Bliss Dance at Night

Bliss Dance must of been a hit at 2010 Burning Man I am so glad the artist returned here to the Bay Area. I made a previous trip shoot her during the day. It was worth the trip to see her at night. I wanted to get farther back and use a longer lens but there was a farmers market going on. I also want to use a longer lens during the day. Looks like another trip in the future. On this trip I also had a chance to shoot the eastern span of the Bay Bridge at night.

I corrected the perspective of this image also notice the plane above and to the right of the lamp post on the left side of the image. I did not correct perspective in the next three images, because I liked the lights. When I composed the images I made sure to cut them out. That just goes to show you only see about 98% of the image through the view finder. I would rather have too much and crop if I choose later.

I did not corrected the perspective of this image and the next two. I like the light rays from the LED array and I think it makes sense to see where the light is coming from. I wanted her to turn blue, but I like the other colors too.

I like the light tail from the plane just in front of her face. The light on the grass in foreground is lit by a pickups headlights. The truck actually drove in front of the camera on another exposure. I was upset when it happened, but I actually like the foreground lit for a different look. If you look behind Bliss Dance you can see another photographer in this and the next image. She was quite popular on this night.

I like how you can see the stars despite all the ambient light and the person that walked in and took a cell phone picture during the exposure on the left.

Bay Bridge at Night (New and Old)

I have always been interested in night photography and light trails. I am making a point to keep shooting after the sun goes down and even plan specific trips to take advantage of the "lack of light" after sunset. I have shot star trails in the past but I have not fully delved into night photography. I have always been in awe of great images taken after sunset. I am always looking to expand my horizons. I have studied photography since I was in high school and I have people ask me "how much is there to know about photography?" I always tell them try it some time. With technology changing so fast there is plenty to learn! With the hardware (digital cameras, computers, camera accessories...etc.) and software improvements constantly improving it is hard to keep up. I have always had a hunger for knowledge. Maybe not what I had to learn in school, but a curiosity to learn something new. I think it is what keeps life interesting.

When I first started getting into photography I spent so much time wishing I had this or that piece of equipment. If I had "that" I could take great photographs. When it was knowledge and imagination that were holding me back. Sure you need the basics a camera you can control and understanding how it works. Maybe a few lenses a tripod and the hunger to want to take great images. But in the end it is knowledge and imagination. Sure having nice gear and a lot of it helps, but in the beginning it helps to find out what you can do with what you have and forget about new gear. Then you have the knowledge and know why you want a certain lens or what ever it is you need. It will also save you a lot of money also. I have purchased a lot of "mistakes" in the past. It amazes me what I could have done all these years with what I had. That is one of the things that keeps me going back to some of the same locations. A few other things also make me go back weather, time of year, new ideas, new equipment...etc.

I have always wanted to shoot the western portion of the bay bridge with the city in the background just before Interstate 80 ends. I have seen that shot many times and wanted to make my own version, but I started thinking about the eastern portion and the new bridge when I crossed the bridge and did research when I was on Treasure Island shooting Bliss Dance. I found the right spot and got the eastern portion before I got the western portion. I was only able to get the eastern side because of the light and I had another shot I wanted to get. Keep an eye out for more of Bliss Dance at night I had a chance to shoot her on the same trip. I missed out on another shot due to fog. I will be back another day and another adventure. I can't wait for the new bridge to be finished.

Mono Lake

I spent the better part of the afternoon waiting for the sunset with the clouds in perfect position only to have them blow away at the last second. I went to the ghost town of Bodie the next day and I heard they blew in with a storm and they got some unusually good conditions for a photography course that was held there the previous night. The sky is usually clear up there from what I understand. I spent half of the next day at  Bodie turns out I had the flu I thought it was the rich food from the 4th of July. I still had a great trip over Ebbits Pass at Mono Lake and at Bodie just got tired too soon. I have included some images with people to show the size of the tufa towers.

 

 

 

 

Bliss Dance

Bliss Dance is a sculpture that was at 2010 Burning Man that is now on Treasure Island where it was created at Bliss Dance Studios. When I was doing research for this post I found out it actually lights up and you can change it from an iPhone application. I could see the lights (if you look at the palm tree on the left you can see some of the lights and there was some inside the sculpture) while I was photographing it. I thought it was something someone put on it. I will be going to visit again at night to see it lit up. I also hope to make it to Burning Man one day.

 

Toppenish Junkyard

These images are from a junkyard that is in Toppenish Washington. All of the vehicles are pre 50's with only a few from the 50's. I saw many makes that I did not recognize the name like Fageol and Reo. Fageol was founded in 1916 in Oakland California and it did not survive the depression. In 1938 T. A. Peterman bought the factory and its contents it later went on to become Peterbilt. REO Motor Car Company was in Lansing Michigan originally the company was to be called "R. E. Olds Motor Car Company," but the owner of Olds' previous company, then called Olds Motor Works, objected and threatened legal action on the grounds of likely confusion of names by consumers. Olds then changed the name to his initials. Olds Motor Works soon adopted the popular name of its vehicles, Oldsmobile (which, along with Buick and Cadillac, became founding divisions of General Motors Corporation). The band REO Speedwagon was named after a Reo flatbed truck. Neal Doughty a member of the band had studied transportation.

A GMC truck

Two Fageol trucks on the left and a REO truck on the right in the back of the image

There is another post from this junkyard Toppenish JunkYard (Garages).

Shaniko Oregon

This is a little ghost town called Shaniko in Oregon that is located on Highway 97. There is still a hotel and quite a few other buildings. In 2000 there was 26 people living there.

I printed this one it is printed on canvas 16"X20 and is hanging in my bathroom.

 I have another post about Shaniko it is a restored gas station.