses of dark clouds appeared but they passed quickly to the north and south of us - we'd seen this pattern before.

The sun played peek-a-boo with us throughout the afternoon. Several times I left the garden weeding to go indoors when what appeared to be an earnest rain started. It petered out as quickly as it had begun. I was determined to finish weeding  after dinner so I didn't go in when the rain started yet again. However, this time things were different - the rain didn't let up and in fact we received several hours of very welcomed drizzle.

If the forecast for the next few days holds, we might be able to declare an end to the drought. I suspect there will be much joy should that happen.

Sailor's Delight

This age-old saying proved true again recently as storm clouds were swept away to the east, illuminated by the setting sun. But you don't have to be a sailor to enjoy and appreciate a sunset.

This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

(70-200mm  f6.3  1/400 sec  ISO200)

click on photo to enlarge

(18-55mm  f6.3  1/1000 sec  ISO200)

Irene came calling

Based on weather forecasts we had seen over several days, hurricane Irene, which had already been downgraded to a tropical storm, was projected to barely brush our area with its western-most edge. Indeed we saw a pickup in wind speed yesterday afternoon and clouds scudded by and delivered some rain - all in all, however, nothing of consequence.

Around 7:45 pm my eyes were drawn to an eerie glow coming through the back windows. The entire western sky had turned orange with hardly any discernible clouds. I was making a few shots of this out the back door when my wife called me to come look out front. There was one of the most brilliant rainbows I'd seen in a long time, against an orange-hued backdrop. The rainbow lasted just long enough for me to make a few shots when the light started to fade, taking with it the rainbow. The glow in the sky to the west also diminished and it was now possible to see the cloud formations again.

I checked the time in the photo EXIF data - the entire episode had taken place in 10 minutes. We've been blessed with some lovely sunsets in our back yard before but I don't think they've been quite this vivid - I'm sure this was Irene's calling card.

[I was hoping to post this last night but our internet was slower than usual - if that's possible ! It's been taking a long time to load other blogs making visits a real chore, however, my letters to Xplornet's senior management have at least given me direct access to their level 3 techs. Hope reigns eternal.]

(18-55mm  f9.0  1/30 sec  ISO200)

(10-22mm  f6.3  1/20 sec  ISO200)

(10-22mm  f8.0  1/10 sec  ISO200)

Flash photography

From what I've read, Florida is the lightning capital of the US, and from what we've seen so far in the few days we've been here it's living up to its reputation. I find thunderstorms fascinating, although I do apply common sense and try to stay out of harm's way by following the adage "when the thunder roars, get indoors !"

Last night I missed an opportunity to capture the sunset illuminating towering cumulonimbus clouds just to the east of us. By the time we got home though, frequent flashes of lightning lit up the storm clouds. (I suffered numerous mosquito and no-see-um bites to get some captures, but no bugs were hurt during the session).

(all shots made with an 18-55mm lens at f8.0, ISO800 and shutter speeds of 1/5 to 1/8 sec)

click on images for a better view

Cool as ice

Have you ever noticed how some people's voices go up about an octave and they switch to rapid fire mode when they get really excited, or scared ? I suspect that's one of the tests you have to take when you apply to become a commercial airline pilot. I'm sure that in order to pass this audition you need to sound like the captain on our flight this week.

Both legs of our journey had been very smooth till we were within 30 minutes of our destination. I had been watching a band of thunderstorms looming in the distance, and it looked like we were headed right for them. As we approached what by now looked like a solid wall of dark clouds, the captain came on the PA and in a calm, cool, unhurried voice said "Ladies and gentlemen, you may have noticed some clouds on the right side of the airplane. There are thunderstorms the rest of the way along our route and we're going to have to go through them. Please make sure your seatbelts are fastened - it could get a little bumpy."

"It could get a little bumpy." That's similar to a dentist telling you "you could feel a little pinch" as he stabs you in the most tender part of your gums with an 8" needle ! I suspect there were a few sweaty palms on board, but none in the cockpit.

For the next 20 minutes we weaved and dodged among the swirling mass of clouds which now towered over us. Here and there we would catch glimpses of the ground. We waited with bated breath for the inevitable roller coaster ride. Suddenly we broke through the bottom layer of cloud and were on the tarmac within minutes. Our captain had picked his way through the storms and not a drop would have spilled from a full glass of ice water.

