Chasing Clouds








Recently it was in the news that Seattle had more cloudless days in a week than last summer. It might be a very newsworthy story for a city which is known for its rain but the lack of clouds on the clear skies was not that great for me. Even though I enjoy bright sunny days as a photographer I prefer to have some clouds in the sky because that is what gives my pictures an interesting horizon. The news made me think about how clouds are important in my photography. Clouds are an important part of my composition whether I am shooting streets, cityscapes, or landscapes. 





There had been great photographers who shot clouds for their photo project and I am sure there are contemporary photographers who still shoot clouds as their primary subjects. I had never committed myself to just photograph clouds only for a photo project but I like to take a picture of a sky that has clouds that makes it more dramatic and interesting. My favorite is combining the sky, water, and land in my landscape composition. Combining the three elements with a dramatic light of a sunrise or sunset gives my picture more drama and in it the ability to tell a great visual story. 



I always look up to see if there are clouds in the sky to be included in a picture, because clouds come in different shades, textures, and sizes, I need to choose the right type to tell a certain story. Maybe someday I will shoot clouds only for a photo project but for now, I just chase them so that I can include them in my everyday photography as visual tools to help me tell a better story through my pictures. 


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