[Harumanbo Harucheonja] "Ever-changing clouds encountered while walking... a source of imagination and inspiration"

"Lift your head and look at the sky. Marvel at its fleeting beauty. Live life enjoying daydreams."

This is the final phrase of the declaration by the Cloud Appreciation Society, a group of people who find peace of mind through clouds. Why would anyone create a society just for cloud appreciation? On the organization's website, photos of clouds taken daily by members from around the world and the cloud of the month are posted.

Since its establishment in 2005, 55,000 members from 120 countries worldwide have been active. There are many cloud photos from Korea as well. The society also sends newsletters to members and developed an app called "Cloud-A-Day." By pointing at the sky and taking a photo, the app tells you what kind of cloud it is.

The founder of the society is Gavin Pretor-Pinney, who has enjoyed clouds and idleness since childhood. After graduating from Oxford University in the UK and a renowned design school, he worked as a designer and writer. In 1993, he co-founded the magazine for idle people with a friend. The Idler's motto is "Slow down. Have fun. Live well." While making clouds his profession, he published books such as , , and , which is also the name of the app. Recently, revised editions of these books have been released domestically.

A citizen visiting Banpo Hangang Park is taking a photo of cumulus clouds. According to cloud classification, cumulus or towering clouds are called cumulus clouds. The parts illuminated by sunlight shine white, while the underside of the clouds is dark and flat.
[Asia Economy DB]

Pretor-Pinney has explained in various books and interviews why he loves clouds: "Clouds change moment by moment, and from them, you can learn about nature, life, philosophy, culture, and art," adding, "They help with meditation, spark various ideas, and nurture imagination."

Clouds have many faces: gas, liquid, and solid. When air (gas) rises, the temperature drops, reaching the dew point, creating water vapor. Tiny water droplets (liquid) and ice (solid) formed at this time gather to form clouds. When clouds become heavy, they turn into rain. The average lifespan of a cloud is known to be about 10 minutes. Because of these characteristics, clouds have no special "good spots" to be found, nor can you seek out a particular cloud you want to see. Pretor-Pinney says, "You can't go somewhere at a specific time to see an amazing cloud," adding, "You have to open your mind to what is happening in the sky and be ready to stop what you're doing." He visits fish markets to check fish scales that resemble cloud patterns, tracks cloud changes from a moving train, and even flies in a glider following Australia's massive Morning Glory clouds.

Clouds that look like waves are surging. These clouds were posted on the Cloud Appreciation Society in June 2009. They were later registered as Asperatus clouds in the International Cloud Atlas.
[Photo by Cloud Appreciation Society]

While appreciating clouds, he also created a new cloud type. In June 2009, a photo posted as the cloud of the month resembled the surface of a wavy sea. He nicknamed it the "Jacques Cousteau cloud," after Jacques Cousteau, the legendary French diver and ecologist of the 1970s. As similar photos poured in from members and visitors worldwide, it was officially named "undulatus asperatus," Latin for rough and uneven. It was later included in the International Cloud Atlas in 2017. This was the first addition to the International Cloud Atlas in 66 years since 1951's cirrus clouds (권운).

Pretor-Pinney says, "Watching clouds is good for brain health." Even a few moments a day spent with your head in the clouds, daydreaming, is beneficial for the mind, body, and soul. He explains that when looking at clouds, the brain enters idle mode. According to ChatGPT, idle mode occurs when the brain is not working on a specific task, i.e., in a resting state. In idle mode, the brain operates freely, unconsciously processing and connecting ideas. It is also useful for rediscovering and rethinking past experiences and knowledge. Sometimes, nonlinear and creative ideas emerge during idle mode. Idle mode can play an important role in creativity and idea generation.

Lens cloud photo selected for the 2023 Korea Meteorological Administration Weather and Climate Photo Exhibition. Photo title: 'Arrival at Jeju Island, and Lens Cloud', Awardee: Kim Dong-min, Location: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju City, Date taken: 2022/06/23 12:23
[Photo by Korea Meteorological Administration]

Pretor-Pinney's least favorite thing is a "blue sky without a single cloud." He says, "If you had to look up at a cloudless sky every day, life would be boring," adding, "Clouds appear like magical phenomena in the sky. They serve as rich metaphors for our thoughts and emotions. Clouds are the facial expressions of the atmosphere." People often ask him where the best place to observe clouds is. He always gives the same answer: "There? It’s your backyard."