The June Gloom

[John Kasaian]

We've been having unusual weather, but if patterns stabilize, I'm looking forward to the June Gloom---predictable coastal fog up and down the West coast---especially at Big Sur. Most tourists aren't fond of the Gloom as there's not much point in driving down 1 on your vacation if you can't see the sea, but I find the Gloom provides numerous photo opportunities and besides, the seafood on the coast tastes the same, foggy or not.

Are there any other West Coasters here anticipating the June Gloom?

[John Olsen]

In the Puget Sound our fog season is August, but it burns off by mid-morning and generally gives us our best weather of the year. After 11 years living in a cloudy area I've adapted my photography to prefer overcast lighting. If the sun breaks through, it's just a delay in my work.

[Mark Woods]

It's overcast here in LA, so it seems like GLOOM is here early, like last year.

[seabee1999]

It's been a welcome sight for me here in Ventura, CA. The marine layer keeps things cool along the coast and provides some interesting photo ops as well. I hope it stays around even past June.

R/
Dave

[Drew Wiley]

We've already had a few days of it, John. I'm headed out into the East Bay hills with the 8x10 today, but by May will be spending more time over at Pt Reyes. Morning fog there becomes afternoon fog here.

[RedGreenBlue]

Watched Leaning into the Wind - Andy Goldsworthy last weekend. What a super film! Andy mentioned how he loved the calm of gray days.

[Two23]

I too greatly prefer overcast light. It's much easier to work with in that the direction I shoot from doesn't matter much.


Kent in SD

[BrianShaw]

I love June Gloom.... just LOVE IT.

[Drew Wiley]

I wouldn't call our ocean fog gloomy. It's soft and enveloping. Now tule fog, that's gloomy, and dangerous too if you have to drive thru it.

[DavidFisk]

And how about May Gray?

[John Kasaian]

I'm just using the description my Los Angeleno friends use to describe seasonal coastal overcast :o
Now the tule fog Drew mentioned, that's treacherous stuff. I doubt if there is anyone in my town who doesn't personally know of at least one person involved in a tule fog fatality.

[John Kasaian]

And how about May Gray?

Is she an exotic dancer at a senior center?

[tonyowen]

Far from the Americas, here in Wales [Europe] we're stuck, seemingly most of the time, with grey 20:20 overcast . Occasionally we do get a fret (sea mist/fog) that can be very dangerous at sea when inshore. But on shore the fret is just a wet smothering blanket.

Also we do not have the predictability of atmospheric fogs, mentioned above, that I've experienced in the west coast of North America - so the photographic opportunities are rare.

regards
Tony

[DavidFisk]

Is she an exotic dancer at a senior center?

May Be

[Mark Woods]

I was in the the SE UK & Paris to Burgundy France in Nov. & Dec. and loved the overcast. We went there with that in mind. And I love the images I was able to make. Here in SoCal it's sunny most of the time & I struggle to find windows to shoot in unusual weather conditions & at twilight.

[Drew Wiley]

Mark, just stay on the west side of the San Andreas fault and you can ride a tectonic plate to our fog belt up here. It only took 7.7 million years for a slice of
Santa Monica to become a finger of Pt Reyes.

[Mark Woods]

Been there done that during the last eclipse of the sun. But I'm in SoCal most of the time.