A Real Fall Sky
“See? how purple? a real fall sky.” —Philip Roth
At this time of year, when nature is in the midst of seduction by changing her sartorial presentation right before our eyes, we can often be so mesmerized by the transformation taking place in the trees and vegetation that we might miss the lovely, enchanting show she puts on for us in the sky. For some weeks now, as I drive or walk around, I am captivated by the clouds: the way they change, sometimes in a matter of minutes, and the way they can affect the light, and accent or enhance a scene. Like the rhythm section of a jazz band, the clouds and sky provide a supporting backdrop, or framework, that is often overlooked, but which can hold the entire ensemble together. Or, if the clouds and sky are not interesting, the image can simply fall into flat discord, like a band where the drummer and bassist aren't getting along.
In this scene, the sky—moody graypurple clouds and swatches of pale blue—provides the backdrop to bring the image out of the ordinary, and make it eye-catching.
At 35mm, the field of view is approximately "normal" (i.e. the field of view our eyes see), which helped me to bring in the various elements I wanted to include in the composition: a bit of the foreground water, with tantalizing reflections of the sky and marsh grasses, a broad carpet of the swampy undergrowth as a base for the trees, and of course fully a third of the image devoted to the fall sky. It all works in lovely harmony for me. I hope you like it too.