SkyWatch Friday: Year end Year Begin

Looking back through the photographs I've taken since my last Skywatch post, it seemed appropriate that at the end of 2011 I mostly took sunset shots while during the beginning of 2012 ; I mostly took bright day shots.

I like photographing the end of the day in the winter because the bare limbs allow a view into bands of light and color.

I particularly like the purple and lavender colors of the sunset below.

I've already posted a lot of shots of my January 1, 2012 walk but couldn't resist posting a few more for skywatch.

The blues were almost intoxicating.

The gulls were having a blast doing their sky dancing.

I know it's silly to give animals human characteristics like dancing but who knows maybe the dancing gulls think it's silly to give humans animal characteristics like dancing.

On the second day of January, I took a ton of moon shots in the afternoon.

While shooting the moon, I also took a lot of shots of the lighting on the trees, or rather the color the trees turned due to the lighting.

I had so much trouble deciding which moon shots to use that I am posting a bunch of them.

I was struck by how bright the moon was except when the clouds covered it.

It was fun getting shots which hinted at the moon's three dimensional quality.

As the sun started to set the sky had a beautiful color.

The blue grew richer before turning to black.

The light on the trees and sky, as the sun set, made the seed heads remaining on the crepe myrtle tree (left side facing photo) almost look like red leaves from a distance.

May your skies be varied and your camera be handy in the year ahead. Click for the home of skywatch Friday.