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Lens-Artists Challenge #286 – Weather

Honky Tonk Row, Nashville, TN

This week, Anne asks us to consider the weather and its effects on our photography. She writes, “This challenge is about the various types of weather conditions in which we photographers find ourselves pursuing our hobby or vocation.” You can read her entire challenge post here.

I will start my response with one of my all-time favorite night images. An unexpected thundershower emptied the streets of Nashville one evening. Almost everyone on the street ducked into the many bars and music venues on Honky Tonk Row leaving the bright lights reflecting on the wet city streets.

A foggy Fargo morning.

Early one morning, after leaving my gym, I noticed a heavy fog rolling in along the Red River. I found myself near the river bank looking for image opportunities as I happened to have my Nikon D7000 with me. There is a street on the other side of that wall and the terrain gently slopes toward the river on the right. The streetlights and lights along the wall added to the eerie feeling that fog seems to always create.

Pennsylvania monument at Gettysburg.

The rainy weather on our visit to Gettysburg (insert shameless plug… which happened to also be this week’s Travel Tuesday post here), features the opportunity to create an abstract photo through the rain-soaked bus window. This monument is one of the largest in Gettysburg National Park.

Nicaragua altered reality.

Today’s photo tools allow photographers the freedom to play with altered reality. I don’t use Luminar Neo’s Sky Replacement tool much (and when I do, I fess up to the alteration), but this image of the volcano Masaya in Nicaragua was captured on a reasonably sunny day. Sky Replacement gave the image an entirely different feel.

Clearing after a light snowfall.

In 2018, traveling through Wyoming, we encountered some inclement weather. The view from a pull-off featured a slowly clearing sky after a light snowfall.

First snowfall at Bryce Canyon in October 2013.

Those beautiful red rocks at Bryce Canyon are enhanced by the newly fallen snow. We arrived at one of only two open viewpoints after a heavy snowfall to find I wasn’t the only one who wanted to catch the first light of morning. Clearly, others got there before I did despite my rising at 4 AM to get a good spot at the viewpoint.

View of Puget Sound, Olympia Washington.

For my final image of Anne’s challenge this week, we took one of the ferries across Puget Sound. On this cloudy day, the reflections in the water appeared almost painterly. There was no altered reality here in this image. The abstract appearance in the water was Mother Nature’s artistic interpretation of the sky. You can view this week’s challenge images via my Flickr site here.

Thanks to Anne for this week’s challenge, and thanks also to Egidio for his Warm Colors challenge last week. On Saturday at noon, look for Donna’s challenge using the lens-artists tag in the reader or by following Donna at her Wind Kisses blog. If you are interested in joining the challenge, you’ll find more information here.

John Steiner

57 comments

  5. Fabulous photographs of different kinds of weather John, each of them capturing a unique and magical moment 😊

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  10. Another post well worth waiting for John! My favorites are the Bryce Canyon and the Nashville images. I loved the colors and reflections of Honky Tonk Row and the snow almost hiding the beautiful red rock color of Bryce.

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  16. Amazing photos, John. It’s hard to pick a favorite. You covered weather with spectacular photos. I especially liked the Fargo photo and the sky replacement. Great photos and edits.

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  17. I have to say…how lucky you ere to see Bryce in that venue. Snow! Not surprised that others beat you to the punch. For so many yet is a ‘once in a lifetime” visit. I am with you on Honky Tonk Row. Great shot, great reflection, and well worth getting wet feet for.

    Reply

    • Our only disappointment in that visit to Bryce is that only two viewpoints were open. The snow was so heavy, most of the route through the park was blocked. We were told it could be a couple of days before the park opened fully again.
      I hope to get back there some day to see the rest of the park, in snow or otherwise.

      Reply

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