A Perception Question

[Kalalau]

When I am in Hawai'i I am always struck by how vivid the colors are--the sky and ocean are bluer, the trees greener, etc, than here on the mainland. So I wonder if its real or just imaginary. Would the sun's rays coming in at the steeper angle that they do in Hawai'i make colors more vibrant? Here in SD the sky seems noticably bluer in summer with steeper sun angles, but washed out pale blue in winter with shallow angles. Has anyone else noticed this, would angles of sunlight explain it, or is it just my imagination??

[SusieMisajon]

Re: A Perception Question

It's because the tradewinds blow away the pollution. If you REALLY want to see a clear day, look towards Honolulu after a three day weekend.

[Betsey]

Re: A Perception Question

The colors in Hawaii are definitely deeper, more saturated. And there's a difference between where we are, in the north of England, and the mediterranean colors Susie enjoys. Somebody pointed out to me that you can see the difference by comparing the atmospheric effects in Italian art with Dutch art, and it's true! I'm not sure if that dates the difference before pollution or not - I don't know when people started burning coal.

The blue of the sea, on the drive from Makapuu to Waimanalo...even better with polaroids on!

[Barry]

Re: A Perception Question

The colors in Hawaii are definitely deeper, more saturated. And there's a difference between where we are, in the north of England, and the mediterranean colors Susie enjoys. Somebody pointed out to me that you can see the difference by comparing the atmospheric effects in Italian art with Dutch art, and it's true! I'm not sure if that dates the difference before pollution or not - I don't know when people started burning coal.

The blue of the sea, on the drive from Makapuu to Waimanalo...even better with polaroids on!

Betsey, we stopped having coal fires in Liverpool many years ago and the buildings were all cleaned up. We then woke up to the birds singing and not the pidgeons coughing.

[Peshkwe]

Re: A Perception Question

It has a lot to do with the angle the sunlight is hitting the earth, you'll get a different look from place to place and from season to season....how deep are the shadows, how intense is the ambient light vs the direct light etc.

All of it depends on the angle of the sun and the amount of moisture or debris in the air to reflect and/or refract the way the light is filtered by the air.

[salmoned]

Re: A Perception Question

UhhhHmmm, yes, and the sky really does seem bigger in Montana, even [or especially] in a snow storm.

My recent sunburn will attest to the 'vivd' UV rays in Hawaii. Ouch, don't touch me there!

[Kaonohi]

Re: A Perception Question - shades!

The blue of the sea, on the drive from Makapuu to Waimanalo...even better with polaroids on!

Oh yes! And outside the Navy Exchange (corner of Radford and Bougainville) on the sidewalk - so anyone can buy them - a sunglass stand sells 3rd generation blue-blockers w/or w/o polaroid, 29.95 or 39.95 respectively, that put my $120 Maui Jim blue-blocks to shame!

Polaroid plus blue-blockers makes things more real than real.