We’ve enjoyed some interesting weather in the past week, particularly for photographers. Dramatic skies are our friend and I’ve taken the opportunity to capture some nearby scenes with emphasis on the sky and clouds.
This first picture features a Mesquite tree in our front yard, looking leafier as spring approaches. It is backlit by the sun, largely obscured by some moisture laden cumulus clouds. Despite the evident turbulence in the sky we didn’t experience any rain.
This photo was taken a little further down the driveway, looking across at a neighbouring property. The scene is dominated by towering cumulonimbus clouds, again very turbulent and a little foreboding.
Taken on a previous day, this sky is much more docile. These high altitude, cirrus clouds are recognizable by their wispy appearance, complementing the feathery ends of the budding branches of the Mesquite tree.
This picture was taken within minutes of the previous photograph, but facing southward in the opposite direction. The clouds have a different form, predominately cirrocumulus. They almost seem to emanate from yet another Mesquite tree, seen below them.
Same tree, same sky taken from a slightly different vantage point and this time converted to black and white.
I took a little different approach with this final picture, placing greater emphasis on the flora in the foreground. The tree with the purple flowers is our neighbours’ Texas Laurel, with a large Mesquite tree behind it. You’ll notice a different colour tone to this photograph. It’s intentional and is a technique known as colour grading. I’ve chosen to apply a purplish tone, which accentuates the background clouds, saturates the flower colour and slightly alters the hue of the other colours in the picture. Overall, it’s a cool tone, reinforcing the sombre mood of the day.
