urban ku # 165 ~ vapor and glow

Chimney vapors in late afternoon light • click to embiggenEvery once in awhile, we get a combination of atmospheric conditions that cause the 'air' to glow - in this case, a light snowfall, scattered but dense cloud cover, and warm low-angle sun light peeking through the clouds.

The sun light illuminates and tints the snow flakes - also ice crystals when it's really cold - and creates a tinted 'haze' that seems to glow. The effect usually is short-lived. It comes and goes very quickly, especially when clouds are involved. When clouds are in play, the effect can come and go a number of times and even appear in different parts of a scene.

It's an altogether entertaining display made even more so by its infrequency.

Comments

[Mike]

What caused the vignetting/soft focus?

[gravitas et nugalis]

Mike - every ku photograph (and all the variants) has the same vignette as this picture.

It is 'caused' by my Photoshop 'Holga filter', which is actually a series of actions that I apply in exactly the same manner to every picture.

It is more or less noticeable depending upon the subject.

[aaron]

"It is 'caused' by my Photoshop 'Holga filter'"

that's cheating. Why don't you slather some vaseline along the edges of your lens? that would achieve same thing right?

[Frank Armstrong]

I wonder if the glowing chimney effect is not somewhat related to the "narcreous cloud" effect --
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/highsky/nacr1.htm