A flat landscape in the Tucson desert allowed Lemker to capture the wide expanse of a double rainbow after a storm. He observed a breathtaking orange-red sunset behind a Catalina mountain peak. A Saguaro cactus looms large from his vantage point at the base, partially obscuring a bright sun in the blue sky.
“While on a contemplative sabbatical in Tucson, Ariz., this past spring, I was amazed at the variety and beauty of the sky in the desert. At one point, for two or three days, the sky was awe-inspiring as a desert storm moved through the area,” Lemker said. “Psalm 19.1 expresses it so well, ‘The sky tells the glory of God.’”
And sometimes God is in the details. Lemker was just setting up his Nikon D700 on his tripod when a bird flew in and landed atop the highest point for “Saguaro at Sunrise.” Back in Dayton, he caught a grumpy cat image in the clouds at just the right moment.
“I keep an eye on the sky for cloud formations, and that day the clouds looked photogenic but not that special,” he said. “After a short sky scan, however, there was the cat — something special and fun.”
Lemker likes to observe the variations in the sky in its many forms, and during the most dramatic times, dawn and twilight. He has two images of “Crepuscular Rays,” beams of light radiating from the sun obscured by clouds.
“Often I thought not only of the beauty of the sky, but the effect of the many variations in clouds, fog, rain, haze, high overcast, and of course, beautiful blue,” Lemker said. “All of these variations bring out the beauty below on the earth, each in its own way.”
Like the image he captured in Michigan. For “Sun Disk Through Morning Fog,” the orange sun is reflected in the lake below. In “Sunset at the Pier,” also taken in Michigan, the pier’s supports appear to mimic the the patterns in the clouds above.
“As I reflected on my many experiences of changing light conditions from the sky, I thought that I would share my sky experiences over the years in this exhibit,” Lemker said. “I hope you, too, will find moments to stand in awe at the splendor.”
WANT TO GO?
What: "Skies of Splendor" photographs by John Lemker, SM
Where: Gallery St. John, 4435 E. Patterson Road, Beavercreek.
When: Through Feb. 12
Hours: Noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
More Info: 937-426-5721 | dayton-gallery-saintjohn.org
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