Part 3 Capture the Color

The higher elevations of the Eastern Sierras are a go-to place for Fall color. The small towns of Lone Pine, Bishop and Lee Vining were filled with photographers (and those who like to fish). After the spectacular light of the morning shoots, we headed into the canyons. The leaves were just starting to turn, so we were able to catch a mixture of green, yellow and orange. During our first shoot in Bishop Canyon, the wind was blowing so much that I had to give up on photographing individual leaves. For this shot, I slowed the shutter speed as much as possible (with the help of a neutral density filter), and let the wind blur the yellow. This simple photo is one of my favorites from the trip.

Our next destination was Lee Vining, a small town 60 miles north of Bishop. I was very tired and looking forward to some much needed down time before the sunset shoot at Mono Lake, but I followed Don Smith (the second professional leader of the workshop) on a detour into Rock Creek Canyon. I promised myself that I would stop shooting at 2:00, no matter how beautiful the scenery. When the clouds broke up a bit and blue sky showed through it was tough to leave, but I was satisfied with the shots I collected.

The last shoot of the workshop was in Lundy Canyon and I was determined to get the leaf close-up that had eluded me for four days. This is somewhat different than I had envisioned, but I loved the mix of colors and the rain drops were a bonus.

Continued...

Part 4 Bristlecone Pines

I can't let this end without mentioning the Bristlecone Pines, the oldest, single living organisms known. Some have been alive for close to 5,000 years!. After a long and winding drive in and a half mile hike up a steep trail, we were greeted by these ancient, gnarly trees. (As soon as I signed up for this workshop, I ramped up my workout schedule because I knew that carrying a camera bag and lugging a tripod uphill at 10,000 feet was going to force me into oxygen debt. With frequent stops to slow my heart rate and suck in more air, I am pleased to say I held up pretty well.) Thick clouds and rain presented a mostly gray background.

This was a most satisfying journey. In addition to aesthetically pleasing scenery, multiple photographic possibilities, and the opportunity to learn from two professionals, my fellow photographers were just marvelous; enthusiastic, friendly, engaging, and supportive. I feel like I found 10 new friends.

Harvest Moon of the Equinox

The full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal Equinox is the yearly Harvest Moon. In theory, farmers are able to stay out in the fields and continue harvesting by the light of the moon. This month was a special Harvest Moon because it occurred on the night of the equinox, something that hasn't happened since 1991 (and won't happen again until 2029). I usually like to get the moon as big as possible (like the shot above) by using a long lens, but this month I also used a wider lens to include this pumpkin patch that was ready for harvest. I am very please with this true harvest moon shot. Click on a photo to see a larger view.

Then I changed back to the big lens to
isolate a big moon in the night sky.

Insanity is typically associated with full moons and I can understand why. I sat out in the middle of a pumpkin field until after dark just to take a picture. I admit it. I'm a lunatic.

Return to Kansas

This was my third trip to Kansas in the past twelve months. In August it was so hot and humid I hardly ventured outside. Six weeks later and everything had changed. The corn was dry and ready to harvest, and the air was cool. On my previous trip, my camera gear was so heavy and cumbersome that I decided to travel light this time. I took a Panasonic compact camera. That was it: no extra lenses or filters, or tripod. This meant no serious photography, but overall I was pleased with the pictures. Click on any photo to see a larger image. Kansas is the "Sunflower State." They grow wild along the edges of corn fields and are considered weeds by the farmers. Catching the butterflies was a serendipitous addition to this photo.

The Amelia Earhart Bridge which spans
the Missouri River in Atchison.

I was in Kansas to spend time with my aunt, and this time I was not alone. My sister Judy and I spent the week together, taking my aunt out to lunch, and hanging out in Troy, the small farming town in which my father and aunt grew up. We experienced an amazing electrical storm that put on a brilliant and scary light show. There was so much lightening it seemed like we were surrounded by strobe lights. The thunder was constant. When a power pole down the road was hit, spewed green sparks, and knocked out the power, we ran inside. No photos of this storm. This is Judy in my aunt's new apartment.

Aunt Whee's cat, Trudy

This link will take you to photos from my previous Kansas trip:
http://visual-journey.blogspot.com/2010/08/theres-no-place-like-home.html

Starry, Starry Night

Within the photography club, I started a Night Photography Focus Group. We met for the first time on Wednesday and immediately planned our first night shoot for Saturday at Fremont Peak. (If you follow my blog, you may remember that back in April, I climbed to the very top of Fremont Peak with Noella. http://visual-journey.blogspot.com/2010/04/ascent-od-fremonts-peak.html) No climbing or hiking on this trip. We timed our arrival to photograph the setting sun before heading up to the observatory. Normally flares are to be avoided in photos, but they enhanced this one by making the sun look like it was smashing into the horizon.Actually, a thick shroud of fog prevented us from even seeing the horizon.

