Project 13: throughout the day

I found this project frustrating to complete and it has had to wait until nearly the end of this module.  Not because It was difficult but because the weather over the last year has been so unreliable.  I had earmarked a couple of locations that would have been suitable but they both involved travelling and I decided not to to commit myself unless I could be sure of the weather.  In the end I plumped for the location shown which was within 15 mins walking distance of my house but even so it took me four days to complete.  I did choose a spot which is slightly elevated and framed the shots with the hedge and two trees which I knew would provide shadows.

I took this shot at 08.20 not long after sunrise.  The sun had risen just above the clouds and was coming from just over my right shoulder.  There are long but weak shadows trending slightly left.

This shot was taken at 09.50.  The sun was now directly behind me and I had to set my lens at 24mm to prevent my own shadow from being in the picture.  This was actually the first one I took so I set the lens at 24mm for all of the others.  No shadows can be seen from the hedge or trees as they were falling along the length of the hedgeline.

It is now 11.00am and the sun is higher in the sky and the sky a more intense blue.  The sun is now over my left shoulder and there are short shadows from left to right.

12.35 now and the sun  is even higher in the sky.  Definite shadows from left to right.

it is now 1.30 in the afternoon and the sun has now moved round well to my left.  The left to right shadows are now increasing in length.

It is now 3.00 in the afternoon and the sun is now sinking towards the horizon on this short winter day.  In fact when I returned an hour later it had dropped below the houses to left and so I didn't take another shot after this.  There are now much longer intense shadows coming from the left.

 What have I learned.
Apart from the fact that our weather is totally unreliable I have learned that as the sun moves around during the day (or appears to do so)  the shadows move with it.  Shadows are longer and more intense at the beginning and end of the day.  I also know (but these photographs do not show it, although I have done the bare minimum of post processing) that at the beginning and end of the day the light is warmer and cooler during the middle of the day.  Given a preference I would photograph during the golden light 2-3 hours before sunsit and after sunrise.  Having said that my favourite image in this sequence is the one taken at 1.30 in the afternoon.  Shadows are lengthening and the light becoming more interesting.