the evening is tranquil, and dawn is a thousand miles away
July 28, 2011
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at the end of a sunny summer day, there’s a particular quality of the light just after the sun sets. it is most pronounced if you’re in a park, or in the woods, or even sitting on a lawn. it’s the blue hour, the light of dusk, gloaming – but combined with the green foliage in summer, it’s really distinctive to me. it’s hard for me to put into words – it’s a feeling more than anything. i think about being a kid during summer vacations and playing outside with friends until late, summer humidity, a walk after dinner outside, cicadas, stillness, the day fading into quiet, a hush.
(title of this post comes from the title of the poem by charles wright)
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the blue hour 
The only thing missing (and you won’t get that in Britain) is the sound of a radio broadcasted baseball game. Took me right back. Thanks!
PS — I just posted a series on my website: Destruction/Inversion the Inverted Blue series!
yes, the sound of a baseball game! that’s perfect.
(you also won’t get cicadas, summer humidity or a sunny day in britain, either – but a guy can dream!)
My fondest memories of the blue hour are playing outside with all the neighborhood kids, pretending not to hear my mother as she called my name. She would call it in a long, drawn out way, “Je- si- caaaaaaa” (Jessica). As the light faded into darkness her call became more pronounced and I could ignore it no longer. It was time to stop playing and go home.
Your love for summer is quite evident and reading your words over these past couple of months has helped me to appreciate this season even more. The poem is wonderful paired with these photographs. Beautiful post.
You captured that quiet wonder perfectly with these photos.
I’ve always found the sound of cicadas deeply comforting.
I love that poem, as you know. Makes me think of summer in Berlin. Thanks for this today, Brian.
i know exactly what you’re talking about. i love it too.
That last shot is beautiful! I’m finally understanding the blue hour. :]
I will add fireflies and the smell of gardenias. Love the shot of the window. I really love the photos of small everyday moments. Thank you for sharing!
Sil from Buenos Aires
this post is like a poem, visual and written. beautiful, brian.
Your pictures are like a poem, and let your words in my almost forgotten childhood evenings of yesteryear. Thank you.
I understand exactly what you’re talking about. It’s a time of day that I long for and constantly seek out. It only lasts for a brief time before it gets too dark. To me, the blue hour feels calm, safe and sweet.
beautiful post !
such a wonderful post, brian. i think you’ve hit on something. summer always makes me think back to my childhood–more than any other season.
Beauty like this brings out the beauty in people. Good gracious! “Fireflies and gardenias!” I’m in a good spot just imagining everyone else’s blue hour memories.
Your post reminds me of The Tree of Life. I saw it the other day. Long summers, kids playing beneath sprinklers. Life.
there is nothing like a long look back on childhood, and the light , the air the sounds , all of it .y.es the blue hour ..and i love that even though you cant really put it into words you describe it,…chidlhood innocence ..the best of times the worst of times..all of it ..tree of life really does capture a total air of reminisence ..it is evocative and stirs the seni
tment of your post..
I love your work, thank you x
i heart the lighting of the last photo. good poem too.
i know exactly what you mean! i’ve been noticing the “blueness” of the forest in my backyard and have been enjoying all summer :)
thank you, this is so beautifully put. the sense of peaceful nostalgia at dusk is so strong for me. christina- durban, south africa
I love the word gloaming- the way it sounds, and what it depicts
your pictures are a poem on their own!
http://imatiothiki.com/
right after this particular time of day is most often when i find myself sitting in my living room in near darkness because i haven’t realized that the sun has set.
I love the way your photos and words hold these beautiful moments as keepsakes for the future.
Thanks for the lovely work, Ferry!
(And congrats on the Starbucks photo-shoot! Big news, indeed. You’ll still continue to patronise Prufrock Coffee and your local independent cafés, I hope…?)
i already left a comment above, but i took a picture of my own “blue hour” since then and wanted to share it with you since i quoted you in my blog post:
http://andreadespot.blogspot.com/2011/08/personal-blue-hour.html
thanks for the inspiration :)
This is a post I’ll return to again and again–it so perfectly captures my favorite time of day.
oh… this post is beautiful.
We always call it the Golden Hour because everything is bathed in golden hues. Such a magical time of day.