Trip to SoCal: Part 1 Santa Barbara

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With a few no-obligations days on my calendar, I headed for Southern California to see my sister Judy. Reportedly I-5 had numerous delays, so I drove down 101, through Cayucos (where I discovered I forgot my bag of shoes), Pismo (where I bought a pair of sandals), and Carpenteria (where I sat on the beach with a picnic lunch).  I could take my time because I wasn't going all the way to LA in one day.  I stopped in Santa Barbara and chose a motel across the street from the  bustling harbor.  As I strolled the boards of the wharf, I focused on the mass of boats and masts...

 

then I sat on the beach and 

watched the afternoon return of sailboats.

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Without a dramatic sunset sky to work with (there was not a cloud to be seen), I concentrated on the soft-hued bands of color that produced a dream-like quality to the reflected pattern of repeating masts. 

 

Next morning, I was up before dawn to set up on Stearns Wharf (the oldest working wharf in California) before the sun and people appeared.  I do not know what caused the split in the morning mist that allowed the shaft of blue sky to shine through.

 

I moved back to the harbor to catch the first glimpse of the sun 

as it rose over the hills and illuminated the boats.

I have more harbor photos on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Trip to SoCal: Part 2 Venice Beach

 

Too hot in San Fernando Valley, so my sister and I took off for Venice Beach, one of the funkiest beach towns around. Third world shops line the esplanade, where you can buy beach clothes, sunglasses, hats, cosmetics, tee shirts, painted skulls, jewelry, surfboards, and junk food.  You can also get a prescription for medical marijuana, get botox injections, and have your picture taken with aliens.

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See more Venice Beach photos on my Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Fremont Peak Redux

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Just 3 weeks ago I was atop Fremont Peak for some night photography.  Members of the photography club and I returned to capture the shooting stars of Perseid Meteor Shower.  As we waited for the sun to set,  the dry grass glowed with warm back light.

The sunset was more beautiful than I expected.  Usually a spectacular sunset requires broken clouds to reflect the light, but on this night, the sun dropped into a bank of fog and entertained us with radiant layers of color that intensified even after the sun disappeared. 

I wish I had a streaking meteor to show you, but I don't.  They were too elusive for me.  Most of the time, the oohs and ahs from the many spectators sprawled across the observatory platform were the only evidence that a meteor had crossed the sky.  I missed more than I saw and photographed nary a one.  I did however photograph the Milky Way and the 30 inch reflective telescope that was pointed toward it. 

See more photos on my Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Santa Cruz Boat Harbor

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I spent the afternoon and evening in Santa Cruz with friends from the photography club.  Someone lamented the lack of a clear, blue sky, but I was happy to have the broken clouds that added drama and interest to the late afternoon sky, and bode well for a spectacular sunset.  A stroll around the harbor brought back memories of a sail from San Francisco to Carmel that included two nights tied up at the Santa Cruz visitor's dock and a crab fest in the back of the boat.  That was 35+ years ago.

  

An hour before sunset I moseyed down the beach looking for a composition that would include the sunset and the Walton Lighthouse.  As I looked around, the slowly sinking sun painted the sky pink, and I was delighted to see not only the color reflected in the shallow water, but also the lighthouse.  

      

And then the big show began.  Most people think that when the sun drops out of sight, the show is over, but when there is a break in the clouds just above the horizon, the light that shines back up can be spectacular, as it was on this night. 

The lights from the Boardwalk roller coaster sparkle in the lower left corner.   The masts are from the Hobi Cats parked on the beach. 

The last photo of the night. 

More photos from this trip to Santa Cruz are on my Flickr Page:  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Return to Fremont Peak

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Several Saturdays a month the observatory on top of Fremont Peak (3,169 ft.) is kept open until Midnight for amateur astronomers, photographers and campers.  Fifteen members of the photography club ventured up the steep, winding road to first photograph the sunset and then the Universe.  A thin layer of fog softened the light of the descending sun, highlighting the ridges of the Santa Lucia Mountains, beyond which lies Big Sur.

 

It is difficult to include the sun in a photo without flares showing up.  I took this flare-free one with my iPhone using Pro HDR,  and then grunge processed it in Snapseed.

Photographing the stars and planets requires a dark, moonless sky, but this lovely crescent moon hung around long enough to charm everyone and give us something to focus on as we waited for full darkness to arrive.

Do you see the Big Dipper?

Getting the correct exposure for a photo of the The Milky Way involves scientific precision and complex algorithims that must be worked out in your head and applied in the dark;  or trial & error:  take a picture, check the histogram, take another picture.  Which method do you think I used?  

 

The observatory houses a 30-inch reflecting telescope, one of the largest available for public use.  As others waited in line to peer through the scope, I set up my tripod to peer around it.  During the 30 second exposure, I painted the scope with a small flashlight covered in red tape. 

The most awesome moment of the night was a spectacular meteor that fell,  cutting across the Milky Way.  It was the longest lasting shooting star I have ever seen.  Everyone erupted in spontaneous cheers and applause that could be heard down the mountain.  Fortunately, I was attempting to capture star tracks with a 25 minute exposure when it occurred.  Cool, huh?

 

Nothing was going to surpass the meteor shot (which two others also captured), so around 11:00, we packed up and headed back to the campground to look through the telescope that Dave Kutilek had set up.  I am so glad that others are interested enough in seeing the details of the Universe that they buy telescopes that I can look through and photograph.  This last shot was a team effort.  Dave positioned the telescope and during the 25 second exposure, George painted the lower parts with his red light while I painted the barrel with my red covered blue light.  I love it!

 

The photography club has attracted a phenomenal group of people.  We share experiences, help and encourage one another, buy & sell equipment, and have a grand time together.  I was so tired during the ride home, and so pleased.

You can see more photos from Fremont Peak on my Flickr page:

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

MH Farmers' Market

I spent a recent Saturday morning at the Morgan Hill Farmers' Market with several friends from the photography club.  An overcast sky provided perfect, diffused light.  I created the unusual appearance by intensifying detail and edges using OnOne Perfect Effects

I bought the cherries after photographing them.  

Delicious.

You can see more Farmers' Market photos on my Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Waiting for the Moon to Rise

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I spent the afternoon in Santa Cruz waiting for the Full Moon.  I had time to scout several locations with my trusty "Photographers Ephemeris" iPhone app, which showed right where it would appear.   I debated between the wharf and the lighthouse.  The lighthouse won because the wharf was crowded with people.  This first photo shows it just emerging from a low bank of fog. 

  

Then I changed positions to move the moon closer to the light house

 

I was walking to my car when I turned back for a last look and saw the reflection on the water.  There is not much detail in the moon because the sky was pretty dark and I had to use a longer exposure.  I should have upped the ISO, but didn't think of that at the time.

 

I thought I was done for the night and then this scene caught my eye.  I quickly pulled into a small parking lot next to the wharf, and pulled out my gear.  I wanted to walk down onto the sand, but since I was illegally parked, I couldn't venture far from my car.

 

 The long day was worth it.  A lunatic still I am.