I’ve been traveling for the past few weeks and have amassed quite a collection of photos but since I forgot to pack the USB cord for my camera, I won’t be able to download them until I get back home. So I’ve had to go through my old photos to find a theme for this week’s Travel Photo Thursday.
I spent some time looking at each photo, trying to come up with an interesting theme. Each time I changed my mind only to come back to these shots of the Caribbean Sea that I’d taken over the last several months here in Jamaica. For the first time, I think, I really noticed how prominently clouds were featured in each shot and how beautiful they made them look. Let me know if you agree.
As I continued to look through the photos, Both Sides Now, Joni Mitchell’s song popped into my mind as did Wordsworth’s poem, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, and Shelley’s, The Cloud – first verse below.
Enjoy!
The Cloud
I bring fresh showers for the thirsting flowers,
From the seas and the streams;
I bear light shade for the leaves when laid
In their noonday dreams.
From my wings are shaken the dews that waken
The sweet buds every one,
When rocked to rest on their mother’s breast,
As she dances about the sun.
I wield the flail of the lashing hail,
And whiten the green plains under,
And then again I dissolve it in rain,
And laugh as I pass in thunder.
This is my submission to this week’s Budget Travelers Sandbox Travel Photo Thursday series. Be sure to check out other photo and story entries on their website.
Great photos 🙂 My favorite is the second one…
In the first photo at St. Mary, is that mountain in the center an old volcano that’s blown its top?
I vote for Kensington and Montego Bay. Clouds sure add a lot of interest to a photo. Too bad your computer doesn’t have a card readers – then you wouldn’t need your cord.
There is nothing I like more than taking photos of clouds, well except maybe the hours I can spend watching them float by. Loved this series of shots.
Beautiful shots! Clouds make the sky more interesting, and therefore more beautiful, than a flawless blue sky would be in much the same way that an interesting face can be more beautiful than a physically perfect one.
Those are gorgeous shots, Marcia. Clouds can really add to the beauty of an already beautiful scene. The poem was a nice touch – well done.
I agree with you! Clouds really made your shots look beautiful. I love how the clouds are colored in the photo of Montego Bay.
These are beautiful! And you’re right. They look like you took them with the clouds in mind 🙂
Clouds are some of my favorite subjects. They can add so much to a photo. Can’t wait to see what else you have been shooting lately!
Nice collection! I like Montego Bay the best.
Beautiful pics! I love shots with the sea and the sky. A few clouds always adds some nice character!
Beautiful scenic shots. I agree the clouds totally complete each picture. love the Negril and Montego Bay photos. Hope you’re having a great trip!
By coincidence, the current week’s issue of “The New Yorker” has a review of “Marley,” a new film about Jamaica’s most famous musician.
I just love this post. The clouds you featured are heavenly. I have not had made a thought on capturing clouds as subjects of photography until you posted these photos, Inspiring.
Cheers from the Philippines!
there’s nothing like a beautiful moody sky
Nice! We don’t see a lot of clouds here in the valley of California, but they can be beautiful!
Gorgeous! I can feel the sun on my skin in these pictures! Thank you so much for linking up – I think the link is not complete though, as it won’t open – would you mind fixing it? Thanks!!!
I do agree, Denise! We’ve been having a few of them here lately.
Oh, I didn’t know that. Looking at some right now. They feel pretty low, like I can just reach up and touch them.
Cheers, Doc. Glad you like the photos. You should post some cloud photos — I bet you can find some beautiful ones.
Thanks, Dick. Will check it out. I was at the free premiere here last night but left as it had started to drizzle. It was an outdoor screening.
Thanks, Mary. Glad you like them.
The trip’s been great so far.
They sure do add character, Ryan. Thanks!
Thanks, Jessica. It’s one of my favorites.
We tend to overlook them perhaps because they bring rain but they add so much character to a photo.
Got lots of photos, Keryn, can’t wait to download and see how they really look.
Thanks, Sabrina. Maybe subconsciously I did.
Yes, that one was taken as the sun was setting. It added a nice tint to the clouds.
