Summer is a season that brings an array of vibrant colors to life. Plants showcase various shades of green, while flowers blossom in a plethora of colors, ranging from white and blue, to pink, red, and orange. Last week, a selection of these beautiful motifs was captured in our pictures of the day.
The week started off with a dramatic thunderstorm scene from southern Hesse on Saturday. Photographer Hajo Schuhmann described the scene, mentioning that he has always been fascinated by thunderstorms and had the idea of capturing lightning bolts with his camera. He set up his Nikon D810 on a tripod and used a Nikkor 24-70/2.8 lens. With the camera’s interval switch, he took a series of 100 pictures with a 15-second interval between releases. The flash picture was the final shot of the series, capturing the lightning behind a crane. Despite the spectacular appearance, there was no danger as the thunderstorms were far away.
On Sunday, photographer Hansjörg Eger captured a close-up of a snail in his garden. He had the opportunity to take his time and photograph the snail, as it couldn’t escape. Eger chose this particular shot from a series of pictures, noting the presence of an ant that stood bravely in the snail’s path. He used a Canon EOS 60D with a Tamron 70-300mm lens, employing bracketing with three images at +-1.5 f-stops and processing with easyHDR.
The picture from Monday portrayed a foggy landscape, taken in November 2021. Photographer Bernd Unger described his preference for photographing in “bad” weather, as it creates a stronger dynamic. He captured the foggy scene near his home, hiding any distracting backgrounds. The path leading through the fog into the unknown offered a captivating composition. The color was adjusted later to enhance the overall effect.
Architectural photographer Nils Schulte-Jokiel presented a black and white shot on Tuesday, featuring a bridge near Maastricht with striking curved shapes and shadows. He believed that this black and white approach emphasized the geometry and brightness gradients of the architecture. He experimented with various perspectives using a wide-angle lens, and his daughter volunteered to be a model, adding life and a focal point to the image.
Dave Derbis captured the volcanic lake in Iceland for Wednesday’s picture of the day. He had visited the spot multiple times before, but the conditions had never been ideal for photography. However, during his recent trip, everything came together perfectly. The sky had interesting clouds, the water was mirror-smooth, and there was no rain. Derbis took his time to compose the perfect shot, finally obtaining a representative picture of this beautiful location.
The photo week concluded with an atmospheric backlit shot by Dbooker and a close-up of a summer blossom by Daborius. These captivating images, along with the others from the week, can be viewed in the photo gallery.
In conclusion, the week was filled with a vibrant display of summer colors, ranging from thunderstorms and snails to foggy landscapes and architectural wonders. Each photographer captured a unique moment, showcasing the beauty and diversity of the summer season.
