Cotton Candy Clouds

I just can't get over the skies tonight. Had to share this asap. I was driving home from work and around town this evening and had to capture the magic in the skies. I was very taken by the colour at the marina.

I'll keep trying to express what photography does for me.  One day I might actually nail it.  This moment - it lasted maybe 5 minutes.  From the time I drove from my daughter's dance studio to the bridge and got out of my car, I had about 5 minutes to get these 2 images.  The railway was my primary focus. I wanted a different perspective on the city's skyline, hoping it was an angle that hasn't been done yet.  When the sun started dipping below the buildings I looked over my shoulder to see the wondrous pinks and soft blues over the Sleeping Giant.  I walked to the other side of the bridge, checked my shutter/iso/fstop to make sure they were good, took a breath to take it in then snapped the image.  The second image of the Giant was truly effortless.   I stood there a moment longer to take in the serenity and snapped a mental image as well.  The mental image is key as when I returned home later that evening to process the images, I give myself creative license to adjust and manipulate the image to how I best remembered the moment and how it made me feel.

When the Light Strikes You Gotta Get That Shot

Sunset right now is just after 5PM.  As I watch the little hand kill the day I glance out my office window and see some magnificent red sunlight reflect off the snow.  I can sense this will be a great sunset.  I pack up my stuff and almost sprint to the car.  A picturesque park up on the hill over looking the bay is just blocks away.

I setup my tripod, dial in my settings and take a few test shots to make sure everything looks good.  I decide to have a go at a panorama.  The Sleeping Giant (the mountain formation that juts out into the lake looks like a person resting peacefully) is pretty big in scope and a panoramic of this scene is definitely worthy.