Golden Field, Golden Hour

Sunset, June 18, 2014, over a CRP field north of our house

Real photographers call it the golden hour.  An hour before sunset and an hour after sunrise, the light shines on the Earth at an angle, diffusing the light and casting a golden glow. During this hour, light is warm, soft, and perfect for taking pictures, or so says an internet search. Gone are the harsh shadows from the sun shining directly overhead. The only flash needed is the soft stream of light breaking through the haze of a summer evening.

So golden wheat at the golden hour should be even better, right? 

One evening last week, the sky was beautiful from every direction. I took the photo above looking south, with the light accenting the clouds, as if God was wielding a paintbrush and was adding highlights to a landscape masterpiece.

It was just as pretty to the north, with more clouds shifting shape as evening turned to dusk.

Just a few minutes later, and the sky and the field transformed again as the sun sank toward the horizon.

Sunset changed the sky faster than a magician makes his assistant disappear.

As the sun was setting, June 19, 2014

The golden hour? Yes, indeed. With a little orange thrown in for good measure.

We'll see whether we'll have more sunsets witnessed from the harvest field today, after Randy figures out if the wheat and ground are dried out after our Sunday evening rain.