by Steve Tanham
Winter is not generally associated with clear skies, not in Cumbria, at least! But when when a period of high-pressure brings clear air, and everything begins to freeze, there can be found the most beautiful of sunsets…
(300 words, a two-minute read)
Sue Vincent, one of my fellow Directors of the Silent Eye, along with Stuart France, the third in our trio, are both famous for admonishing those who travel with us on our ‘landscape adventures‘ with the words ‘Look up!‘ Taken in a wider context, it’s not the spire of a little-known church or a carved figure high on an ancient cathedral.
Sometimes, it’s just a cloud…
This one – unique in the depth of its colour – drew my eye so strongly, I put down my post-gardening coffee and ran inside to grab the camera – returning seconds before another cloud diluted the brightness that gave rise to the fabulous orange stratocumulus. Technically, it’s a terrible photo; phone cameras are as poor at telephoto shots as they are good at close-ups, but the image does convey the beauty of the skies at that moment, and therefore earned its keep.
This next one, above, is an example of ‘letting it be!’ Normally, before photographing, I see an image and go through an instant process of recording the emotions I feel. When I look at the image, usually back home, I will fine tune the colour and intensity mixers until I get the same result (or as close as possible) as the original feeling. Often, this involves taking out what I consider excess colour. With this photo, I simply let it be… I could not improve on what the camera had done with the sunset over the ridge.
The third photo involves one of my favourite themes – capturing the sun through the winter structures of trees. I was lucky to be at that place at that moment. Nature in winter can be so very beautiful!
©Copyright Stephen Tanham, 2020.
Stephen Tanham is a Director of the The Silent Eye, a journey through the forest of personality to the sunrise of being.
Sun in Gemini 
I’m so glad that someone is having such lovely skies, Steve. So far, our skies remain grey, but we keep watching for better!
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We’ve had a week of freezing clarity, Jaye. A photographer’s paradise. Thank you for the reblog. Say hi to Anita xx
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Anita thanks you and says hi too, Steve…
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Light, clouds, trees: our spiritual inner selves need those, more than anything else. Have an inspired new year Steve.
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Thank you, Honoré. Let’s wish that for us both.
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Great shots!
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Thank you, Alethea. And still it continues!
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Reblogged this on Sue Vincent's Daily Echo.
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Thank you, Sue x
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Absolutely beautiful Steve the glory of Nature and God caught on film 💜
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Thank you, Willow ❤️
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💜
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Beautiful sunsets!
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Thank you!
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Fabulous Steve! My phone camera is crap, no other word for it, so I’m relying on my Nikon if I’m intending to take any pictures on our walk. Just have to remember to always carry spare batteries!
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Thank you, Di. The Bigger cameras are better, but it’s a matter of weight… and the phone is always in your pocket. I’m lucky, the newer iPhones are very good – apart from telephoto, at which they are not! 😎
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My phone’s a little nokia PAYG as I only want it to make and received calls and texts. The previous phone had a pretty good camera (when I could see the screen LOL) but suddenly everything was reversed as something failed in the chip, so it had to be replaced. Not pleased with the camera on this one at all, but it was all I could afford.
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You have to respect their limitations… but you can still compose the shot well. Do you have an editing suite in the camera?
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Not that I know of. It’s just a basic phone with camera, and the pictures that result are postage stamp size.
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A feast for the eyes! Thanks Steve. (K)
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Thank you, Kerfe!
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Beautiful shots, Steve. Our skies have been depressing here lately as well. Nice to see your sun!
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Thank you, Eliza. We normally have the clouds… something strange is happening!
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