The Photographer's Ephemeris
07th March 2011
One of the new additions (linked here) to my Chastleton House portfolio required me to plan ahead for when the sun would fall directly down the length of the Long Gallery and be at a specific elevation for the window shadow to reach far enough into the room for the composition I'd envisaged. I used a superb piece of free software - The Photographer's Ephemeris - to calculate the date and time I needed to be there. It told me exactly the date and time for my picture. Unfortunately the exact date and time was overcast as were the next several days. The photograph I managed to take was almost a week after the ideal date when the sun's altitude was higher thereby shortening the shadow in the room. I still like the picture and know that if I could have had a clear day on the date The Photographer's Ephemeris told me I'd have been even happier. Now, if only the software could arrange for there to be clear skies when I need them! I must have a word with the software developer.
