One of my side hobbies is photography, enough so that I completed the New York Institute of Photography course in professional photography some ten years ago. It taught me the basics of exposure and composition. For some reason I value the diploma as much as a master's degree.  In fact, it was actually about the same amount of effort expended.

Aside from composition, perhaps the most important thing of all, the course taught me some camera technicals and the basics of Photoshop.  Now, of course, if one doesn't do a lot of all three (the technical side, composition, and post-processing) one either loses some skills or stays more or less in his or her own cove of a large lake.  I have gone through a lot of photo equipment, including some pretty expensive long lenses that were fun to use out in the Shenandoah park, but also around the house where I found it just amazing how many transient rare birds do stop through in the spring and summer.  You just have to look for them. But as I get older and the aches and pains set in, lighter gear is essential and for now I am into mirrorless.  I have a Fuji X-E1, a 35/1.4, a kit 18-55 and a wide angle Zeiss 12/2.8. 

Of late I took a few online courses, the latest by an Australian, on sunsets a t this link: (http://brentmailphotography.com).  I'm still trying to find a good location around here for this time of year, but I did get a few interesting photos at the Manassas Battleground the other day.  One does two minute exposures

in bright daylight, which means low ISO and a very dark ND filter, some ten stops (1/1000 the usual amount of light). In front of that filter is another ND 3 stop soft grad filter to better balance the sky and foreground.

Anyway, one can obtain some interesting effects with this filter, although it is a pain to set up.  First, it has to be on a tripod.  Then I have to compose the picture normally and pick an exposure that requires 1/8 sec. at the lowest possible ISO.  Then I put the 10-stop filter on and this just happens to require two minutes for the same exposure. These are at 12mm.  Here, the clouds are moving and take on a rather different shape.  Now to try this technique on sunsets.