Friday, August 28, 2020

4 minutes to kickoff

That was just about a record yesterday morning -- waking up at 2:30. I did stay in bed until 3, hoping in vain to get back to sleep. But I didn't and once up, I figured I could take my sweet time and still get out to take some photos, which is what I eventually did.

One never knows how the morning will break, but when I saw a faint strip of orange from my bedroom, I thought I'd better get out there. I was thinking that I might try for a silhouette of a nearby silo, but I didn't get that far, for the light that I saw coming over the trees as I was driving,  just a block away from home, was looking very good. I figured that I could use the communications tower as an anchor or focal point of sorts.

This was what I saw. Remember that I am not trying to photoshop these images, but it is quite possible that I did add a little to the reality -- just a little though. I mean you get back home, and you go by your impression of what it was like. The camera never gets it right anyway. 


This is what the sky looked like just 4 minutes later. Isn't that an incredible change? It's from a slightly different position using a slightly different focal length, so the photos don't line up exactly, but close enough.


It was a stunning display. Various people posted their own versions of that spectacular sunrise to our local fb group or commented something like they saw that incredible sky on their way to work.

I was at quite a distance for both of the above photos and was using my telephoto lens, so I couldn't take in a lot of the scene. To get more of the view in, I then took 4 photos and stitched them in post.


Actually, I took 6 shots in sequence, but Photoshop only managed to 4 of them. I think the sky was changing so fast that it could not line up all 6.

Then as I was turning to go, I spied a kiss of light on the water tower in the opposite direction. However, by the time I drove near to it and then trudged some distance to get to a good spot, that light was gone and the sky behind was a pale blue in the other direction form the sunrise. Because I was there, I took a photo anyway and added a sky in post, just for fun.


Yup. Fake sky. I mean, it's a real enough sky, but it sure wasn't the one that I saw in that direction yesterday morning.

PS: I guess I was fated to wake up so early because I went to bed early, at 9:30 on the previous night. I was so tired that I almost had to, but it sure resulted in an early morning.

18 comments:

Marie Smith said...

Two thirty is about when I get to sleep. These senior hours are killing us.

Marcia said...

Ouch! I was still sound asleep then. Love the sky in all those photos.

Jenn Jilks said...

So, do you leave a note for Sue when you go out like this?!
Good to be productive.

DJan said...

Wow! I love that orange sky. I'm so glad I don't have any problem getting 7 to 9 hours every night. :-)

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

While 2:30 a.m. admittedly would be a few hours too early for me as well, these photos wshowed that indeed the early photographer gets some great images! That sky was amazing.

Anvilcloud said...

Jenn. I usually leave an indicator and take a phone so she can track me. Yesterday, I forgot both. But I was back well before she got up. :)

Barbara Rogers said...

Great sky shots, early bird! A good thing you went out early!

MARY G said...

Your loss of sleep is our gain in spectacular photos. I made it to 5:30 and there was not much colour here.
I too want a location track if my husband leaves the house, especially if he is heading for the bush. I get pretty upset if there is no check-out, frankly. We now have some cell coverage in the bush, but not everywhere. It is a very sensible precaution.

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

Such dramatic skies...Almost might tempt me to wake up early but with my insomnia some days I am just getting to sleep at those times! And our area has so many tall trees all around that we don't see much of sunrise nor sunset.

Margaret said...

Some nights I wake up then, but don't ever get up. Unlike you, I'm not a photographer, so I would have nothing to do. Those sunrise skies are magnificent! When I worked, I would occasionally catch a gorgeous sunrise, but I was usually driving. Now I'm up when it's already light.

gigi-hawaii said...

The red and orange colors look so brilliant that it looks like sunset, not sunrise. Beautiful photography!

William Kendall said...

Amazing dawn!

Mage said...

Flat out wonderful shots. Bravo.;

I've been using Photoshop 11 with my new Windows 10. G uploaded Photoshop 2020 yesterday, and once I write a quick blog about car costs, I will spend the rest of my day learning how to use it.

Vicki Lane said...

Wow! What a great sunrise and what excellent photos!

Red said...

You get some good things by being up early. Things change rapidly at sunrise and sunset.

Joanne Noragon said...

That is a breath taking series of photos.

Rita said...

Wow! I especially love the second one with the sky ablaze! :)

I'm going to bed about that time some nights--LOL!

dellgirl said...

Love, Love, Love these sky photos! They're absolutely amazing!! It's also amazing how quickly the sky can change so drastically. It seemingly changes "in-the-blink-of-an-eye" AND it changes right before our eyes. I LOVE BEAUTIFUL SKIES! There is not much else as awesome as watching a changing sky scene! Thanks for sharing this beauty, it makes my day!!!

Wishing you well, Stay Safe, my friend!