Severley Clear
Tourists love clear blue daytime skies. Just ask any visitor heading out for a day of sightseeing after breakfast. They are usually giddy, exclaiming “What a gorgeous day!”
Photographers, not so much. We want clouds, especially colorful clouds. Photographers oftentimes describe those clear blue photographically frustrating skies as “severely clear.”
So, what do photographers do on severely clear days? They are often the perfect conditions for black and white photography. Generations of photographers have turned blue skies into deep, rich blacks in monochrome images.
For color photographers, you can minimize or eliminate the sky. And you can look for a sun star or the moon to add visual interest and weight to your composition. Also, you can pair it with a complimentary color such as yellow. Finally, you can head for the shade and shoot into the sun.
The Shot
In April of 2024 I was in Argentina’s Patagonia region with my friend and fellow photographer, Jon Christofersen. A 24-hour travel delay caused us to miss our first photo shoot near the small mountain village of El Chaltén.
But we arrived in time for the next morning’s photographic opportunity. We took the 2.5-mile hike with an 1,100 elevation gain to the gorgeous Mirador Fitz Roy overlook with the Andes Mountains in the background.
It was a challenging relentless uphill trek for me. I swear I heard my Apple Watch ask, “Are you trying to kill yourself?” 😊
Arriving, we found ourselves facing severely clear conditions. I headed for the shade looking for ways to minimize the sky. Luckily, there were three compositions that featured colorful fall foliage framing the mountains.
In addition, the sun was making its way down into the tree branches, creating the possibility for a sun star to add visual interest. And after waiting for a couple of hours, everything came together.
I tried three framing compositions featuring a sun star, but this was my favorite. After taking this shot, I simply enjoyed watching the sun drift downwards to the jagged horizon of the Andes Mountains. After sunset, we began the hike back to the hotel and enjoyed a hearty dinner.
Thanks for looking,
Chuck Derus