IN THE FIELD: SNOW SQUALL

 

The weather forecast for this past February 13th called for a brisk sunny day. No snow was forecasted and there were no storms of any kind showing on the radar. It was mid afternoon when I happened to glance out the window and it was snowing sideways! This snow squall materialized out of nowhere and caught everyone by surprise. Traffic on the nearby highway had slowed to a crawl. The storm lasted about 20 minutes or so and then the sun reappeared from behind the clouds.

Ya know…this image may be something to refer back to this summer when the outside temperature is 90 degrees and it’s oppressively humid!

 

 

 

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IN THE FIELD: A MONTH APART ll

So far this year this country has seen the whole gamut of weather. Good and bad. Some areas have had a relatively normal spring and summer. 

Other areas not so much. There have been forest fires, tornados, rain, flooding, hurricanes, and in much higher elevations some snow.

Where I live we have seen more good than bad. Although, we did at times have an over abundance of rain and when the rains finally cleared out, we received a fair amount of sunshine. So most farmers crops grew like weeds.

Back in late spring and early summer I had taken a few photos of a nearby farm. I posted them a few entries ago. The first photo showed the fields ready for planting and the second photo showed that corn and soybean crops had been planted and were growing nicely. The photos in this post were taken in mid August and then again in mid September. In the second photo the corn, which is about seven feet tall, is ready to be harvested and the soybeans which are the green plants in the foreground will be ready to harvest any day now. 

I wonder what comes next…fallow fields or maybe winter wheat. And then snow. Time will tell.

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Uh Oh

 

Summer storms. 

A few days ago a strong line of storms were predicted to blow through the area. As the day progressed, huge cloud formations began to build. And sure enough, my phone and iPad started going nuts with audible weather alerts and messages of impending doom. I.E. Heavy rain, lightning, flash flooding, possible hail, and strong winds which could lead to mesocyclone winds and even tornados. 

I looked out the front windows and judging by how the trees were now bending over from the increasing winds, and the skies were really darkening, a nasty storm was brewing. And it wasn’t far away. Then a quick peek out the back window revealed what was really in store. I literally said out loud…“uh oh”.  

Not knowing how much time I had before the skies let loose, I quickly grabbed the camera and went outback to get a few shots of the stormy clouds. It was really windy so I figured by going out back I would be sheltered from the wind and all the debris that was flying around. Well at least somewhat sheltered.

It was quite easy to see the rotation of the clouds…right above me. I mean the clouds were really spinning. That’s probably why the last alert I heard and read before going outside was a tornado warning.

I was only outside long enough to get a few shots. As much as I enjoy inclement weather, that was long enough. The experience was pretty exciting and rather scary at the same time!

White Balance: cloudy

ISO: 640

Shutter: 1/50

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration And Assignments: ARCHIVED IMAGES

Every couple of months I will review my archived images. Sometimes I will just pick a random category and really scrutinize the images. Other times I will review several categories and just look at them to bring back memories of the time and place. I have found it to be an inspiring and rewarding activity.

My latest foray into the depths of one of my hard drives was looking through images in my  Weather folder. Some of those photos brought back memories of a very stormy evening which started out as a beautiful sunny late summer day.

Then Mother Nature decided it was time for a change. It was after all, early evening, and there is no better time for change than early evening. Dark ominous clouds moved in, the winds picked up and it started to rain. Well, really it was more like a monsoon. The weather app on my phone started alerting me that severe weather was on its way. Really severe weather. Mesocylclones were all over the map. These are large air masses associated with tornados. And these air masses were very close. Like a mile away close. It really is best to stay inside in these situations. Besides I was still at work so I had no choice. But in reality I wanted to photograph what was happening outside. So I made the best of the situation and took cover under the front porch of the store where I work. At least the roof offered some protection from the rain. The wind…not so much. I kept a vigilant eye on the radar but none of the rotating clouds formed into actual tornados.

Following the mantra of photographer friend of mine Ed Heaton, “Learning to capture light will make extraordinary images from ordinary subjects” I looked for a light source that would make for an interesting image. I wasn’t able to capture lightning strikes so I had to look elsewhere.

