It’s a common occurrence in the Alps for a cloudless sky in the morning to be replaced by a slow build-up of Cumulus clouds over the mountains as the day progresses. Sometimes those cloud formations can be extraordinary, bizarre and dramatic, and often short-lived.
From Left: Alphubel, Taschhorn, Dom, Lenzspitze, Nadelhorn
Lenticular clouds (Altocumulus Lenticularis) are a classic example of clouds that can develop over the tops of high mountains. There’s a useful article on Wikipedia about them, click here to open it.
From Left: Alphubel, Taschhorn, Dom
I was descending back down from Almagelleralp into the Saas valley in the Valais Alps when these clouds started to form over the Mischabel mountains. It’s the type of display that stops you in your tracks to reach for the camera and capture the sight evolving in front of your eyes.
Taschhorn and Dom
These three images span 10 minutes. Colour is almost a distraction, and personally I prefer the pure simplicity of the Black and White conversions. What do you think?
Click any image to view an enlargement
LensScaper 
Not only super images but a lesson on clouds. Very nice post Andy.
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Thanks Len. I can’t say I know much about clouds but sometimes, in the mountains they can be pretty impressive.
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The black and white give the photos more dram in my opinion. They’re great photos, they need the best treatment.
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Many thanks Ken. B&W is a very forgiving medium at times (unlike colour) and certainly can instil a sense of drama that is greater than can be achieved in colour
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What great clouds! And shots. I especially like that cloud in the form of a jellyfish in the first picture. The things one can find in the sky, it’s truly amazing.
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Thanks for your comment. Yes, that is a very weird cloud isn’t it.
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I agree the B&W conversion works best. The clouds you’ve captured in the second image are incredible. Love these Andy.
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Many thanks Edith.
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I’m a colour fan Andy – I love the subtle hues in the blue of the sky, with the drama of the white cloud (with a splash of grey) overlaying the blue – lovely!
Ah well, t’would be a dull old world if we all liked the same things 🙂
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Thanks Paul. ‘Each to his own’ as they say! I think I am still influenced by starting out as a B&W printer for about 15years. I’ve never stopped loving that medium.
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These are wonderful images, Andy. I usually go for the color versions of most shots but the B&W really works well here. Interesting piece on Lenticular clouds, which I had never heard of before. 🙂 Nice read and lesson.
Thanks for sharing, Andy!
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Many thanks for your comment, Jimi
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Very very nice, B&W look so good, thanks Andy.
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Thanks Mark
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Had never seen them until moving to the mountainous area of Salt Lake…and have now seen them several times…fascinating. I do enjoy the natural blue tint with green in the first photo, simply for the natural context, but the black and white provides the needed definition when isolating the focus on the clouds…beautiful photos, Andy.
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Thanks Scott. These I am sure are clouds that only walkers in mountainous areas will be likely to see. Black and White works a treat doesn’t it to extract that extra bit of contrast from a scene like this.
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You’re welcome…and yes, a very fine treat in Black and White….
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