Same difference

I wandered lonely as a cloud that floats on high o'er vales and hills...

- William Wordsworth -

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It's safe to say no two clouds are alike, that each is unique to itself and individual from all others I think. I'm not sure if cloud-watching is a thing but clouds have always caught my eye, most especially when they are out of the ordinary, at sunrise and sunset and when the changing light lends them a dramatic effect; bring them to life.

People see shapes in the clouds and I do also; I recall moments as a kid laying in the grass looking up turning random shapes into fantastical beasts, mundane animals and any number of other things my imagination could conjure - I was fascinated by them.

I've been going through and organising my photos into folders lately and was struck by one group all taken at a place I visit a lot; Semaphore Beach, close to my house.

As I flicked through I noticed how different the same place can seem depending on the light, time of day, weather and clouds. I'll admit to being addicted to sunsets but cloud-formations, and the way light transforms them, are also very pleasing and I thought I'd share a few today, all taken in the same place, but different.

It's rare that I'm on the beach in bad weather so generally it's either completely clear or there's scattered clouds in the sky. I walk there in winter too, in fact some of the best shots I have are from the winter months - We're blessed with mild winters here so it's easy enough to hit the beach for a walk. I've yet to snap a storm rolling in though however plan to rectify that eventually - Storm clouds can be most wondrous.

One of the things I love about clouds is their ability to transform the same view into something completely different, the way their shapes, sizes and the different cloud-types can give one the feeling of being in someplace different altogether. It's demonstrated reasonably well in this series of photos I took all off the same beach at Semaphore.

I'm a man who enjoys solitude. I don't need people around me to feel happy, entertained, valued or content - I find those things within. I spend an inordinate amount of time in the wilderness and natural places and whilst sometimes I'm not alone I am comfortable with being so. I find through nature comes a feeling of peace and serenity - It's in those moments I can think more clearly, look inwardly and seek answers and simply be at one with the planet and myself.

It's not always possible to escape to far away places though and I'm fortunate enough to have this beach close by - A place I can retreat to, walk, watch the sun set or rise and find the same feeling of happiness I find in remote and distant places.

Beautiful sunsets and cloud formations are welcome companions in these moments. It's nice that I can go there and find the same difference; Same place, same beauty, same feel - Different look.