The edge of the parking lot was lined with photographers, sightseers, and amateur astronomers. As I was walking away toward the observatory, I glanced back, saw these silhouettes, pulled out my camera, and took this hand-held shot.

We had to wait awhile for the sky to darken, and found that even though it was a moonless night, the lights from Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Jose kept the horizon brightly lit. If you click on this photo, you will see the bottom three stars of the Big Dipper.

The Big Dipper is not a constellation. It is an asterism (a pattern of stars) within the Ursa Major Constellation. Click on the photos to see the stars.

The stars of the Big Dipper are often used to point the way toward other constellations. The two stars at the bottom of the bowl point to the North Star (Polaris), which is the last star in the handle of the Little Dipper. I was very pleased to get both dippers in one photo.

Fortunately, others in our group have photographed the Milky Way and shared their techniques. Capturing our own galaxy in a photograph was a stellar moment for me.This was one of the most fun shoot-outs I've been on. I have mentioned in previous blogs how much I enjoy being out after dark. Others must have felt the same because several of the group seemed loath to leave. After four hours of photographing the stars, we started playing with our red lights. (In order to preserve everyone's night vision, only red lights are allowed.) This is a 30 second exposure of Lance painting the dark.

I am second from the left.
You can see more photos from this night on my Flickr stream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/

Happy Birthday to Me

Sunday, 29 August: my birthday. My friend Laurie and I spent the day in Half Moon Bay, shopping, talking, and eating lunch. On Main Street we chanced upon a store called "Half to Have It" which was littered with garden accents that we just had to have. Fortunately, we got hungry before we bought anything and left to find a restaurant by the wharf. We couldn't find the wharf. I knew there was a boat harbor, because once upon a time, I (and another) sailed from San Francisco to Half Moon Bay and spent a couple of days anchored near the harbor. Since this time I had traveled by land, I had no clue where that harbor might be. We drove back to downtown and picked an Italian restaurant with a patio.

We had spotted a few interesting garden places on the way into town and decided to check them out. We hit the mother lode of garden accents: dinosaurs, fountains, birdbaths, turtles, Buddhas, elephants, angels, gargoyles, and more. Laurie found a waterfall perfect for her back yard and I found ,not one, but two turtles that asked to be adopted together. How could I refuse? I also bought a birthday-discounted bird bath.

My birthday self-portrait

It took some logistical maneuvering to fit everything into Laurie's car, but we managed. We headed out of town again but spotted an Orchid Outlet that was having a sale; hundreds and hundreds of orchids, row upon row, lined up, waiting to be chosen. A white one with a yellow labellum, and a yellow one with pink chanted, "Pick me. Pick me." So I did.

We were more than happy with our acquisitions. The car would hold no more. We left town. It was a good birthday. Tomorrow the celebration continues with Janet & Donna, friends from Morgan Hill. Spending time in the company of good friends is the best way to celebrate a birthday.

San Francisco & the Golden Gate

August 24th, the day of the full moon. The moon wasn't going to rise until 7:45 and I figured that if I'm going to drive all the way to The City, I might as well go early and see some of the city. I parked along the Embarcadero, well away from Pier 39, a huge tourist attraction, and walked for awhile. The day was perfectly clear and very hot. 96 degrees in SF is rare. The view of the Bay Bridge was a good prelude to what was to come.

Click on the photos to see a large view.

I drove past Pier 39, through Fisherman's Wharf, and up Hyde Street behind a cable car. I was not prepared for the crowds. Doesn't anybody go to work during the day? Who were all these people? My next stop was the West Battery, which has a view of the Golden Gate that most people don't see. I was here in February and could hardly see the bridge through the thick fog. (Link: http://visual-journey.blogspot.com/2010/02/golden-gate-bridge-park.html )

My plan to be at the Marin Headlands (directly across the gate from where I took this photo) by 6 to get set up for the moon shots wasn't going to happen. With both commuters and tourists wanting to cross the bridge, the queue to the toll plaza was long and slow moving. By the time I got there, shadow had already covered part of the bridge, but the view was still spectacular.

I counted over 30 sailboats on the bay

I found a spot I thought would work and planted my tripod. I knew other photographers would soon arrive. A full moon rising over the city on a fog-less night would lure out all the lunatics.