I was out on tuition last week on a very cold and misty morning. It was freezing and grey but I reckoned that if we went up into the hills here was a good chance we’d get above the mist and get some good views.
We got above the mist alright but it wasn’t the bright blue skies and sparkling sun that I’d hoped for – it was still a bit hazy. Anyway we were looking at the view when I noticed these strange cloud shapes. I snapped off a few shots (I wish I’d taken more now) and thought little more about it.
Kelvin Helmholtz billows. Nikon D7000 with 16-85mm lens at 85mm. ISO 200, 1/250 sec f8. Exposure + .5 stop.
A few days later I wondered if the cloud formations were unusual or not and sent them to a BBC weatherman for his view. He was very excited!
“This is a picture of a Kelvin Helmholtz billows. The fog or stratus is colder and denser than the overlying air, so the two don’t normally mix. However, if the wind is strong enough, shear between the cloudy and non cloudy layer will force mixing, manifesting in unstable waves, rolling into billows, or breaking waves”.
“This is a great photo which would grace a weather or fluid dynamics book”!
He said more too, clearly very impressed with what I thought was a dull, grey photo.
I’ll contact the various orgainsations that he very kindly gave me the details of and see if I can sell the photo to them. I’ll give them the photo if they plead poverty.
Nikon D7000 with 16-85 lens at 16mm. ISO 200, 1/60 sec f8. Exposure + .5
Don’t you just hate it when a twig (by the swan’s head) spoils your picture!
This was taken later in the day – still extremely cold but great frozen cobwebs and plants and misty lake scenes to photograph.
You can book a Photography Tuition session for any day of the week, any month of the year.
Nikon cameras and lenses are available for use, free of charge!
To find out more see www.photographytuition.co.uk or email me will@phonecoop.coop
