SkyPix

A digital photographic storybook of clouds, weather and water by Roger Edwards.

Crepuscular and Curvy Contrail

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Less than 40 feet but more than 13 years from where I shot my archetypical image of crepuscular rays, a late-summer sunset beamed past clouds unseen in the northwest that cut its fading plane of light into rays.  A separate contrail no longer caught the pink light, the western of its two segments standing out well against the warmly lit background. Norman OK (9 Sep 16) Looking NW … [Read more...]

Spotlit Ocean

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Elusive in my earlier trips to the Washington and Oregon coasts, a suitably broken stratus deck (with no overlying clouds) finally timed just right to yield a scene I long desired to see and photograph:  crepuscular-spotlit ocean waters from a lofty vantage point.  The cliffs above Ruby Beach offered just such a view.  The different shapes of the sunlight-permitting cloud holes—linear or slit-like … [Read more...]

Lightning over Thunder Basin

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For the second time the same day, the sky of northeastern Wyoming changed quickly from something rather drab and inert to a rich cloud canvas of texture and tone, a painting in motion, courtesy of the ultimate artist aloft.  Early storms near Gillette sent out a huge gaseous puddle of cold outflow air, compelling our southward diversion in search of newer storms moving into a more favorable air … [Read more...]

Scales of Spin

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Jon Racy, John Hart and I  saw at least six tornadoes with two supercells on this major outbreak day, but under generally lousy, low-light photography conditions, after being unable to get to the Panhandle in time for the most visually striking tubes farther southwest.  Regardless, this was an outstanding storm-intercept day.  The southern of two intermittently tornadic storms recycled itself just … [Read more...]

River Rock Ripples

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Returning from a visit to the legendary Grove of the Patriarchs, in Mount Rainier National Park, I thought we had seen something amazing.  We had.  Douglas firs, western hemlocks, and western red cedars, nearly a thousand years old and sheltered on an island in the Ohanepecosh River, evoked a grand sense of smallness amidst the stately giants.  Yet setting out upon the trail, little did I realize … [Read more...]

Looming Threat

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Loaded with severe winds and small hail, this storm was nearly as menacing as its appearance.  Since childhood, one of my very favorite views of the sky has been this ominous transition from light, cool gray to deep, slate-gray as a severe storm approached, preferably with a booming audio accompaniment.  Where others became frightened and prone to hide or flee, I was attracted like a moth to … [Read more...]