Impish September

 

Bring on September!

If there was such a scale, Kefalonia's September would score high on the unpredictability index.

On an island that could serve as a fitting definition of contrast and unpredictable disposition, this seems almost redundant. On second thought, Kefalonia itself is redundant—too much blue, too much green, too many beaches, too many cliffs,  too much sky, way too many images to process.

Speaking of images, if I were to dump all the images I’ve gathered over the years—an immense task, I assure you—into an unlabeled folder, I would not be able to pick out those taken in September. And that is just the  images captured by the camera. The images engraved in my mind would have to wait for that digital measurement that will replace the terabyte.

September sailing (Limenia, Kefalonia)

A collage of seasons in a single month

September can assume the bright colors of April, the dewy beauty of May, the awesomeness of June, the heat of July and August, the rain and thunderstorms of October, or the laid back indulgence of November.

And it does have them all -  in a daily change of mood that is often hard to keep up with.  

Sailing the Kefalonia-Ithaca Strait on a windy September day

Above all, September is impish, mischievous, a real rascal

Just when you thought you would enjoy the beach—free of the August crowds—the sound of rolling thunder reminds you that, even in this corner of the world, the calendar demands respect. But don’t be quick to pack away your flip-flops and beach towel. More likely than not, tomorrow will be a gorgeous day for the beach. So ease back and wait for the rascal’s temper tantrum to pass. Like most rascals, September really does have a heart of gold once you get to know him.

Easing back does not, by any means, imply that you must stay indoors until the storm is over.  I always alleviated my “pain” by taking a drive to the Lighthouse and focusing, digitally and mentally, on the rain that washes away the lingering sins of naughty August.

Argostoli Lighthouse on a rainy September day

But that is not all. September adds a “bonus track” in an effort to make up for its momentary wickedness. Aside from March, this is the best time of year to photograph Kefalonia’s stunning landscape as the rain also washes away the dust and heat of hardcore summer and renders all colors to their natural, basic hues.

Lourdas Bay eases into autumn in brilliant color

The season's slanted sun rays  highlight the turquoise among other blues, whitecaps to emphasize the predominance of the northwestern winds, and long shadows to mark the shift of the sun’s position in the horizon.  

Skies in layered gray and seas in light strips of turquoise is all any lens ever needs to be happy!

Trapezaki Beach in September mode

And then, there is always September the Imitator! 
Trying to pass as April or June and being really good at it. 

Like this:

Shades of September blue (Makris Gialos Beach)

Of course, there are those who have no interest in photographing the whims of the island or the month. They know that Kefalonia’s soft summer has just begun and prefer diving in to get the inside story instead of collecting digital accounts.

Koroni Beach