Glorious Light
Light, subject, and composition. When all three are present and working together, the result is a memorable image. If one element is missing, a photograph usually fails to rise above the level of a snapshot.
Usually, the three components are distinct. But sometimes the light and the subject become one and the same.
Crepuscular rays are miles-long parallel columns of sparkling, sunlit air highlighted by the darkness of adjacent unlit voids. Dust, aerosols, small water droplets, and the air itself scatters sunlight and makes the rays visible.
The apparent divergence of the rays is an optical illusion. It’s like a road “narrowing” in the distance. The Atmospheric Optics web site (Atmospheric Optics) explains it nicely.
As interpreted by our brains, light rays, caused by the shadows of clouds a, b, and c, appear to converge in the sun (from atoptics.org.uk).
In reality, the rays and shadows are parallel in this view from space (from Reddit.com).
The Shot
On June 7, near Amistad, New Mexico a supercell was in its early stages. We stopped for a look, waiting for it to grow into a powerful storm.
I focused on the storm until the adage “Always look behind you” popped into my head. Behind me was a backlit supercell with gorgeous crepuscular rays. I simply stared for a minute until I realized I needed to take a picture. The glorious light was the subject.
I’ll be on vacation next week, so the next Friday Photo is August 15.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus