Just for Fun No C&C will be given: By the river, Umea, Sweden

Umea is in the north of Sweden where they have cold winters yet lovely summers. The light there is lovely. This was taken in the first week of August 2009. I will add a few more from this afternoon to this thread, but this is pretty much straight out of the camera

What is it about the light that you find so agreeable?



Is the light lovely because of the angle of the sum in the sky is like later afternoon in the USA at lower latitude.

Asher

Nigel Allan said:

Umea is in the north of Sweden where they have cold winters yet lovely summers. The light there is lovely. This was taken in the first week of August 2009. I will add a few more from this afternoon to this thread, but this is pretty much straight out of the camera

1. Nigel Allan: Montana by the river​

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Nigel,

The junction of her seat with the rocks is at the hottest spot in the picture, according to the rule of thirds. Still, the beautiful face and blonde hair make the picture as one's eyes are immediately drawn to this much more important area of our interest. This gives the picture a jolt! If others agree, this is an interesting perception effect that can boost a pictures impression on us. The straight line of her left thigh and lag gives a good counterpoint to her body and the heavier detail on the left. Of course I'd love more to the right and higher, but I always want more of scenics.

Asher

Thank you. Interesting observation. I hadn't analysed it but find the balance of the picture appealing on a subliminal level. For me it just works and now I know why

Asking me to explain why I like the light is another difficult one but it must be to do with the lattitude. For instance, I learned something very interesting this time from my mother in law who has a spectacular garden. I couldn't understand why her garden was so lush with amazing blooms when it is such a short season and the ground is covered in a blanket of snow for six months of the year. My knowledge of plants and gardening is such that I believed most plants need 'time' to mature and bloom and I felt they wouldn't get long enough exposure to nice weather and sunlight for this to take place.

She explained that although it is indeed a short season the plants get more light because the sun doesn't go down in summer till about 11pm at night so they get very long days of sunlight.

Makes sense but I had never looked at it that way.

PS There is no digital trickery here in PP, but just look at the colour of the water. The light is very 'clean'

It's a lovely spot.

Asher Kelman said:

What is it about the light that you find so agreeable?

...

Is the light lovely because of the angle of the sum in the sky is like later afternoon in the USA at lower latitude.

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I think so. Umea is located at a latitude (some 400 Km below the arctic circle) similar to, say, Fairbanks Alaska, so you can imagine the sun not reaching much altitude , even at noon, in the summertime.

As Nigel said, the sun takes longer to lose altitude as well, so there's a lot of low angle light to enjoy.

Cheers,
Bart

Nigel Allan said:

Umea is in the north of Sweden where they have cold winters yet lovely summers. The light there is lovely. This was taken in the first week of August 2009.

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Hi Nigel,

Lovely surroundings. I can imagine your pretty daughters blending in nicely with the local blond girls.

Cheers,
Bart