A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina

“A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina”
© Copyright Terry Holdsclaw

I’m a big fan of the Astronomy Picture of the Day, and I also like sunrises and sunsets. When I saw Terry Holdsclaw’s photo from the Astronomy Picture of the Day entitled “A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina” shown above, I was awestruck. The colors in the photo are phenomenal. It’s a very vibrant photo, like a jolt of caffeine to wake you up in the morning. Click the photo above to see a larger version.

I like the composition of the photo too, with the branch in the upper-right corner to give the scene a sense of depth. That’s a subtle framing effect. Read more about framing in the Photobird Daily article “Composition Is Key“.

According to the Astronomy Picture of the Day, a sun pillar, which is shown vertically in the middle of the photo in the sky and reflected in the water, is caused by sunlight reflecting off ice crystals when the air is cold and the Sun is rising or setting. For more details, see the Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 15, 2008.

I’ve written before about the Astronomy Picture of the Day and if you like this photo, I think you’ll like the others too. Be sure to click the photos to see larger versions.

• L.A. Never Looked So Good
• From Moonrise to Sunset
• Planets Ahoy!
• Astronomy Picture of the Day

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Winter Photography

“Winter Warmth”
© Copyright Vicki Tinnon

Winter provides unique opportunities for creative photography. Not only do you need to be creative in how you keep yourself and your camera warm, but the colorful tones that the sun casts on the urban and rural landscapes enable you to shoot stunning photos that you can’t get any other time of the year. In an article at the Digital Photography School, Andre Gunther shares his tips for shooting during winter and I’ve listed those tips below.

(If you’re looking for tips on how to prepare yourself and your camera gear for the winter cold, more articles from the Photobird Daily are listed at the bottom of this article.)