The Blue Hour

For the last few days in Portland we’ve had some cold and crisp winter days where the sky is perfectly clear.  For me this is perfect time to take pictures in what is known as the blue hour.  Once the sun is below the horizon its rays start bouncing off of the atmosphere creating a blue light that on a clear day creates a stunning backdrop against the yellow lights of the city.

I first experienced this effect on New Year’s Eve two or three years ago before sunrise on the East bank of the Willamette River.  I wasn’t aware of this effect at the time and was just startled by how blue the sky was and how it illuminated the Portland skyline.  This week I spent some time in one of my favorite places in Portland, the old Brewery Blocks neighborhood.  About 20 minutes after sunset blue hour took over, creating a beautiful contrast with the yellow streetlights.  I’ve shared some pictures below from both shoots.

I will share more of my pictures from the Brewery Blocks in the next few weeks.  Before I wrap up this post I want to give a call out to Emily Luxton who writes a popular blog from London.  Emily has a feature called “A Postcard from…” where she featured my trip to the Omo Valley and others from around the world.  A big thank you to Emily for reaching out across the internet and highlighting to me what is possible on the web by connecting me to lots of people from around the globe.

Wishing everyone a very Happy and Satisfying 2013!