Dream Tomorrow, Live Today, Cherish Yesterday

I have my eye on you

Canon 1D Mark III, 135mm F/2, f/2.8, 1/800, iso 250

Fooling around a couple years ago at Pt Reyes in California.

Fun Friday - Car Photography

Canon 5D Mark II, 180mm F/3.5 Macro, f/6.3, 1/200, iso 500

Last year, up in The Palouse, heading back to the hotel from yet another great dinner after a day of wonderful photography.... the conversation went something like this:

Ellery: Bob, what the heck are you doing?

Bob: Shooting a few pictures El.

Joe: But Bob, you are driving.

Bob: Didn't you guys hear I'm into car photography?

Ellery: Yes Bob, but we thought that meant taking pictures of cars, not from cars while you are driving.

Joe: [dialing mobile phone] "Honey, I'm in a car with a guy taking pictures while he is driving. Just want to make sure you know I love you."

To be clear, with passsengers in the car I don't actually look through the viewfinder while I'm driving/shooting, that's very disorienting. I only do that when I'm alone. Increases the sporting factor significantly.  And if you are worried that I might "run into you" along my way, no worries, I can easily just text you and let you know where I am!

Really, how can I resist a scene like the one above?

And the rain kept coming

Canon 5D Mark II, 24-70mm F/2.8, f/7.1, 1/60, iso 200

Driving is nearly always an enjoyment for me. Even a rainy and cold day can be a fun drive if you are in the right area...

Topaz Tuesday - Sebastians

Canon 5D Mark II, 35mm F/1.4, f/7.1, 1/200, iso 320

I found this little slice of America down in San Simeon. The "country store...." I remember them well. As a kid, my favorite thing to buy in these stores was a candy called "Walnettos." I think I gave them up when I got braces, and never went back to them.

Besides Topaz Adjust 4.0, beginning with the Spicify preset, this image has a lot of Photoshop work. As you'll see by looking at the original on the Continue link below, I did perspective correction, some blurring of the trees, numerous curves adjustments and a few other goodies.

Sort of brought this country store to life. Long live Sebastians!

The most photographed lighthouse....

Canon 1D Mark III, 14mm F/2.8, f/5.0, 1/1250, iso 100

This is reputed to be the most oft-photographed lighthouse on the USA West Coast.  But not this particular view. You know how I "just gotta be different." 

This was taken on the recent Oregon trip of course.  I liked the dynamics of this composition, and also the fact that the image shows what a beating the lighthouse takes from its environment.

I did some post with Lightroom. I started with a preset named "Fake it till you make it." I then added some fill light, a little saturation, a bit of curves. I'm glad those clouds were hanging around.

Click on the continue link and I'll show you the typical "postcard view" of this lighthouse along with giving you its name....

The Trolley and the Fisherman

Astoria Trolley

Canon 5d Mark II, 15mm F/2.8 Fisheye, f/7.1, 1/400, iso 250
Post Processing with Lightroom preset "PH Surreal Moment"

I have not systematically gone through my 2,800 Oregon shots.  It's easy and fun to do in Lightroom, you rank them, hit X to get rid of clunkers.  So I hadn't actually seen this particular image until this morning.

I recalled the situation, and it made me think about a recent comment on another post, and my response. (Here is the post).  Visitor Ben Hodges basically said "how do you get a shot like that?" and I replied that it was kind of like fishing. You have to know your gear, you gotta get out there and get wet. And be ready when the moment comes.  I learned this well from my Dad, a serious uber-fisherman if there ever was one.

But as any realistic fisherman will tell you, luck comes into play as well.

So a few minutes before taking the above picture, I had been shooting some wall murals at the Astoria waterfront.  I had some time to kill while my wife was shopping, er, "fishing for bargains!" 

 

So I was shooting these wall murals. I first tried the 14mm, but then thought the Fisheye would bring the images to life a little more.  I didn't think these would be great images or anything, but I was there, had the time, it's a chance to learn and practice. Once done with these walls, I walked back over to the shop where my wife was evidently still trying to land a big catch. 

I crossed over the trolley tracks and was walking toward the building when I heard the trolley. Thinking there could be a shot, I turned and walked back toward the track. I didn't even have time to look at the settings on my camera.  But as luck would have it, the 15mm Fisheye was a good choice. I raised the camera and fired away as the trolley went by.

So I knew my gear, I knew a good opportunity was coming, I did the right things. But then luck stepped in, and gave me those people, and the placement of the sun.  It's kind of like one of those shots that you couldn't get if you tried, don't you think?

