Figure 1 – Ominous weather, Kennebunkport, Maine. (c) DE Wolf 2015.

I planned my July vacation right this year. I gave myself an extra day to “work up” images from the trip and even to find a few that I hadn’t really considered before. Part of the joy of a trip to the Maine coast is foul weather. You just don’t want all of it to be bad. But there is nothing quite so mood setting as a bad, rainy day or two by the sea. The image of Figure 1 I have entitled “Ominous weather.” That particular day was alternating sunshine and spot showers. The clouds were always there, hanging over us or at least in the distance. At one point we went to the beach and looking out over the ocean we could see showers in the distance, great columns, over the water.  It was really beautiful and inspiring.

The photograph of Figure 1 is of Dock Square in Kennebunkport. There are very ominous clouds and a bright stormy sky silhouetting a weather vane – storm’s a-brewin’. The giant masts of a tall ship hover in the background. One key to this image, for me was a little dodging to make certain that the shingles and the roof were just visible and not lost in the blackness – this is the meaning of dynamic range.

Canon T2i with EF70-200mm f/4L USM lens at 122 mm, ISO 1600, Aperture Priority AE mode 1/4000th sec at f/7.1 with no exposure compensation.