Friday, November 28, 2008

Is The Sky Afire?

Melbourne's Gearing Up For A Hot, Dry Summer

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


Sometimes it's hard to predict what the evening sky will be like. Actually, let me amend that sentence. Most of the time, it is utterly impossible to work out what the sunset will be like.

But on Tuesday evening, when I took this sequence of shots, I knew we were in for something quite extraordinary. There was a clear horizon. There was a flaming sun. And there was a smattering of cloud. That's generally when you get some great colours, after the sun has sunk below the horizon.


Still, nothing can prepare you for the swiftness with which the colours ebb and flow - or how dramatically they appear. Nor can anything prepare you for how swiftly they vanish, leaving just grey streaks.

You have to be quick, you have to be decisive - and most of all, you have to be lucky. In this case, I was able to use the nearby plane trees as silhouettes, to highlight the sulphurous yellow that flickered across the wide expanse of Australian sky.


When I took this sequence of shots, there were several people on their evening walk. They were all concentrating on negotiating the hills, or lost in the music of their iPods, or simply engrossed in thought.

Not one of them was looking at the sky. Truly, I think they missed the best part of the day.


For other participants in Dot’s concept, go to Sky Watch HQ.

58 comments:

imac said...

Hi my friend, beauty in the sky from you David ( as always).
Mines up too now.

Anonymous said...

Amazing photograpgs, David, the sky seems to be on fire. I have never seen a yellow sky.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Those are truly amazing shots. I don't ever think I've seen a sky quite that color. I'm grateful that you shared these photographs, David, and even though you're in Australia, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Sheila

Hilary said...

What a gorgeous sky. It's hard to imagine that it could go unnoticed but I know the frustration well, as evidenced by my recent post to which you so kindly linked yesterday. Their loss and our gain, thanks to you. :)

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Absolutely beautiful!!
It's such a shame that most people nowadays are so caught up in their own little lives not to notice all the true beauty of nature all around them!
Open your eyes people! There's a wonderful world outside of your iPods and mega-broadband connections!

Anonymous said...

That is pretty incredible, David. Never seen a sky that colour.

CJ xx

Rune Eide said...

What the Americans would call: a high WOW-factor! You promised some exceptional sunset pictures and you delivered.

Lesson: Be prepared, use your eyes and forget your I-pod.

Mine is here.

Saz said...

all lemony...unusual and stunning colour!!

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

we'd love skies like that here but then fear your flames might cause the forest fires you fear there.

Leslie: said...

I agree that they sure did miss the best part of the day. I took some sunset shots, too, and they'll be up a bit later. Hope you like them.

Saturday, "we" are going on a photo safari up Grouse Mountain to Lynn Valley to take shots of the mountains and a particular waterfall up there. So keep a watch out for those photos.

Have a great weekend! :D

Lew said...

You do get some awesome sunsets in your part of the world! I love the colors when the sun is shining on the underside of the clouds. And the colors sure do change fast.

Pretty Life Online said...

Great catch! Happy Sky watch Friday! Wishing you a nice weekend!

SandyCarlson said...

A hot and dry summer. I forgot what summer was until I saw these splendid photos. Thanks for warming up my Thanksgiving, David!

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

What a wonderful colour sky.

A

Sylvia K said...

Absolutely glorious! The yellow sky is a almost unreal. What great shots! Thanks, David!

bowledover said...

Hi David these pictures are wonderful.
All of the lovely colours, including the Plane trees, are so complimentary to each other.
Thank you for sharing.
I like you, wish that unaware people would take more time to stop and look at what nature is showing us, free of charge and of such quality, I feel.

vincibene said...

Beautiful series with wonderful uncommon colors!

Maalie said...

Wow! It really does look as if the sky is on fire!

I hope you get some water into the Darling River!

Anonymous said...

Only in Australia can we get colours like that! Thanks for sharing

Merisi said...

How magnificent!
I agree, looking up carries great rewards, congratulations on this extraordinary set of sky images.

cheshire wife said...

