Frequently Asked Questions
@ dragonpictures.co.uk

Because they are real. Most sunset images produced today - whether enhanced in post-production or generated entirely by A.I. - can trigger subtle feelings of disconcertion and unease during prolonged viewing. This happens when the viewer’s subconscious mind detects something artificial, even if their conscious mind doesn’t register anything unusual. The result is a psychological mismatch: the image looks "normal," yet feels wrong, disrupting the calming experience we instinctively associate with observing a real sunset. At dragonpictures.co.uk, our images are captured according to a strict set of principles that make this psychological discomfort impossible: No AI image generation No composite or stacked images Nothing added or removed in post-production (except stuck pixels) White Balance= "Daylight" (Approx. 5600K) No colour enhancement - what you see is what was really there This guarantees that your visual system is not being lied to - consciously or subconsciously. Every image is a true optical record of a spectacular sunset that actually occurred, on the date and from the place shown on its product page. The result is not confusion, but a feeling of primal relaxation, similar to watching the real sky at dusk. Some images at dragonpictures.co.uk show identifiable landscapes at sunset. Others are carefully composed abstracts or Rorschach-like skies filled with organic symmetry, texture, and colour. Many contain subtle visual details - or “curiosities” - that reward prolonged scrutiny. And no matter how surreal the clouds or colours may appear, they are never manufactured or exaggerated. They are faithful records of rare and fleeting events in the sky. In an age of increasing artificiality, these images stand apart. They were not made - they were witnessed. And to witness is to preserve something with soul.

Straight digital photography refers to images captured using a digital camera that are presented exactly as they were recorded - without artificial enhancement, manipulation, or compositing. At dragonpictures.co.uk, all our images fall into one of two closely related categories: ✅ 1. Fully Straight Photography These images are: Single optical captures - not composites Free from AI-generated content Nothing added or removed in post-production (except stuck pixels) White Balance= "Daylight" (Approx. 5600K) Free from colour enhancement - no saturation, vibrance, or tonal exaggeration Presented in their original aspect ratio, with no cropping or reframing Occasionally, minor contrast, highlight, or shadow adjustments may be made - not to stylise the image, but to recover natural detail and more closely reflect what the eye saw during the real event For example, in high-contrast scenes such as late-sunset shots of the Alhambra in Granada (Fire In The Sky 057), contrast may be reduced to: Reveal subtle cloud textures otherwise lost in shadow Maintain visible detail in around the edges of the moon, which would otherwise blow out due to necessary overexposure These adjustments are made with restraint and never change the fundamental light, colour, or feeling of the original scene. ✂️ 2. Straight Photography with Minor Cropping These images meet all the same standards as fully straight photography, except: They may be slightly cropped to improve composition (e.g. horizon alignment or subject positioning) At dragonpictures.co.uk, we remain committed to “Authenticity In An Age Of Escalating Artificiality.” Our sunsets are not visual effects - they are documented optical phenomena, captured to offer the same sense of calm and presence as watching the sky transform in real time.