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Gorgeous Photographs of the Sky views: 7728

If you're looking for some inspiration for your photography, look no further! The sky is an ever-changing palette of colors, shapes, and moods; don't let it fade into over- or underexposed obscurity! These photos are sure to inspire you to keep looking up and find new and interesting ways to include the sky in your pictures.

'Fly to the Sky' sunset 'Fly to the Sky' sunset.

This stunning image makes excellent use of the backlighting of sunset to produce a near silhouette of a person leaping into the air above a jet airplane. The brilliant colors of the clouds at sunset almost make it look like the man is leaping into fire.

Hills and clouds over Oklahoma

The variations in shades of clouds are highlighted in this photo of the sky above the Wichita Wildlife Refuge near Lawton, Oklahoma. This is an excellent example of how careful consideration of exposure can capture dark clouds, lighter clouds, and the features of the ground itself in the same photo. The result is a dramatic photo that really invokes a mood!

Blue winter skies

Even a cloudless sky can be an interesting component of a photograph, as in this chilly winter scene. A perfectly clear sky still contains gradations of color, and when contrasted with the white snow and the shapes of trees and other objects, makes for a great subject.

Painting the sky An optical illusion.

Another great way to include the sky in your photographs is to use a nice, wide-open depth of field to create an optical illusion, as in this humorous picture. Sometimes it looks like the clouds are painted on the sky, and this photo makes excellent literal use of that idea.

Darling Harbour fish-eye sky

A fish-eye lens pointed straight up created this photo of Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia. This technique is a great way to showcase an interesting sky, since it allows you to see the entire panorama from horizon to horizon in addition to the buildings and objects on the horizon itself, which show up in a ring around the outer edge.

Angry clouds in a stormy sky Angry clouds in a stormy sky.

Photographers can spend days hoping for the perfect, puffy white clouds in a serene blue sky, but stormy weather can provide a great venue for sky photography, too. Some of the most interesting cloud formations appear before or after a storm or as a weather front moves in.

Lightning and clouds Photo of lightning.

If there's a storm coming in, you might be able to snap some stunning photographs of lightning and clouds. Practice safe shooting — keep yourself and your equipment out of the weather, and find a protected place to capture the action. A lot of patience and a bit of luck will help you get spectacular photos!

Rainbow over the Strait of Magellan

You really have to be in the right place at the right time to capture a rainbow in photos. This symbol of rebirth and renewal is one of the most recognizable sky phenomena. This arc was photographed by a naval officer aboard the USS Boone as it traveled the Strait of Magellan.

Night cloud movement

Clouds don't stay in one place for long! One way to take an unusual photograph of clouds is to use a long exposure (like this 30-second shot) to show how the clouds move across the sky. In this photograph, you can see that the clouds were actually moving in two different directions!

Clouds and stars in a night sky

You don't always need daylight to take interesting photos of clouds in the sky! Get out your tripod and try some nighttime photography like this beautiful shot of trees, clouds, and stars. This is also a great example of one way to successfully break the rule of thirds to make your photographs interesting.

Dramatic sky over Girona

The city of Girona, Spain, offers a visual base to ground this dramatic sky. This photo shows another example of how breaking the rule of thirds can create a gorgeous photograph. Here, the sky is really the most important part of the scene, with the city and mountains beyond simply acting as a frame in the lower part of the shot.

Saint Michael's Church and a fluffy sky

Of course, a beautiful landmark combined with a beautiful sky makes for a stunning photograph. In this shot of Saint Michael's Church in Dartmoor, England, the church on the hillside and the gorgeous clouds beyond it make a lovely image.

Sunbeams at sunset

A setting sun low on the horizon makes for a great angle to catch sunbeams shooting through sunset-lit clouds. Trees silhouetted against the light complete this serene vision.

Clouds and mountains, reflected

Reflected clouds are twice as nice! If you can find a nice, still body of water, you can create a gorgeous photo like this one with the clouds and mountains reflecting in the serene water of the lake.

Image sources:

- http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5146/5600537095_46d2e87f81_z.jpg
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- http://media.tecca.com/2012/02/21/clouds-and-mountains-reflected-600w.jpg