Absolutely amazing! I have never seen a yellow sky like that. Here we are more familair with a grey sky.

Vodka Mom said...

Those are truly incredible!! Love them........

kjpweb said...

Truly golden shots!
Cheers, Klaus

Susan at Stony River said...

I love these: yellow's a colour we never get, but it's gorgeous. The tree silhouettes make it even better.

Thanks too for the description of everyone walking past not even noticing it all. Wonderful post!

Happy SWF!

Colin Campbell said...

Very interesting colours. We had a stunner last night after the storm and the rainbows. Just beautiful. That yellow is very unusual.

Jane Hards Photography said...

We get golden but not flaming yellow.
It's like molten lava. A volcanic sky.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

David: Spectacular yellows in your skies on this wonderful day.

Mary said...

Wow, I have never seen such beautiful yellow skies! Happy SWF. :)

Maggie May said...

Amazing photos. The sky looks on fire. How can anyone not notice? Never seen such a yellow sunset.
We have about half an hour of twilight from sunset before it gets dark.

Unknown said...

Great shots and amazing colours.
Very nicely composed, too.

Have a nice weekend, David.

Cheers John.

Anonymous said...

The are gorgeous skies. It's a first time I seen it in yellow though!

Leedra said...

Wonderful color. Nice SWF

Guy D said...

Great shots as alwasy david, I am very impressed with those unique colors.

Cheers!
Regina In Pictures

♥♥ Willa ♥♥ said...

and who says that the sky is blue??
lovely photos!!
My SWF#4

Pearl Maple said...

You are so right, most folks are busy rushing through life and forget to look up to see what is going on around them.

Thanks for sharing these colourful views of the sky with us all in Sky Watch Friday.

Anonymous said...

Amazing - don't think I've ever seen that color in my sky - ever. Love that you're there to capture stuff like this for the rest of the world.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I've ever seen sky so yellow. What a spectacular sky.

Sharon

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous shots and it does look like the sky is on fire.

The Good Life in Virginia said...

i like these shots...the golden yellow is so beautiful.
thanks for sharing them with us at skywatch:)

Anonymous said...

Stunning, David.

As always.

Gaelyn said...

A truly firey sky. Nice series. You're so right about how dramatically fast the sky changes.

Scotty Graham said...

David,

Been awhile since I last visited. Good stuff as usual.

Cheers,

Scotty

Linda Reeder said...

I don't think I've ever seen a sky that color! That's amazing.

Gemma Wiseman said...

What an amazing golden yellow! Love how the changing shapes of the clouds almost make a pot of firey gold!

Grammy said...

Your photos are so wonderful.I love the yellow color. Thank you.
Have a great week.

Dianne said...

the yellow, golden yellow, is stunning!!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful lemony sky! Great captures. It's good that you were looking up. :)

DeniseinVA said...

Incredible! You're right about people missing out on their day when they don't look up. Hopefully they won't go through life that way. Great photos.

Anonymous said...

Marvelous photos of a most unusual sky ... lovely series of shots!
Hugs and blessings,

raf said...

Sumptuous, sulfurous indeed! Gorgeous shots for SWF, David!

Mark said...

Beautiful shots.
lionsmane

Anonymous said...

Wow...I have never seen colors like that in our sky...

i beati said...

The most amazing colors you photograph !!! sandy

RiverPoet said...

Looks like pure gold in the sky, David. How amazing the light is there in Australia!

Peace - D

Pat - Arkansas said...

Lovely yellow clouds. This color may not be unusual in Australia, but I don't recall seeing yellow skies here except prior to tornadic activity. Your photos are beautiful.

Jennifer S said...

That's an amazing color in the sky, and you captured it beautifully. I hope you'll publish a book of your photographs someday. (If you have already, I'd love to know it.)

Anonymous said...

Goodness sprinkled upon you.. Thanks for the pictures.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

They did miss the best part of the day! Stunning!

BTW,the word verification says:
parte