The City
Wherever you live, twilight is a magical time. Twilight takes on a life of its own in large cities where I take photos. As the sun starts to set, the magic starts. When sky conditions are just right, a fleeting light shows as clouds high above catch the last of the sun’s light bathing the landscape with warm shades of yellow, orange, and red. Street and building lights slowly emerge, transforming the environment from reflected luminescent light. The Belt of Venus sweeps across the sky, filling it with blues and deep purples. Shadows merge with solid forms. Edges of objects, such as buildings, become lost and indistinct. For a moment, foreground and background become one, and all depth of field is lost. Depending on atmospheric conditions, like fog or mist, the scene can become very soft and rich with emotion. As more lights shine across the city, luminous colors wash the landscape. On very special nights, a full moon rises on the eastern horizon, slowly filling the night sky with moonlight as the sun fades.
Twilight is a great theater, a play that has been running for a very long time with a new show every night. It is challenging to capture the essence of twilight photographically, but when I do, it’s very rewarding and well worth the effort. Twilight will always be my magic time.