I love the blond cutie looking back.  The lady in purple, probably just tuckered out from being a tourist. And the one in green, what is she thinking? "Boy that is a tiny lens on that guy's camera?" Who knows but she too adds to the image. Lady luck, some quality gear, a lot of practice and a few skills; "ding ding ding" are you ready?

Cape Creek Bridge

Cape Creek Bridge

Canon 5d Mark II, 14mm F/2.8, f/8.0, 1/250, iso 100

One of the must see places on the mid Oregon Coast is the Heceta Head lighthouse, reported to be the most photographed lighthouse on the West Coast of the USA.  And I do have my own "postcard shot" of the lighthouse.  But this one interests me more. 

When you want to walk to the lighthouse, you park next to a beach, where you also happen to have this bridge.  It was opened in 1932, and the roadway is US 101. It was designed by Conde McCullough, who designed many picturesque Oregon bridges.

We parked the car at the beach, and I got out to stretch and look around. The lighthouse is just a short half mile walk, but it was the bridge, and specifically the light and mist which really caught my eye. I put on the wide angle and trotted over there.

It's such a fun structure to walk around and admire. The light was really something, I guess because of the mist, everything was "glowing."  Looking at the LCD, I could see that the camera was also capturing the glow effect on the margins of the dark areas. I took shots from many angles, but this one is my favorite. No doubt the "sun star" adds a lot, but also I was trying to capture the immensity and gracefulness of the design.  A glorious morning!  Let me know what you think of the image, comments are free and easy with the link below!

Oregon Road Trip - First Post

Yachats Beach Sunset

Canon 5d Mark II, 16-35mm F2.8/L, f/16, 30 seconds, iso 100

Got back home Sunday eve about 5pm.  What a great trip on the Oregon coast! Here are some salient facts:

• 3 nights in Astoria
• 3 nights in Yachats
• 2 nights in Bandon
• 1,764 miles driven
• 2,584 images taken, 50.6 gb
• 21 movies, 3.6 gb

The trip was a 20th wedding anniversary trip, not a pure photo expedition. Luckily my wife was very supportive of all my photo endeavors, and I was able to capture nearly everything I had intended to, plus several other subjects I hadn't planned.

There are a lot of blog-worthy images, and I'll be sharing them throughout the coming weeks & months. I'll also do a couple of posts about traveling in Oregon (which is great), and road tripping in general.

But for a start, how do you like this first image?  The aperture and iso were selected on purpose to create the long exposure, which is what makes the water take on the silky/foggy effect.  I had on my split neutral density filter, the 3 stop. This is nearly straight out of the camera, some curves on each of the lower/upper halves. Oh, one more thing, this was taken from the balcony of our hotel room!

Life is Good

I'm creating this post on Friday Sept 25th, to be posted on Sunday October 4th.  The 25th being the day before I leave, and the 4th being the day we head home from Oregon.  And I'm thinking ahead to how it feels at the end of a nice vacation. Life is good! Everything is possible.  Vacation feels so good, that no doubt we will be taking another one soon, right?  Up to this point in my life that hasn't actually worked out, I'm pretty much a worker.

But on this day I'm going to relish in having had a great experience, fun time with the wife, loving an adventure by car in a beautiful place of our country.  Great photos, right? We are lucky, and yes, life is good!

Road Trip! Oregon Bound

Oregon Riverside Factory

As you read this on Saturday, my wife and I are headed north to Oregon.  Our first multi-day road trip in quite a while.  Tonight we will end up in Astoria.  We also have lodging reserved in Cape Kiawanda, and in Bandon.  So after Astoria, we will work our way down the length of the Oregon coast. Eight days of vacation!  Unusual for me, although I hope to make it more usual in the future.

You have to know I'm pretty excited!  I bought a few books on photographing Oregon and it sure seems like it will be great.  Bandon is many people's favorite place on the entire West coast.

I'm sure I'll have some internet access from the road.  I'll be able to review comments, and respond to them.  But I don't think I'll put up any posts from the road, that can wait until I get home and I can do it properly.

But don't worry, you will have your Dream Tomorrow fix each and every day, as I have posts set up to publish themselves while I'm gone. 

The image above was taken while on one of my boat trips on board Oasis, when we had to duck in due to weather.  This tuesday's Topaz Tuesday post will also be from that trip, a lovely shot from Coos Bay.

If you have any photography tips for the Oregon coast, please share!  I will endeavour to get some wonderful photography while on this trip.  Cheers!