Black & White Thread Volume IV
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Black & White Thread Volume III ended with tributes to Alfred Stieglitz triggered by the Cloud-a-Day that payed attention to his abstract cloud pictures from the beginning of 20th century. Anyone who enters this thread later – so to say when Volume III has disappeared from the row of actual topics – I recommend to read the poetic text that Michael posted about Alfred Stieglitz and his soulmate Georgia O’Keeffe. Then also look at the tributes to Alfred Stieglitz from Michael (it could be taken from the “Nebulae” series of Stieglitz himself) and from Keelin with her lovely flowering and subtle Desert Bloom. What a beautiful way to end Volume III and I am already curious about what Volume IV will lead us to.
Just for a start of Volume IV
Something Alien
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There’s a sweet serenity in Something Alien that is very appealing, Hans. It makes for an excellent and intriguing start to Volume IV where I expect we’ll see more mystery, magic, and marvelous cloud play.
We’ve often spoken of how challenging these ethereal images can be to capture. Here’s One That Almost Got Away.
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Feeling Energy here too, Hans, and inspiration as well. Michael, the strong sculptural quality of your latest image led me to want to view it in all directions (hope you don’t mind) and I see how easily it could lend itself to becoming a work of art in any direction. Several tangible mediums come to mind.
Encouraged to try this with one of my old photos, I gave it a turn and found it evoked a completely different feeling than it did in its original orientation.
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Nice experiment with rotations Keelin. The portrait picture has something majestic to me, while the landscape one unveiled an otherworldly shark to me.I like them.
This reminded me of experiments I did with converting Black and White to White and Black. I found out that in most cases the result disappoints or does not offer something extra, but sometimes a striking new composition pops up. Next one is an example I liked and it stays close to the otherworldly theme I think.
Alien Rasta Woman
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Keelin you mite be surprised by how many shots I’ve posted here that are not on original orientation.
How many anecdotes and out right jokes about a famous artist’s work being hung upside down? To me its a sign of a good job if a work is enjoyed no matter what the orientation. Its a good habit to have to look at your creation as many ways possible.
This one below works for me only one way, the way you see it. But thats just my opinion.
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Keelin thanks for your kind words. Don’t know what happened but the pic posted here in CAS Gallery actually lost some of its contrast compared to the same shot on my computer. It appears it gained “lights” and kinda looks flat compared to the one I have . Oh well. I have a couple of other color pics taken during same event. I’ll get around posting them soon. Thanks again.
Your Chagall dreamactic touched me. And Han’s Miro reflects well also. Neat!
Speakin about touching, maybe folks can feel this..
MONSOONERISM
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Fantastic images! Even a subtle face can be perceived in your Reading The Paper, Michael. And after absorbing news of the world, a good soak in the tub might do much to balance both mind and spirit. I’d like to move my tub out of doors and soak in that peaceful view you have there, Hans. The ultimate in relaxation — especially if it’s a BubbleBath.
The question remains: Where do the bubbles end and the clouds begin?
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Capturing clouds make one feel the hasty white rabbit for sure. Once seen a nice cloudscape you already must have your camera in hand to capture it. You were certainly prepared Michael to shoot this great asperitas.
Keelin you triggered my memory with your philosophic question where bubbles end and clouds start. The idea of pulling the tub outside to observe the clouds from, is also a quite appealing idea and seeing next picture you might think I suited the action to the word.
Bubbles And Clouds
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Your composition in grays is overwhelming, Keelin!
… and you description of our journey is very poetic…. we follow a Mysterious Passageway, a road to Anywhere.
Today I had a lucky day on our journey. Looking up (as usual…..) I saw a large part of the parhelic circle. This is a rather rare phenomenon although sometimes small parts of the parhelic can be seen attached to a sundog. This was the second time I saw a parhelic circle this large and without sundogs. It lasted just five or ten minutes glistening in the passing cirrus formation.
Parhelic Circle
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Wow, Hans, you are lucky indeed! Looks like 5-10 minutes of sheer bliss. I like seeing both images you’ve posted here as it shows how we can be fully captivated and glued to the spot in which we first see such splendor. While I’ve yet to see such a wonder myself, I feel fortunate to have looked up while watering the garden one morning to be awed by the appearance of a 22˚ halo (prettier, of course, in color).
PS: Also enjoyed your River of Stratus on the CAS Gallery – lovely!
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Hans,Its good to see the attention paid to clouds above ,paying off. Parhelic Circles are rare in these parts. I witnessed such a show over year ago from my backyard and felt very special seeing and photographing it. Nobody else in Phoenix seemed to see it..! Timing is everything and Your Timing was perfect. Congrats!
