Where are dramatic skies in the US?

[goldboughtrue]

I live in Fort Worth, TX and it seems like most of the time, it's either perfectly clear of completely overcast. Where in the United States do dramatic clouds show up?

[gary88]

I'm in Michigan a lot during the summer, and the sky can really light up nicely by the lake.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/2533505363_53c4a7dd4b.jpg

[goldboughtrue]

Nice image. That's the kind of stuff I want to photograph.

[Depth]

Hawaii has some awesome skies.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3139588343_b7981f858b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/42504877@N00/3139588343/in/set-72157612340466326/)

[sparker1]

I have to say that some of my best skies were in Colorado, with Utah close behind. Wyoming and Montana are also good.

[qveda]

I agree , Colorado has some great skies. used to live near Divide ~ 9000'. felt like you could touch the clouds. views from Colorado Springs are great, T-storms and lightning are amazing. Now in oregon. lots of nice clouds/sunbreaks. even simple skies like this one.. http://www.flickr.com/photos/qveda/3380654961/

[inthedeck]

Stan, Florida is just as nice...and we never have to leave the backyard. ;)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/2632909676_9cd6037ee1.jpg

[blackcap]

Stan, Florida is just as nice...and we never have to leave the backyard. ;)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/2632909676_9cd6037ee1.jpg

I'm guessing you need to leave the backyard if you want some decent foreground interest?

[inthedeck]

^^That would be true. The trees, however, are always there to cover up what's missing. ;)

One of these days I'll find a place where I can get an awesome Sunset...though, on this side of Florida, there's not 'too' many places. Maybe a couple, but, that's about it. ;)

[chauncey]

Depends on whether you want to look down or into the clouds http://www.pbase.com/wmchaunceyboyer/cpr_foggy_morning

[argyle]

Well, I live in Texas as well, as the skies here can get very dramatic. A lot depends on timing...just before or just after a storm are good times, as well as late afternoon. I'd suggest that you build a folder of sky shots taken at various focal lengths, with and without a polarizer. If you have a shot that you like, but the sky is blah, pull one from your sky folder and replace the blah sky with one that suits you. Not to worry, a lot of pros do this as well...how do you think most shots of geese silhouetted against a full moon are done? :D One caveat though...if the pic is for your own use, you're good to go. If its a "for sale" print, you should state up front that it is a composite image.

Here's an example. The original image was shot in Grand Teton National Park, but the sky sucked. The second image has a sky that I shot in my backyard (north of Fort Worth) and added in (not the best job...this was my first attempt...but you get the point).

http://northlake.smugmug.com/photos/382247851_Rwjas-L.jpg

http://northlake.smugmug.com/photos/382247939_M4FSt-L.jpg

[FlyingPhotog]

We've been known to get a little drama in our skies in Arizona:

http://www.pbase.com/flyingphotog/image/89946626/original.jpg

[jhkphoto]

if you ask me id say its all about timing the dramatic skies you are talking about are very elusive!

[jhkphoto]

369236
this was in Wyoming -- noisy aint it :)

[jrader]

Look for low pressure systems. They always bring dramatic clouds.

John

[aebrown]

Here's central Oregon when a system was rolling in:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3499359945_58c4242eff.jpg?v=0

here's the original though...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3657/3578461657_857814e2cd.jpg?v=0

[inthedeck]

^Nice use of layers, D&B techniques, or whatever you used.

Nice shot, Jay. Never been to the GC...some day, though...some day!

Argyle...I'm sure it'll get easier, as your blending process becomes second nature. ;) Nice mountain range.

[argyle]

^Nice use of layers, D&B techniques, or whatever you used.

Nice shot, Jay. Never been to the GC...some day, though...some day!

Argyle...I'm sure it'll get easier, as your blending process becomes second nature. ;) Nice mountain range.

It already has :D That was my first attempt quite some time ago, using the default values for the feathering. I was just checking to see if I could live with the end result once it has been tweaked further...

[brettjrob]

I live in Fort Worth, TX and it seems like most of the time, it's either perfectly clear of completely overcast. Where in the United States do dramatic clouds show up?
You're not in a bad spot, all things considered. While it does tend to get monotonous in this part of the country during both the summer and winter months, the transitional seasons can bring some awesome skies, especially during severe weather season. Too bad we haven't had much of one this year.

In general, I think the frequency of photogenic skies tends to decrease as you move east in this country, at least once east of the Rockies. The poor folks on the East Coast and in the Midwest/Deep South are lucky to have clear enough air for any good colors most of the time (I grew up in the Washington DC area and am quite glad to have left it behind, in terms of outdoor photography). Here in the Great Plains (central strip of states), things start to improve - but we also tend to have miserably long stretches of clear skies during the summer and winter. Once you get into the High Plains and Rockies on west towards the Pacific, the high elevation and relative lack of pollutants makes things a lot better, on average. From what I've seen, states like Colorado/Wyoming/Utah/Montana or even Arizona/New Mexico have breathtaking skies many days per year.

[FlyingPhotog]

Nice shot, Jay. Never been to the GC...some day, though...some day!

Thanks Manish...

That's actually not the GC though. That's the Superstition Mountains which are about an hour east of Phoenix.

Supposedly, home of the "Lost Dutchman Mine." ;)

[inthedeck]

^^ Cool. Thanks for the info. Wanna go diggin'? :lol:

[FlyingPhotog]

^^ Cool. Thanks for the info. Wanna go diggin'? :lol:

Sure... ;)

However, given that it's now state land, I think they'll want a healthy cut if we find anything! :shock:

[inthedeck]

Hmm...maybe we can tell them 'after' we find stuff...if you catch my drift. :lol: ;)

[bbeck4x4]

A shot from Utah

http://photos.planetbeck.com/photos/550920710_8p49A-M.jpg

[goldboughtrue]

I wonder if mountains have an effect on the cloud formations. Seems like the most activity is in the west where the mountains are. I've planned a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in October, so hopefully I can get some good skies and great leaves too.

[airfrogusmc]

New Mexico not far from Texas.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_6540.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_66192.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_6266.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_0139.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_6439_1.jpg

[airfrogusmc]

We've been known to get a little drama in our skies in Arizona:

http://www.pbase.com/flyingphotog/image/89946626/original.jpg

SWEET Jay...

[jrader]

I wonder if mountains have an effect on the cloud formations. Seems like the most activity is in the west where the mountains are. I've planned a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in October, so hopefully I can get some good skies and great leaves too.
You're absolutely right. The effect is called orographic lifting. Mountains physically cause air to rise, cooling it as the pressure and temperature decrease, causing the water in the air to condense to clouds. Thus, clouds will always be present at a certain height up a mountain (unless the air is really dry).

John

[FlyingPhotog]

SWEET Jay...

Thanks Allen...

[dr1ft]

The Bahamas have some nice skies. (I know you asked for US.)

http://photos.sejvik.com/photos/483696103_RNBe3-L.jpg

[Oddjob82]

New Mexico not far from Texas.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/airfrogusmc/IMG_6439_1.jpg

Nice shot too! :)