The headlights from a customer’s truck were shining at the perfect angle to highlight the raindrops striking the parking lot. And after the storm passed through the area, the sun highlighted the remaining cloud cover with fantastic light and color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IN THE FIELD: Weekend Weather

The weather here has been pretty gloomy for the last couple of weeks. It is either raining, or foggy, or overcast. In fact the weather forecast is for all of the above  the entire weekend. It’s not all bad news though. With these conditions, the light has been perfect for photography.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

In The Field: Winter Light

Subtle

Not So Subtle

Sunsets in the winter season are so varied. The first photo was taken this time last year and the second one was taken last week. Both photos were taken from the same spot looking in the same direction.

This season has been exceptional as far as intensely bright sunsets go. Some I have photographed and others I have just gazed in awe. It’s good to do that on occasion.

IN THE FIELD: Shadows In The Snow

Early morning or late afternoon is the perfect time for catching some great shadows in the snow.

I took this photo in the early morning using a custom in-camera B&W mode. I chose B&W because I liked the stark contrast of the tree trunks against the softness of the snow.

Another reason I didn’t shoot this in color was due to the deep blue shadows from the early morning light. Even though the scene is a cold visual, I didn’t want to show it as any colder.

When shooting in color, there are times when the snow is that blue from the light and shadows, it can be difficult to expose the snow as white without overexposing the whole scene and losing detail.

Of course there is always the post processing route to fix things, but I would rather get it right in camera rather than spend time adjusting the image on the computer. I suppose I’m from the old school in my way of thinking. Plus, I would rather be out shooting photographs.

There is still about two feet of snow on the ground with more on the way late tonight. This certainly has been a long snowy winter this year. It reminds me of when we were kids and the ground would be white for months.

f 8

1/750th

ISO 100

cloudy WB

IN THE FIELD: Sunset Snow

Yesterday evening I was closing the curtains for the night to help keep the warmth inside. And to cover the big black holes that form at every window opening when it’s dark outside.

As I looked out one of the windows on the western side of the house, I caught a glimpse of yet another vibrant sunset. The sky was brightly colored with yellow, orange, pink, lavender, and purple. As a bonus, the snow in our side yard was glistening from the light of the setting sun. I grabbed my camera and was able to take a few photos before the color began to fade.

f 5.6

1/125th

ISO 200

cloudy WB

IN THE FIELD: Winter Wonderland

This certainly has been quite a winter for some folks. It may not be the snowiest as in years past, but the storms sure have been frequent. Another storm blew through this past Sunday night thru Monday afternoon and deposited nine more inches of snow. Last night was a night of freezing rain and snow…and guess what? There is more winter weather predicted for this weekend. The area around here is beginning to look like the Great White North.

I’m not complaining because I really enjoy the winter season…I just need a break from the outdoor gym (shoveling).

Yesterday I ventured down to a nearby small creek for some scenic winter photos. I was surprised to see the water flowing at such a high rate. I thought the water would have been frozen solid since the temperature has been below freezing since…well, I can’t remember when it wasn’t.

Here is a shot I took looking upstream. It was late afternoon and there wasn’t  much sunlight at this location because of the hillside on the left was blocking the setting sun.

After viewing the image, I decided to de-saturate it to see how it would look. I like the color version because the brown leaves add some interest. I also like the monotone rendition for the really cold feeling in conveys. I think I’ll keep both.

f 6.7

1/250TH

ISO 200

cloudy WB

 

IN THE FIELD: The First Sunset

The big move to our new home a few days ago went smoothly and was mostly stress free. Rain was predicted for the morning but thankfully it never amounted to more than a drizzle.

On the first night, furniture was placed, beds were made, makeshift curtains were hung for a semblance of privacy, and other necessities of life were located and unpacked. Take out food was the dinner of choice…after a long day, I really didn’t feel like cooking. Besides…all the pots, pans, and utensils were still in boxes.

As the eventful day was coming to a close, we went outside for some fresh air and were treated to the first sunset at our new home. This one lasted quite a while and we were able to relax outside and enjoy it before heading inside to eat dinner.

This view is looking due west. In the lower right hand corner of the photo, the steeple of a church is visible. The bells in the tower chime the time of day every hour on the hour. After the time is announced, a few stanzas of the song of the day is then played. How cool is that!

f8

1/320

ISO 400

cloudy WB