PhotoStory: Scottish Sunset - Fire in the Sky...
...and the importance of timing.
Timing .. is everything, and unfortunately in this instance my timing was garbage. Sometimes its down to bad luck, sometimes inexperience, but the worse ones are due to simple inattentiveness and laziness. I think this time it was simple bad luck. I was planning a sunset shot in an area of the park in Edinburgh affectionately nicknamed by local photographers as the 'magic corner'. I'm not sure why but has something to do with it being on a turn in the road that brings you out to a beautiful view of the city.
Anyway, as I was driving there I could see the shot I wanted. The clouds were heavy but in a kind of foggy way which didn't block out the sun but acted as a natural filter that caused the sun to look like a beautiful orange ball in the sky and lit up the whole sky around it. To my dismay, the sun was dropping fast and as I was walking (running like an idiot) to my chosen spot the sun started to drop under a denser layer of cloud obscuring it.
And so I caught only the last bit of sun before it disappeared.
The language I was using would have made a sailor blush. You know how when you are in a hurry everything seems to go wrong? As I got to my location and started setting up I was rushing so badly that i was getting clumsy, dropping stuff, not connecting things correctly.. mothers were covering their children's ears and hastily passing by me with venom in their eyes as they looked at me.
At this point the moment was lost and the shot I wanted to capture was gone forever. I was annoyed, but there was no longer any need to rush so I considered my options and dialled in my settings for another shot I wanted to try that took in a bit more of the landscape. Since the sun was dropping further that firey glow in the sky was starting to dissipate so I couldn't screw around and needed to get the shot. Once again .. timing is everything, if you miss your window for the shot, that's it.. its gone. Every moment in time is unique and precious and if you missed it, you will only ever see it again in your memories. Which is all well and good, but you can't share those without something like a photo or video.
So here, my final shot capturing Holyrood park, and a part of the city of Edinburgh with that glorious post sunset glow that the foggy clouds helped to create. I can still see the big orange ball that was originally there, and I still wish I had left the house 10 minutes earlier, but I don't dwell on it. I just try to make sure I don't miss the next opportunity (..and I try to swear less when things go wrong.. THAT is harder).
Thanks for Looking.
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You think your timing was bad but your pictures are still beautiful! My wife and I were lucky yesterday evening while on our way back home, we were able to capture a beautiful painted sky. The sun had already went behind the tree line but the colors shining above were gorgeous! The car behind us didn't appreciate it as much as we did unfortunately.
Thanks man! I appreciate the kind comments :) Did you manage to get a photo of that painted sky? I love it when you get a sunset like that. The colors sometimes ares just out of this world. How did you know the car behind wasn't appreciating it? Were they more interested in seeing how close they could drive behind your car? Those kinds of drivers really suck.
Yes, I got a few quick photos and posted them. The car behind me was blowing his horn at me to go on. We were in a 35 MPH zone so it's not like I was holding him up that much.
NOM NOM
You still got some awesome shots, but with sunsets or sunrises for that matter a matter of minutes can sure make such a difference like you I have been caught out at times
Thanks! Yeah it can be frustrating when you get delayed by a few minutes and those few minutes change everything.
yes very frustrating so I am leaving early to catch the sunset tonight
awesome! Have fun :) Hope you catch a good one!
I don't think it will be much tonight but will get some exercise walking the beach 😊
The timing was amazing enough 😊 I love those such beautiful wiew, almost like talking from a fantasy world.. Lol
Amazing shots. Cheers👍💕
Thanks! :) Sometimes it does feel a bit like a fantasy world :)
Your welcome 😊 I believe you, really cool feeling. Have a great evening. Cheers
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Beautiful either way :)
Thanks so much :) It all worked out in the end ;)
I know the feeling and your french can be excused here :-) but despite the fact you where in the such a hurry the images came out astonishing. This is some sick location what is that Hill?
Thanks mate, I am quite pleased with the end result even if I didn't quite get the shot I was originally after :) The hill on the right is called the crags. Its a big cliff that overlooks the city and offers a really great vantage point of the whole place :)
That's one of the beauties of photography, the final result might always surprise :) Have you been on top of that cliff?
Oh yes :) Its one of my favourite places to go, I have been up there many times :) Its a good work out to get up there too! ;)
I bet it is! Do you have any images from up there?
You still got some nice shots though even if it wasn't what you wanted.
Thanks! I was happy with them in the end. More often than not you can salvage a situation like that. You just need to step back a moment and see what else there is. :)
I absolutely love your final shot! :D
all that sunset chasing is so familiar :)
Thanks! :)