TPE Skyfire Review – The Photographer's Ephemeris Review

This is specifically a review for the skyfire plug-in. I've been using this software over the past year to help pick sunrise and sunset chasing much easier. Much like the weather can be unpredictable at times, predicting when the sky will light up is even worse. I'm sad to report that the app did very little to change that fact. This plug-in can be very inconsistent. Even on days where there was a supposed 90% or 95% chance of sky fire, I would often come home disappointed. Conversely, I remember quite a few occasions where I missed a glorious sunset despite the fact that there was an unlikely 15 or 20% chance... now, I completely understand the concept of percentage likelihood, but the problem is that this is a tool that is meant to improve the process and I didn't quite walk away with a feeling that it was helping me as much as I wanted. Overall, I can think of two distinct days where the app really came through for me. The other issue is planning in advance. Because the weather is constantly changing, the data from the sky fire app can also change dramatically. An 80% likelihood in all of the sudden become a 40% likelihood in a matter of hours. I suppose I can't fault the software developers for this, but I would advised those considering purchasing this app to avoid the plus version. Predicting sky fire four days in advance, even two days in advance, is an impossible task. I don't think the level of technology available at this time can change this. Sadly, I believe this negates the alert feature of the plus version for the reasons stated above. Funny thing is, I might shell out for another year subscription of the basic app. For some reason, I find that most of my awesome pictures of come about when the percentage is around 50 to 55%. Combining this information with two or three other weather apps has allowed me to make more informed decisions about whether to make the 60 to 90 minute trek out to my location. I can't wait to see what the developers have in store down the road. I'm just one person who had a somewhat disappointing. Right now, I think your $30 might be better spent elsewhere. But if you've got some money to burn, it may be worth a try.
Review by lankadragon on The Photographer's Ephemeris.