Friday, February 08, 2008

Purple Sky At Night Is A Painter's Delight

But I Took The Easel Way Out

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


These photographs were taken late on Monday evening. I was out and about for a while, but there didn't seem to be any chance of great colours in the sky. Then things changed, very suddenly. This was the first shot I took (above) in a series of about eight or ten frames. I was captivated by the appearance of a colour that I can only describe as saffron.


Then the saffron seemed as though it were suffused with gold (above) and these bands of colour materialised across the clouds. I realised that I needed a couple of quick vertical frames to capture the beautiful colour gradient.


Interestingly enough, the time elapsed between the first and last shot was only three minutes.

73 comments:

  1. OH I love how much color you have in the sky there. It is rare to get such fabulous sunsets here.

    thanks for sharing David.

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  2. These beautiful images were just the ticket to start my day today, David. Thankyou so much for the touching comments on my blog, and even though we have never met, I feel your support and friendship. We both welcome your prayers with much gratitude. Bless you.

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  3. The colors create a very "alien environment" feel. Very beautiful.

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  4. There really is something almost other worldly about those striations of colour. Beautifully captured, David.

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  5. Fanastic shots, David! Stunningly beautiful, and a bit haunting almost. You have a great blog. I've added you to the links on my two blogs if that's okay. I'd like to come back to visit.

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  6. Fantastic captures.. this really are stunning.

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  7. Wow! Those colors are amazing. Absolutely brilliant!
    I did a post (one of my favs) about my dad dealing with Alzheimer's back in November and reposted it in January for the first Scrolling Saturday. It is such a horrible disease.
    I'd love to hear your story. Perhaps you could write a post about it as well.
    Thank you for your support. I get nervous writing things like that when I know there are professional writers out here (such as yourself) who will be reading it. Thank you for your kindness.

    http://fritterfarmers.blogspot.com/2008/01/first-of-scrolling-saturday.html

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  8. What a difference three minutes makes.
    Wonderful.

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  9. Guess you're one day ahead where you cause it's still Thursday here.

    All lovely shots - the color is just so beautiful. The sky does change so fast, one has to be real quick in capturing the moments.

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  10. David... what beautiful photos. The colors are stunning. Amazing, really. You have such talent.

    And you are witty, too!

    "Lots of people find it hard to digest what's in the (news)papers!!"

    I was on the floor. Laughing!

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  11. it's amazing how quickly the sky can change!

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  12. Anonymous8:57 AM

    Works of art! The layers of the tones is amazing.

    Thanks for sharing them.

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  13. Hi David, thanks for stopping by via Merisi, nice to 'meet you' :-)
    These photos are beautiful, such amazing colours: if they had been in a painting it would have looked unreal and idealised. I am always amazed at how beautiful, dramatic and powerful nature's colours can be.
    Thank you for some great photos.
    by the way, I tried to follow the links you recommended but couldn't find find Chewy in your links - help!

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  14. Absolutely stunning! Beautiful job.

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  15. I like these and how they track that ephemeral quality of sunset

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  16. Wow, those are stunning. I thought I loved the second one, then it got better. You chose a beautiful perspective David.

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  17. Lovely photos. Yes, sunsets are an exceedingly fleeting affair. I've found (in some cases,) if I pause just a few extra seconds, my shot is lost.

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  18. Beautiful Sky Watch photos David.


    My Sky Watch up now

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  19. couldn't even be painted better. great photos.

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  20. Isn't it wonderful how night skies look the same world over? I was just out watching the geese gather in the sky to go to their nesting place...the sky looked very much like this...beautiful...
    Sandi

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  21. Positively glorious! I have to laugh though, because folks on your side of the rock are already celebrating TGIF. It's still Thursday here. And when I looked at that wonderful sky, I remembered what our sky looked like on Monday afternoon and evening. We had a fog as thick as I have ever seen! ...so I took pictures. :-)

    Enjoy our Friday, your warm weather and beautiful skies. As long as you write about them, I feel I can enjoy them vicariously.

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  22. Those are truly beautiful! The colors are sooo.... indescribable.

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  23. It's amazing how quickly the sky changes. I like the tree with the two little points on top!
    I'm adding your name to Mr. Linky.

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  24. Splendid colours in the sky, marvellous comment, amazing post.

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  25. That last photo in the sequence is quite the finale! The colors are so intense. I enjoyed seeing the subtle transformation. Thanks for taking the time to capture it and share it. God bless. (And I enjoyed the pun in the post title.)

