Sunset and Brambles

Sunsets are a fairly cliché lighting phenomenon to write about. Every person in their lifetime has marveled over a sunset or two, if they're lucky. What exactly is our fascination with the sun simply inching itself out of sight? I think the two main components that make a sunset stunning and attractive to our eyes are Contrast, and Color. Depending on what time of year it is, how many clouds are in the sky, and the amount of obstructions on the horizon, the appearance of a sunset can be drastically different. I took this picture from the top of a relatively small hill at around 5:30pm on February 14th, 2009. The sky was mostly clear but there was a light haze that softened and refracted the sun's light. This made for a lovely and all encompassing orange hue that was undoubtedly warm. There were hundreds of spindly brambles shooting up from the ground around me, giving this photo a level of visual interest that would be impossible with an unobstructed sunset. There was a definite contrast between the warmth and softness of the sunlight against the thin and almost cold silhouettes of the brambles. And of course, if I had taken a picture while facing away from the sun, it would look entirely different, but the back lighting is was creates the drama in this picture.