“A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina”
© Copyright Terry Holdsclaw
I’m a big fan of the Astronomy Picture of the Day, and I also like sunrises and sunsets. When I saw Terry Holdsclaw’s photo from the Astronomy Picture of the Day entitled “A Sun Pillar Over North Carolina” shown above, I was awestruck. The colors in the photo are phenomenal. It’s a very vibrant photo, like a jolt of caffeine to wake you up in the morning. Click the photo above to see a larger version.
I like the composition of the photo too, with the branch in the upper-right corner to give the scene a sense of depth. That’s a subtle framing effect. Read more about framing in the Photobird Daily article “Composition Is Key“.
According to the Astronomy Picture of the Day, a sun pillar, which is shown vertically in the middle of the photo in the sky and reflected in the water, is caused by sunlight reflecting off ice crystals when the air is cold and the Sun is rising or setting. For more details, see the Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 15, 2008.
I’ve written before about the Astronomy Picture of the Day and if you like this photo, I think you’ll like the others too. Be sure to click the photos to see larger versions.