The Sky Is On Fire

This work speaks volumes for all of Lukes outstanding work. Its filled with beauty, light, shadow and perhaps the most important thing - a deeper meaning.

When I first viewed this shot, I was blown away by the intensity of the light - the sun behind the bush. It looked to me like it was on fire and until looking closer, I found it was indeed only the sun. The fact that Luke has captured such detail in the branches of the little bush, against a brillantly overpowering sky which still has lost none of its detail against it shows great skill.

Usually with silhouette shots, the focus is mainly on the darker 'silhouette' rather than the sky, but this also draws the eye to the magnificent clouds, which have so many different layers and so many shades to capture the light. Simply mesmerising.

The feeling I get when looking at this piece is of wonder, and then while looking, it turns slightly to worry and then of dread. Just look at the title 'Skyline on Fire' and that makes one think that something is wrong with the world, and questions are asked. Has there been some nuclear explosion? An horrific killer bushfire? An end to this world?
We don't know the answers, but if you saw this in front of you, as you walked up that little hill, maybe it would be the last thing you ever saw on this earth.

This is why this piece is so good, that as well as being dazzled by the beautiful sky and the burning bush, it also makes you think about it - to ask questions of an apocalyptic kind. How dangerous. How exciting.