Ominous Clouds

"Threatening" seems to be a good word to describe this cloud formation, spotted menacing my local supermarket in mid summer 2012. Orange / yellow uplight from the late evening sun lends a downright sinister impression to the scene, such that I, for one, wouldn't have been surprised to see at least one Apocalyptic Horseman galloping down from those boiling borderlands between clear blue sky and deep, dark cloud.

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Contrasts and borderlines seem to be what this image is all about - between the clear sky and the clouds, the light and the darkness, even between the building in the bottom right, firmly rooted to the ground, and the doom-laden sky above,

Thankfully, no horsemen were in evidence, and the battle between clear sky and cloud quickly ended in favour of the cloudy side, with very heavy rain following close behind.

Cirrocumulus Stratiformis

These assorted Cirrocumulus clouds - including, I think, a field of Cirrocumulus Stratiformis - hove into view late one evening in mid-summer 2012.

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Their intricate patterns stood out nicely against the gradually darkening sky, and, although it had not yet set, the sun's low position in the sky (off beyond the bottom right of the picture) created some pleasing uplighting that helped to show off some of the clouds' more delicate features.

The formation covered much of the sky, beyond the area shown here, and changed greatly over the half hour or so that I was watching. Naturally, I took several more picture, which might find their way into future posts.

Cumulus Mediocris

This picture was taken sometime in mid-summer 2012, and shows a healthy example of Cumulus Mediocris (I think!) well on its way to becoming an equally healthy example of Cumulus Congestus (I also think - must get better at formally identifying cloud types!).

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The towering peaks stand out nicely against the otherwise clear, blue sky, catching the late afternoon sun and casting shadows on their more distant counterparts. Although Cumulus Mediocris isn't usually a bringer of rain - or other precipitation - the dark base of these clouds brings to mind torrential downpours and frantic scrambles for shelter.

I can't recall whether they did, in fact, lead to rain, either heavy or light, but I wouldn't be at all surprised - this is England, after all!

Cloud Counting

How many different kinds of cloud can you fit into one photograph, while still leaving room for a swathe of blue late summer evening sky? Probably quite a few, but the multiple varieties in this picture must go some way towards that maximum.

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The striking pink / orange colour of the sun's setting rays catching the lower level cloud makes a pleasant contrast with the bright white of the higher altitude specimens, while the deep blue of the sky is a perfect backdrop against which to show them both off.

Taken towards the end of summer 2012, and quite late in the evening, this photograph captures an impressively beautiful display of natural artwork that held me spellbound for quite some time.

Sunrise Altocumulus Floccus

Somewhere in the distance, behind the trees and dark clouds, the sun is inching its way over the horizon. Overhead, a whole bunch of cotton wool-like Altocumulus Floccus clouds fill the sky with their light, fluffy presence.

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There's something about Altocumulus Floccus (apart from having a really cool name) that somehow makes me feel cheerful and content with the world. It could could be their shape, their colour - lit from below by the rising sun in this case - or their texture. Or it could be something else entirely.

Whatever the cause, however, this batch of reassuringly fluffy cotton wool clouds was photographed very early one morning in late spring / early summer 2012.

Pink Sunrise

A cold, clear, frosty morning in early December began with this pre-sunrise image of pink clouds hanging lazily above the trees like a diaphanous veil draped across the early-morning sky.

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The colourful yet delicate patterns painted by sky, clouds and sunlight neatly offset the dark, harsh shapes of the naked trees in the foreground.

As sunrise pictures go, it may be a little insipid - although, technically, it's not a sunrise picture because the sun had not yet risen above the horizon - but I liked the contrast between the curvy, gently flowing clouds, complete with a visible structure no matter how vague, and the dark, spiky outlines of the trees that showed nothing beyond their crude shape.

Sunset Trees

In late summer / early autumn 2012, I caught sight of the stunning sunset pictured below. Partially hidden behind a screen of trees, the late evening sun is tinged with orange, casting a coppery glow over the gathering clouds.

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The contrast with the darkening blue sky is striking, too, pitting the sun's golden fire against the cold blue darkness of the oncoming night.

Within minutes, the sun had sunk beneath the horizon, leaving the world in shadow as night fell - and, with it, the rain from the thickening clouds.

Sunset Clouds

It's been a while since I've had chance to update this blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been snapping the odd picture when time - and, of course, the sky - has permitted. I've finally gotten around to transferring some of them off my camera, and will post them here over the next few days.

This dramatic, and slightly angry-looking, bunch of heavy rain clouds is backlit by the setting sun. For some reason, I could imagine them as a fitting backdrop for a climactic battle in some long-drawn-out war, or other similarly portentous event.

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The picture was taken at sunset, sometime during the summer of 2012 - unfortunately, I didn't keep sufficiently good records to know exactly when. Note to self - set the date and time correctly on camera!