These were the result of me feeling a little burnt out from editing my usual photos. I had a lot to get through and was feeling very unmotivated. So, I ended up looking up some of my favourite photos to play around with in Photoshop and Topaz Labs. Out of all photos chosen and edited, these were the three I ended up liking the best. I experimented with motion blur to add some movement. In the first photo, both skylines have different blur settings and I mirrored them to achieve an otherworldly city atmosphere.
All of them reminded me of some fantasy land in the sky so I decided to name this mini-series City In The Sky.
The sunset on this night was definitely a conversation starter but what follows a beautiful sunset sometimes is a beautiful twilight. The purple sky combined with the mist rising from the horizon was such a sight to see. I couldn’t help but feel it was the perfect end to the day.
Photographing an intense sunset at Rouge River has always been on my photography bucket list. I’m so glad I was lucky enough to be able to photograph one. After a hazy day, I had an inkling that we would be getting an intense sunset. That seemed to be the norm on other hazy days so I was super excited for what was hopefully to come. I sat down on the beach with my camera and my phone, ready to take some photos and videos.
When the sky started to turn orange, I knew we were in for a treat. When the sun started to descend, I couldn’t believe my eyes in how defined it was in the sky. When it sank past the bridge, I was in awe at the obvious gradient of colour that covered it. I felt like I was looking at a spread from a photography magazine. I had to make sure I wasn’t staring at the sun for prolonged periods of time for obvious reasons.
I only wish I were able to take a photo of just the sun in the sky or the sun over the landscape. But I didn’t want to move from my spot on the beach and risk not making it to another area quick enough. I would rather have some photos than no photos at all. I wanted to return to take alternate photos but was unable to. At this point in the year, it’s too late for conditions that prompt a hazy sky. And just like that, there’s a new addition to my photography bucket list!
A blue waterscape at Rouge River during summer. I couldn’t help myself in taking a photo of the waves rolling in. This scene looks desolate but I can assure you that if photos could talk, one would be able to hear the background chatter and children laughing and splashing around in the background.
A pastel midsummer sunset. The second image is one of my favourites as I love how soft the colours and clouds looked. It almost looks like a long exposure shot with the way the clouds look like wisps in the sky.
Lake Ontario looked so beautiful under the glistening sunlight. Being near water in the summer is so relaxing and can help you feel at ease. With the way the light was sparkling on the surface, it was very easy to get lost in those visuals.
Some simple shots of two industrial-like scenes. I liked the horizontal lines of the train tracks and the vertical lines of the columns illuminated by the golden sunlight.
An orange hazy summer sunset. The haze in the air is very obvious looking at the last photograph. After the sunset started to fade, I looked over to my right and was captivated by the foggy landscape.
Haze in the sky resulted in this stunning sunset where you could see the sun as a defined circle in the sky. This in turn lead into a gorgeous pink and purple sky once the sun started to sink below the horizon.
Such an intense summer sunset!! I was at my usual spot waiting for sundown, but unfortunately the sky remained dull and unchanging. So I decided to leave. I had a feeling that I should have stayed but I didn’t listen to my gut as I should have. There have been many other times where I’d leave thinking nothing would happen only for the sky to start changing minutes later. Sunsets can really be so unpredictable sometimes.
On the drive home, I noticed the sky turning pink. And this wasn’t your standard soft sunset pink. This was a bright pink that was only getting more intense by the moment. We pulled over by a nearby park and I dashed out to photograph whatever I could. Sunsets like these don’t happen every day and I felt so humbled being alone surrounded by a giant expanse of vibrant sky. The energy felt electric and you could smell the incoming rain in the air.
The lighting here was tricky and it made me realize that I really need a new camera that handles low light situations better. I feel regret when I think about the photos that didn’t turn out but there was nothing I could do, both in the moment and in postproduction.
When I felt like I had all of the photos I wanted, the sunset was also starting to fade. Then, there was a sudden shift in the air and I could hear the rain start to make its way in. I grabbed my belongings and made a mad dash to the car before the rain could really get bad. Once I closed the car door, the skies opened up and it just started pouring. Good timing on my part!
What I love about sunsets like these is how they become the talk of the town for the next few days. I really enjoy going on Instagram to see all the other photos my fellow Torontonians have taken. While Toronto is definitely blessed with its fair share of gorgeous sunsets, ones like these don’t happen often and they get all us nature lovers excited!
Gina Staios Photography 