Posted December 31st, 2017

Cold Smoke Sunburst

With temperatures in the minus 30's the past few days, I have not felt inspired to spend time outside taking pictures. So I shot this one through a window from the comfort of my livingroom. Smoke from my woodstove chimney was condensing in the cold air into thick clouds that sometimes descended and hung wherever the weak air currents wafted them. The mid-winter sun sat low in the sky where it is usually seen through tree branches and this created a wonderful light show whenever it also shone through the smoke. The sun was behind the tree on the left when I saw the first sunburst and it was magnificent so I grabbed my camera, had to change lenses and ... it was gone. Though the air was quite still, the smoke clouds only occasionally sank low in front of the sun, they settled in different locations, they were fleeting and they were constantly morphing and dissipating. I never was able to capture anything comparable to what I first saw and when the sun moved past the tree into direct view I was doubtful that would present any satisfactory photographic opportunity. Then this scene occurred, not quite what I had in mind but I do like the effect.
Pentax K-1, Pentax HD D FA 28-105mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR @ 40mm, f/8