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In Perspective, Planet: Nacreous Clouds - This Post Is Not For Asher ;-)

Mike Spinak

pro member
Asher wrote to me "Don't wait for the strangest light coming through clouds to post again!"

So, I can't resist showing the strangest light coming through the clouds.

This is a phenomenon called "nacreous clouds":


5006659033_a5579fe3ce_b.jpg


Mike Spinak : Nacreous Clouds


There's not much for me to tell, regarding the making of this picture. I went up to the top of Mount Evans, to photograph mountain goats, but the weather was below freezing, the winds were 70+ miles per hour, and a storm was headed toward us. We found the mountain goats, but the conditions were too tough, so we left to come back another day. In the brief time we were up there, before we left, we saw these unusual clouds in the sky. I got off a few quick snaps with my 300/f4 lens + 1.4 teleconverter, and then we left.

It was an amazing sight to behold!

The world is full of wonders.

- Mike

http://naturography.com
 
It's really stunning how you captured these colours (mother of pearl type) . If you had asked me I would have told you that it's difficult to show this exact shades, you've done it!

How it appears on your computer compared with what you've seen? I've never seen that phenomenon...
 

Mike Shimwell

New member
I saw some nacreous clouds years ago, but these are in another league. Have you boosted saturation or zoomed in on one particular section?

MIke
 

Mike Spinak

pro member
Thank you all.

Andrew, I'm no meteorologist, but you can read about them, here:

http://www.atoptics.co.uk/highsky/nacr1.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_stratospheric_cloud


Mike,

I shot these at a 420 mm focal length, which only covers a small angle of view. So, yes, it was a particular section of the sky, and I was taking shots of the best parts.

It was very bright, but, by bringing the brightness down (i.e., exposing so that the clouds were not blown out), the colors "popped" (i.e., are well saturated).
 
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Mike Shimwell

New member
Interesting. When I saw mine I took some pictures with my old Canon AE-1 and 50. I've no idea where the negs are now, but the colours fringed the edges of the clouds and were very impressive.

It's really a splendid gift to see these things. Right up there with sunsets green flash for me.

Mike
 

John Angulat

pro member
Hi Mike,
These are spectacular!
To better understand a point of reference, were you above the clouds shooting down, or vice-versa?
 

Mike Spinak

pro member
Mike,

I'll post a green flash for you, next.



Mike,

While I was fairly high up (above 14,000 feet) these clouds were much, much higher up. There were a few layers of broken clouds. These were the highest layer, visble through the other layers.
 
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