(both shots made with an 18-55mm lens at f11, ISO200, shutter speeds of 1/640 and 1/500 sec)

Storm brewing

We've had a couple of hot, humid days (31C/88F) which exceeded the forecasted highs of 27C/80F and 23C/73F. The sky had become progressively cloudy during the day but nothing that looked threatening. However, during the news after dinner, the weatherman said our area was under a thunderstorm warning. While some thunderheads were visible to the north and south of us, we were still blessed under a patch of blue.

That didn't last long, however, as storm clouds gathered in the west. I grabbed the camera and tripod and shot some of the cloud formations. At one point, large drops of rain started to fall, and you`ll see a few drops on my lens on the last shot. Then, suddenly, the sun burst out of a hole in the clouds, bathed the front yard in brilliant sunshine, and produced a rainbow that lasted less than 30 seconds. As quick as the sun appeared it was covered with dark clouds again, allowing me just enough time to get a few shots.

Shortly thereafter the clouds burst open - but I had already sought shelter indoors. We received a deluge for a good 15 minutes - sans lightning and thunder - and then it was all over.

(first shot made with 70-200mm lens, last 3 shots made with a 10-22mm lens - all at f11 and ISO200, with shutter speeds of 1/500, 1/2, 1/4, and 1/20 sec respectively)

click on photos to enlarge

(Day 242) Evening thunderstorm

We had a rather hot and sunny day (33C/92F) - a last summer fling before temperatures inevitably start cooling again. While I was doing some late day lawn mowing I noticed that a thunderhead was starting to obscure the sun. I didn't think much more of it as I headed out for a bit of a photo-shoot this evening, not quite sure what I might find. I kept an eye on the sky though as I drove west - the thunderhead had grown larger, and with the late day sun was taking on some interesting colours. Suddenly the skies opened and large drops were dashed against the windshield. And just as suddenly they stopped - an intense 30 second downpour!

I pulled over to the side of the road to capture the sun coming around the clouds. After a few shots I continued my journey and soon passed some baseball diamonds - the players hadn't stopped their games for the brief outburst. I parked near the diamonds and watched as the storm clouds roiled in the evening sky. Other than a few flashes of lightning and rolling thunder, it appeared that the storm's fury was short-lived.

(all shots were made with a 10-22mm lens at ISO800; aperture varied from f8 to f11 and shutter speeds from 1/800 sec to 1/80 sec)

taken just after the brief downpour

the clouds gathered towards the east

the setting sun reflected off the clouds

after about an hour, the thunderhead had consolidated and was heading east

(Day 231) Bird feed

I knew what I wanted to make a photo of today, because I had made a mental note of it some days ago. I thought I'd go out this evening when the light was soft, to capture it. However, by early afternoon the clouds had gathered into an ominous-looking sky and it didn't look like there might be much opportunity later. So, based on lessons already learned in this 365 project, I decided to get out and shoot while the shooting was good, or at least possible.

Here's what the sky looked like as I hurriedly got set for a few shots:

(60mm f8  1/640 sec  ISO400) 














Within minutes after getting my shots, the wind started howling and trees were bent almost to the ground. After blowing all the dust into the next county, the wind then delivered a torrential downpour - sideways. However, I'd made my shots and here's my pick:

(60mm f8  1/60 sec  ISO400) 

Of course the sun shone this evening as the storm had cleared away. I didn't go and see if the storm had blown all the berries away, however.

(Day 221) Odds and ends

Today was our last day to go to a beach since tomorrow is a travel day. No, we didn't return to the one that the weather evicted us from yesterday. Instead we went to one nearby that we'd also visited a couple of times earlier. I had already walked around the area before and posted some photos from it. One of the 'pressures' of doing a 365-day photo project is to come up with at least one post-able photo each day, and to try to make it somewhat unique and interesting. I was really wondering what else I could get here.

Then, my wife and daughter spotted some dolphins cavorting only a hundred yards or so off-shore. I followed my wife and daughter, camera ready, as they took up the pursuit, and we ended up on the pier under which we'd last seen them swim. They were too far out in the water to get a decent shot by the time we arrived, so I remained loitering on the pier, while the others went back to the beach.

