When I’m flying, I spend most of the time with my eyes peering out the window, fixated on the shapes of the landscape only available through an aerial perspective.  Every once in a while, it’s the clouds, not the land that captures my attention.

The photo above, was taken over the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.  In the absence of any features of the land, the shadows of the clouds stretched uninterrupted across the open water in the late afternoon.

Also in a late afternoon setting, the plane had turned perpendicular to the line of the sun, allowing for this lighting pattern on the top of the cloud layer. I’ve seen this effect on takeoffs and landings emerging through low clouds, but not from this height.

Clouds
Sunburst pattern on top of cloud layer. Photo by Steve Bruno.

Then there are the occasions when cloud layers become prominent, creating a depth as rich as any landscape.

Florida Clouds
Multiple layers of clouds off the coast of Florida. Photo by Steve Bruno.