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  26. Beautiful, just beautiful

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  27. I'll agree. Those colors are very captivating. So beautiful.

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  28. I don't believe I've ever seen colors quite like these. You've captured a very special sky.

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  29. Stunning...beautiful....fantastic.
    Great shots

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  30. Perfect word Saffron. Wonderful pictures

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  31. The colors are so beautiful. Amazing how many colors there can be in a sunset

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  32. Wow! love the colours - golds and purples together. Gorgeous!

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  33. Wow! goregous colors!!

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  34. Oh yes, I know how quickly the sky can change. If you saw my photo of the purple sky that I posted, I have a photo that looks identical to that, but the sky is gold. When people see both photos, they think I altered one of them, but, honestly, I didn't. The sky changed that quick.

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  35. So beautiful! I also have pictures of sunsets today...

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  36. Anonymous4:41 PM

    As usual you take brilliant dawn and dusk snaps. The colours are fantastic.... Siddharth

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  37. Breath-taking David!!

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  38. oh boy....all photos are beautiful :D

    Will you visit my Sky Watch #2 Thanks.

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  39. g'day tom yuo too David, from cold and wet UK! thanks for visiting my blog! I love your sunrise pics, i have some on my blog if you scroll down a bit, not professional photography like yours, just me with a little camera and a love of nature!

    leanne x

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  40. Beautiful "paintings",
    made with a great palette. ;)
    Great colours.

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  41. Anonymous6:31 PM

    fantastic sky and colors

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  42. Wow! Those colors are beautiful. Absolutely amazing!

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  43. Wow!!! I just love you photo to day:)

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  44. Anonymous7:05 PM

    your sky is truly a painter's delight! have a nice day.

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  45. the light down under is complete different from the northern light this time of the yeay.
    Very beautiful. Fantastic.

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  46. Anonymous7:06 PM

    Lovely color. Safran beats purple to day.

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  47. I love the color, fabulous!!!

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  48. I feel at a loss for words after all the swell comments, but here goes: Lessons?
    One: Always have a camera ready.
    Two: Shoot, and keep shooting.
    Three: Pray.
    Four: Enjoy!

    Wonderful stuff from Down Under!

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  49. We can always be sure of fabulous Sky Watch photos from you David :o)
    Rx

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  50. I cant find word too describe how much i love your sky watch !!
    Incredible, wonderfully, stunning ....:))

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  51. that last one is stunning.

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  52. Those were some real fabulous shots!Nature can really be fascinating if we take the time out.

    Nice blog you have here :)

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  53. Things happen fast at night...

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  54. David, absolutely beautiful colors in those sunsets! Aren't we lucky to experience such phenomena! Thanks for sharing!

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  55. If my voice wasnt going I would be cheering these, they are just fabulous

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  56. Be well and happy and have a good weekend, David!

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  57. Wow David! Now those are some very beautiful photos! Really nice work. Thanks for sharing them.

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  58. David,

    Such gorgeous photographs: I loved their colours! Specially the saffron in the sky!

    Our skies get pinkish here: a lovely sight! One day, when you visit Portugal, you will be able to take pictures from our lovely skies and landscape (you'll love it) :D!

    Cheers

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  59. this was one awesome sunset! and the trees silouetted against it are so lovely.

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  60. the trees look like castle spires

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  61. So different from the Norwegian winter light. Very beautiful.

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  62. Fantastic colour blends -

    we had a great winter sunset tonight with plum, turquoise and peach - seem to have had a few like this recently.

    Fortunately was in the right place at the right time as well to catch some of it.

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  63. WOW! These are wonderful, so richly hued.

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  64. These photos look almost like they were taken on another planet! Very unusual and lovely.

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  65. My fav of the bunch is the first one, the colours are just beautiful, and thanks for sharing.

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  66. Unbelievable that it changed that much in three minutes. What stupendous photos. I'm wracking my brain trying to remember if I have ever seen bands of gold or purple in the sky. I must (because I'm old enough!) but I can't remember!

    My Sky Watch is here. But it is the same scene, different view of PH Heavy. Thank you.

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  67. Saffron, indeed!

    The first photo is how I imagine the landscape on Mars (in a purely science fiction fantasy, of course!)

    Thanks for capturing and sharing!

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  68. I love the pictures you take of sunrises and sunsets. You capture the colors so beautifully.

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  69. Hi David

    Great view, I like the landscape in the background, unknown things it seems. I'm a little late commenting, so many skywatchers.

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