Before long, this fellow joined me and I thought he'd make a nice subject:

(70-200mm  f8  1/160 sec  ISO200)

After making a few photos of him, I too sauntered back to the beach, relieved in the knowledge I had a photo for the day.

We've become much more attentive to the weather and I've developed a better eye for interesting cloud formations. I was watching a pretty impressive rainstorm dumping on a community across the bay - you could actually see where the rain started and stopped. I thought I saw something developing out of the rather dark clouds, and sure enough, as I kept watching, a whitish funnel appeared to be forming. I'd never seen a real live waterspout before, but there it was, right before us (well, likely still about 2 miles away). So I figured I'd add it to the blog too:

(70-200mm  f8  1/1000 sec  ISO200)

We never saw it touch down, but we did see confirmation on the news tonight that it was a waterspout. It only lasted a few minutes before it retracted into the clouds.









Later that afternoon I decided to take a walk to an area near the beach where I had spotted some large yellow flowers, on a previous excursion. My daughter and granddaughters decided to come along for the walk. As we approached the large bushes with flowers, a quick movement caught our eyes, and there was a larger specimen of the fleet-footed 'lizards'. This little guy appeared to be friendly - he ran along branches and up and down the fence, pausing occasionally to allow a photo to be made of him. When I moved in closer for a better look, he flashed his colourful 'kerchief' at me. We all thought this little fellow was worthy of some exposure, so I've posted him below:

(70-200mm  f8  1/50 sec  ISO200)

This evening I did some research on him and discovered that he's a brown Cuban anole - I'll have to take someone's word for that since he wasn't carrying a passport. If you're interested in reading a humorous piece on these little creatures, check this out.


So I went from wondering what I was going to shoot today to having an assortment of subjects.



Note: tomorrow is a travel day; I'll likely make some photos but will likely not post, or visit anyone, till the day after.

(Day 198) Backyard musings

Sat. July 17, 2010

Coming back from vacation usually means there's lots of work to do around the house. The lawn needed to be cut, and the weeds certainly weren't on vacation either. There was no time to pursue photos, at least not until after dinner. As we were lying on the lounge chairs and enjoying the warmth of the late day sun, I decided that, in keeping with the spirit of relaxation, my shots would have to be taken from where I was parked. Surprisingly there were lots of subjects at hand. I limited myself to posting just these.

(70-200mm  f5.6  1/125 sec  ISO200)

(70-200mm  f5.6  1/1000 sec  ISO200)

Although the weather forecast included the potential for thunderstorms, these skirted our area to the north and did nothing more than show up to have their photo made.

(70-200mm  f11  1/500 sec  ISO200)

(Day 124) Take cover

The weatherman had predicted some thunderstorms for this afternoon. However, they were also predicted for yesterday and nothing happened - and you know how quickly we can become inured to predictions that don't come true. But as I was waiting for my vehicle to come out of the shop this afternoon I looked up and saw quite a threatening sky. There were a few sporadic flashes of lightning and it rained briefly but then nothing further.

However, as I left town I noticed that wipers on some of the approaching cars were still going furiously, even though it was only dripping a little. I found a place to pull over and took some shots of the ominous-looking sky. Within a few minutes I found out why those wipers were going fast as I came into the heavy, lashing rain, accompanied by frequent lightning flashes. And even though it was 3:00 in the afternoon, it felt like 9:00 in the evening. I'm glad I wasn't caught out in the open.

(18-55mm  f11  1/30 sec  ISO200)

(70-200mm  f11  1/400 sec  ISO200)

(70-200mm  f5.6  1/400 sec  ISO800)

taken through the windshield (I was stopped)

(Day 90) After the storm

People sometimes compare events in life to a storm. Storms usually have a build-up - sometimes that can be gradual but at other times they can rear up very quickly. Then there is the storm itself - of short or long duration but usually having some degree of violence or out-of-the-ordinary happenings. And, after the storm, there is peace, although there can also be 'mopping up' required. Things usually aren't as they were before the storm.

Our storm has now passed us by. It is by no means forgotten and there will be 'mopping up'. But we'll be looking for that peace, and especially that 'peace that passes all understanding.

Note: although I followed the ABC principle, circumstances prevented me from using my camera for the past couple of days; hopefully I'll be back behind the lens shortly. In the meantime I'm relying on my archives.

(70-200mm  f8  1/500 sec  ISO200)