As most of you know, the County Dock off Mandarin Road is one of my favorite places for an end of day experience, and when the weather looks threatening, it is the place to be. Today as I left the gym, I saw some huge clouds to the west and knew that the dock would have a show tonight. So after a few shots from the parking lot, I headed straight over. When I arrived, the rain clouds and pouring rain could be seen on the far shore over Orange Park. I did not bring my tripod (tsk, tsk), confident that I could handle anything put my way this evening. I saw two other photographers already in position, with their tripods and cameras ready to shoot.
Looks like Rain - The County Dock, Mandarin FL
As I made some exposures and waited for the weather to unfold, I thought about the timeless sequence of weather, sunrise, sunset, and all the events in between, that occur time and time again. This grounds my anxiousness and allows me to just watch and listen. The wind was blowing and there was anticipation that we would get hit by the rain, but it appeared that for now, the lightening and rain clouds stayed at a safe distance.
The sky darkened and the sun set, leaving an orange sky and dark blue clouds. My desire to have my tripod accentuated as the light diminished and I increased my ISO setting. At a certain point you realize that it's over, even though color still lingered in the sky and there was a spiritual need to stay until the end.
Candy Clouds - The County Dock, Mandarin FL