Thanks, Cathy. Glad you like it.
Nicely put, Lisa. Thanks, I like that.
Hahaha, yes. I don’t watch as much as I’d like but whenever I do, I’m always entertained and prompted to daydream.
Glad you like them, Leigh.
I tried the card reader but it looks like it didn’t recognize the card.
That’s the Blue Mountain and yes, it does have an inactive volcano.
Thanks, Muza-chan. Glad you like it. It’s one of my favorites.
Oh, Becca, I’m glad you felt the sun.
Thanks for the invitation. I’ll go back and link again.
Love the photo of the clouds in Kensington, Portland! Makes me wish I was lounging on a beach looking up at them;-)
The clouds are amazing, but I get distracted just staring at them and trying to figure out what shapes I can see in them. Kensington is my favorite, mainly because I see two cute dogs in the sky (No…I never grew up).
Loved the Kensington pic the most! Its beautiful, the cloud formation and also the shimmering water.
Have a wonderful day:)
Fabulous pictures! I had always loved clouds and rainy weather till the last few days when a plane crashed here because of the cloudy weather and swallowed 110 lives… Today when I saw the, it just reminded me of that…
Being less poetic than you, my thought was we should make a game of seeing pictures in the clouds. For instance, see the alligator in that last one? Or is it a crocodile?
Clouds really can do wonders for photos and these are beautiful. I like to snap pictures of clouds from above.
These are stunning shots… You sure live in a beautiful part of the world. 🙂
Thanks, Elizabeth, it is beautiful. Wish I realized it long ago but I’m learning to appreciate it now that I have lots to compare it with.
They definitely can, Sophie. I like doing that as well, have several that I’ll post one of these days.
Hahaha, I’ll go with crocodile. Good one, Vera!
Oh, sorry, Naxysch! Sorry I reminded you of something bad.
Thanks, Arti. Glad you like it.
Hahahaha, funny. Growing up is overrated!
It does make you feel like daydreaming, eh? Glad you like, Jessica.
Oh please don’t say that Marcia! Your photos are gorgeous! I am sorry for mentioning something bad here! Here in Pakistan we are having very cloudy summers for 2 years now and it’s great because it normally gets too hot here in summers! And for a month now we are having rains every day! It’s really beautiful here!
2 years of cloudy summers — I wouldn’t be happy but I guess if it keeps the temp down, it’s not such a bad thing, eh?
Is the constant rain normal? We’ve been having a bit of rain here as well. It’s overcast now but the sun keeps peeking out every few minutes.
Na it’s good here! Not normal but we like it! Keeps the temperature down and sun keeps peeking out too! So the weather stays calm mostly! Only wrong thing it ruins the crops 🙁
Yes, I agree, the rain will ruin crops.
If it gets as hot in Pakistan as it does here, the rain does help. It’s hot here already, sometimes by 10 or 11 a.m., I can feel the difference in the temperature. By midday or mid-afternoon, the heat just wears you out.
Exactly! Normally in these days it would get so hot you just cant stand the sun! But because of the clouds it’s nice here. Clouds start forming in the morning and go away by night, rains are not that frequent now so the crops are doing well too. At least better than the last 2 summers when half of the country was drowned in floods.. We had floods here for the last 2 summers! But thankfully it’s good now. Spring is every where! Flowers of just every color and fresh greens! They make me feel so lively!
Oh, I’d love to see your country. It sounds so beautiful now with all the flowers. Lovely!
The rains have started and already, I’m feeling a few mosquitoes – I hate them! But with all the water around, they just take over. In the mornings, it’s lovely. The sun comes out, the air feels fresh and nice. Then the rains start by mid morning or lunchtime and falls on and off sometimes into the late afternoon.
Hey Marcia
I love this post. Those clouds are awesome. I’m going to have to pinch that poem.
I posted some cloud pictures on one of my blogs http://magpielark.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/april/. I think you’ll like them.
Glad you like it, Narelle. No problem, pinch away!
Love your post as well.