THUNDER BAY — Smoke from wildfires that's impaired the air quality in communities in Northwestern Ontario and many parts of Canada and the U.S. has also given photographers a chance to capture some fascinating images at dusk or at dawn.
"It's difficult for me to put a positive spin on the forest fire smoke that's been blanketing many parts of Canada," Jeff Robinson of Thunder Bay wrote in a social media post. "But one effect the smoke has is to create some interesting sunsets."
Robinson went on to describe the fiery reddish orange images as "other-worldly."
He told Newswatch he decided to grab some photos from his back deck "just for the colour" while the setting sun was silhouetted against the trees.
"I noticed you could see the actual sunspots on the sun. I guess the smoke was creating a filter and taking down enough of the intense light that you could see the sunspots, which was my reason for posting."
Showing up as darker areas, these planet-size regions with strong magnetic fields are linked to the creation of solar flares, which may intensify the Northern Lights.
Robinson said he's always enjoyed photography, and has gotten a little more serious about it in recent years.
He particularly enjoys wildlife and nature/landscape shots.
For his photos of the sun, Robinson said he used an entry-level camera with an adjustable 150-600 mm telephoto lens.
