Lens-Artists Challenge #250 – Skyscapes/Cloudscapes

Threatening Clouds, La Quinta, California

“Whisper your dream to a cloud. Ask the cloud to remember it.”

Yoko Ono

This week Amy asks us to share images of cloudscapes that have stricken our fancy enough to draw our lenses. I‘ve opened with a recent image from a visit with friends in California. I remember distinctly the moment we saw these clouds floating threateningly toward the nearby mountains. They reminded me of clouds I’d seen in South America called lenticular clouds {Image here). While appealing to photographers they are known to cause severe turbulence which can often affect air traffic.

Likewise, as shown below, I have a vivid memory of an evening we spent with friends on a lake in Montana. I’d never seen anything like it. The sky was alight with brilliant red clouds due to continuous lightning strikes, all reflected on the water. It was a mesmerizing, thrilling spectacle – which fortunately was happening miles away.

Fire in the Sky, Whitefish Montana

“I could not think of anything but ways to describe the sky, the clouds, the light.”

Gwendoline Riley

From the archives, I’ll admit the image below was purely a stroke of luck. My husband and I were visiting Jackson Hole’s Grand Teton National Park and had run to the visitors’ center as frightening clouds gathered around us. I’d been photographing the park and had my camera in hand as huge lightening strikes filled the sky. I was fortunate to capture one of them, shown below.

Striking, Jackson Hole, Wyoming

“Mirth is like a flash of lightning that breaks through a gloom of clouds and glitters for a moment.”

Joseph Addison

Apparently I’m drawn to stormy skies as they’re also featured in the image below. Captured last summer during our visit to North Carolina, this one brought plenty of rain but was gone as quickly as it appeared.

Storm Approaching, Sugar Mountain, North Carolina

“Sunlight streamed through grumbling storm clouds that played like tiger kittens around the mountain ridges.”

Jane Wilson-Howarth

For the last of my travel images, I’m including a bizarre cloud formation captured during a family reunion in Bethany Beach, Delaware. The scene drew my eye both because of the odd cloud configuration, and because I was astounded by the family that remained despite the oncoming storm.

Eternal Optimists, Bethany Beach, Delaware

“Whatever the clouds plan to do; I always trust in the sun which never fails to come out.”

Munia Khan

Lest you should think otherwise, here on Kiawah we too have our cloudy days. Fortunately, they are fairly infrequent and for the most part, pass quickly. I’ll close with a few of my favorite local cloudscapes.

Fast Fleeing Fisherman, Kiawah Island

Golfers Beware, Kiawah Island Ocean Course

Clouds At Sea, Kiawah Island

Feather Cloud, Ocean Course, Kiawah Island

“No cloud is ever in the same place. Each day is a new masterpiece.”

Sanober Khan

Thanks to Amy for the opportunity to visit some of our favorite skies; we hope you’ll join us by sharing yours. Be sure to link them to Amy’s post here and to use the Lens-Artists Tag to appear in our reader. Thanks also to those who responded to John’s Art in the Park challenge last week. It was so much fun seeing such creative works from around the world. Finally, we hope you’ll join us next week at noon EST when Anne leads us on her beautiful Slow Shutter Speed blog. Until then, as always please stay safe, be kind and enjoy the journey.

Interested in joining the Lens-Artists challenge? Click here for more information.

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Tags: Clouds, Kiawah, LENS-ARTISTS, Photo essay, photography, storm, travel

• May 20, 2023
• Photography
• 102 Comments