Keelin , heres a look up into a cloud hole , with a hint of Anywhere in the distance
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Thank you Keelin, it is nice to read you enjoy my River Of Stratus. Looking up in wonder of the clouds will also lead to encounter all kind of halos like you did with the 22 degrees halo. Other halos will follow for sure, when you know about the circumstances that are favorable for halos to appear (mainly cirrostratus and cirrus). And so you are right Michael, attention for clouds indeed pays off this way. It is always a pleasant surprise to see for example a bright CZA or any other halo.
It is funny to confess that I did not even see a rather common sundog ever before I got interested in clouds. The fascination for optical phenomena comes for free with the appreciation of clouds. And like Michael wrote, seeing a halo you seem to be the only one that observes these wonders of light play. I have had several occasions with my head in the sky and with my camera in the hand that people asked what I was seeing. After I pointed out there was a sundog or a halo they were always surprised about the existence of these phenomena and thanked me for having explained it.
And so you find out that a CZA or the so called smile in the sky is not that rare as you might think. The point is that one must be aware of the favorable circumstances to look up and find one, since it only appears near the zenith.
Back to Anywhere in Black and White.
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And so I find out that adding some text with a link to a site in the visual mode might have been the problem in posting my former replies. Now a retry in text modus.
PS. I hope you both know about the site
Every optical phenomenon is presented together with scientific explanations. I noticed that Gavin works together with the owner of this site, Les Cowley. It is a goldmine of information and shows great pictures.
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Hans, I did not know the Atmospheric Optics site, so thank you very much! It will be a great pleasure to explore. And I’m not surprised to hear Gavin is involved in it.
The cloudy character below (who apparently has a twin across the pond!) has been haunting my archives for quite some time, but I had yet to settle on a proper name for him. Based on what’s been written above (“…a hint of Anywhere in the distance” and “…our journey to Anywhere…”), it seems only right to call him “Anywhere”. Wouldn’t you agree?
Anywhere Beckons -
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Quite amazing these continuations on the theme op spinning, curling, unfurling and other circular motions. I like them all.
Motion leads to
Change Of Weather
I don’t know what I do see here except for a exceptional cloud configuration. Some characteristics of asperitas can be seen in the thick band of cloud at the bottom. Any idea?
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Hans..IMHO you have photographed Asperitas. Majority of photos of Asperitas are of the perspective from below;The wave rolls seen from below. You have photos of..what I will guess as .smaller manifestations at an opportune distance that shows the lower level of wave but also the action going on above the wave..horizontal and vertical. I have been fortunate enough to witness the same. I have a shot in the Gallery taken early in the A.M. where I captured the wave below with the aspirated above. It seems to me..the wild columns of cloud indicate the upward flow of air that creates the waves. Lots of energy involved with Asperitas.
A shot of a bit more calmer..
Evening Balm
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I love wild skies and Wild Skies in articular. They deserve the Clapping of Many Hands, Keelin. Great short story in two pictures.
Yesterday morning over here was a morning in between wildness and serenity. Lots of movements and a rare asperitas event….. that almost nobody noticed….. but gave great sculpting in the sky. Michael once wrote : asperitas love black and white. It might be even vice versa.
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So glad you were there and aware to take notice of the morning’s variable speed dance, Hans — and with camera in hand! Excellent captures of two distinct moods of Asperitas. And I agree, Michael is right about their affinity for black and white portraiture.
Below is an image that appears to me as if a long-fingered hand is holding the sun, ready to let it roll like a bright marble across the morning sky. How quickly the light would change and another dance begin.
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Great choreography and light-play Keelin! The contrast works great.
Over here today again an aperitas event. Quite rare! I read in the article about the origin of asperitas (see home page), that gravity waves are supposed to be the cause – on their turn generated by large convective activity elsewhere. Well I think that suits the case over here.
Next one I captured today and I like it for its composition and elegance of the lines.
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Also my thanks for the fast respons Gavin! Seeing your contribution to this topic this morning I just thought you maybe posted a black and white contribution, but the fix is also much appreciated.
I wouldn’t have liked to miss the Mostly Greys by Keelin! Beautiful.
Yesterday I took a picture of the sun just shining through a curtain of altocumulus. No overexposure because of the clouds, but just translucent enough to see the contours of the complete sun. And what surprised me was the way the sun seems to be drawn with a fine pencil in the sky.
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Your Sun just shining is a beauty, Hans, easily emulating the mystery of the Moon. And how lucky to be able to stare directly at it here for as long as we wish and not be blinded!
Michael, missed you! This morning, I was thinking of your earlier comments regarding image rotation. Playing with the photo below, I found each 90˚ turn evoked a different emotion. After a few spins, it finally came to rest, somehow feeling More Hopeful in this orientation.
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Who Was Here?
The Softness Inside
Anywhere Beckons
Swimming Through the Waves
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