Like most photographers, I am constantly challenging myself. From always improving my camera and post production skills to trying to capture new subjects. This year I was able to capture an image of a Sun Halo. In years past when I have noticed on, I have struggled to find a good composition. Unless the sun is low to the horizon, it usually takes up the whole frame of the camera. This where challenge lies with a good composition to make the image interesting enough. I have photographed a sun halo in the past but it has just been the Halo in the sky and nothing else. Well, this year while I was  on Wickaninnish Beach near the town of Tofino, I was able to get a composition  that consisted of more than just the sky with a sun halo.

What is a sun halo? This is an atmospheric phenomena know my many names, like 22 degree halo, sun halo and icebow to name a few. Simply, it is a large ring around the sun that can be colorful like a rainbow. These circular halos are produced by light interacting with ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. Sun halos were used as part of weather lore as a means of weather forecasting before the development of meteorology. It was used as a sign that there will be rain in the following 24 hours. This is fairly accurate because cirrostratus clouds that cause them can signify an approaching storm. Coincidentally, we had a good rain storm the next day.

Back to the image. I was eating lunch on a bench at Wickaninnish Beach when I first noticed the halo. The colors were really vibrant at the time. I scrambled around to look for a composition, and found this piece of drift wood that also helped block part of the sun. By the time I got set up the halo was already starting to fade but I was able to get a few images that I was satisfied by.

While I was finally happy to capture a good image of a sun halo I will continue to look for better or more interesting compositions. As for my challenge(s) this year? There are many but the best one will be something I wasn't even expecting or planning.

Wickaninnish Beach Sun HaloWhile visiting Wickaninnish Beach on Vancouver Island near Tofino we pleasantly surprised by a Atmospheric phenomena know as a circular Halo or Sundogs. This is when light interacts with ice crystals causing a Rainbow Halo around the sun. I was able to use some driftwood in the foreground to capture it with the Kiwistis Visitor center in the background. This is just one of the many great surprises on my travel to Tofino, British Columbia.

I offer a variety of landscape, nature and wildlife images and fine art digital paintings. I also have many agricultural, farming and countryside images as well. Most of my work is from around the Pacific Northwest, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, British Columbia, and Alberta. Please look through my galleries or visit my website to view my full portfolio.

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