COP3 Lighting Techniques Exercise: Observation 5

Context of Practice 3 Lighting Techniques Exercise: Observation 5
The questions below are taken from the book Light for Visual Artists, and will be what I am going to focus my answers around:
Observe the light. What is its main source? Are there any other light sources? What colour is it? Is it direct light from a bulb or the sun, or is it diffuse light from the sky or a window? Are there any shadows? Do you have a hard edge? Are there any atmospheric factors affecting the light, such as mist, dust, or haze? Is the light pleasing to the eye? If yes, why?

Photograph 5 - (Untitled) by Eric Hines
Observe the light. What is its main source?
Sunlight
Are there any other light sources?
No.
What colour is it?
The colours in this piece are beautiful and range from deep orangey brown on the sea line at the right hand size to deep purple at the other. The colours that are then featured in the middle are stunning, and these are a mixture of yellows, oranges, reds, browns, purples, pinks and white and this is all from the setting sun and how it contrasts against the blue of the sky and the water and reflects onto the clouds around the sun and then back onto the water. 
Is it direct light from a bulb or the sun, or is it diffuse light from the sky or a window?
It is a diffuse light from the sun that reflects onto the water and then back up to the clouds.
Are there any shadows?
There is distinctively a huge shadow that covers this entire pier and makes it really stand out from the rest of the shot. It is a very big contrast from the sky as it is nearly back, you mainly get the silhouette of the pier and that is about it. But through the gaps you get this element of light, especially on the rock in the foreground, you can really see the highlights from the sunlight, just picking out some of the shapes. 
Do you have a hard edge?
In terms of the pier, yes I would say the shadows do have a hard edge as it is all in shadows, and doesn't have lighter and darker shades mixed it, it is all one shade of darkness, which works really well as it makes the colours in the background pop more and look brighter. 
Are there any atmospheric factors affecting the light, such as mist, dust, or haze?
No.
Is the light pleasing to the eye? If yes, why?
This is probably one of my favourite pictures out of all of them that I have been looking at for exercise. Its beautiful and I really love the different colours. Its incredible that a sunset can produce all of these colours and project them that far across the sky. It really does look great and the shadowy pier is definitely just as mesmerising.