Springtime sunsets over Stockholm

 

When I first arrived here in Stockholm back in January, on those rare days when sun actually made an appearance, it would set around 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon. It was bleak, to say the least--either the skies were grey or it was just dark. And it was cold. Very cold. But now it is springtime! We are nearing the end of March and already in a running procession towards long, beautiful days of sunlight and warmth as the sun both rises earlier in the morning and sets later in the evening. I'm ecstatic. With each passing day, we are graciously granted 5 whole minutes of extended daylight. Today, the sun set around 6:15. Tomorrow is our DST, so in just one day it will start to set at 7:15. But the 5 minute march will continue on--by the end of April it will rise around 4:45 AM and set around 8:40 PM. By the end of May it will rise around 3:45 AM and set around 9:40 PM. Naturally, this will result in partying until the sun comes up.

I had heard and read about this occurring before coming here, but I did not once imagine the absolute splendor of it all--how everything would radiate in gold, or how the sky would fill with streaks of  pink and purple ribbons and clouds. I never stopped to think about the truly marvelous Golden Hour implications this would hold, and if I'm lucky, how it will go on all night. I think I'm starting to see it now.

These are some photographs I took yesterday, March 23, after spending the day wandering the city (= shoe shopping), down by my favorite little terrace near Gamla Stan (you may recognize it from earlier). They are all of strangers that gathered by the water to watch the sunset. I had to creepily and non-clandestinely sneak up behind them to take them, but hey! You're asking for it if you're going to be that cute. Potentially super redundant, but I didn't spend long--I left soon after to pick up a baguette and head to Olivia's for sweet potato and black bean chili, mmm. And then proceeded to drink and talk and listen to jazz all night with friends. An excellent night, made even better by 3 AM tunnelbana observations written and recorded in haiku. More on that later.

is this real?

note to self: recreate this with friends

There was something about these guys that made me so happy, how they all gathered by the sculpture with their Systembolaget bags to drink and toast the setting sun and the night ahead of them. They gave off that convivial feeling of youth and friendship. Skål to you, gentlemen.

From a different day--I think I went cross-eyed with delight when I looked out of my window and found this. 

This will certainly not be the end of my obsessive sunlight-related posts, especially as the sun sets later in the evening. I don't care! I really only like to shoot in natural light, so this is pretty much what I would consider living in a dream, so I will spend all of my time outdoors shooting what makes me happy. And this makes me very, very happy. : )