The Capitol and Moon Rise

I was lucky enough to spend last week in neighborhood of Washington, D.C. I even got to meet up with a few friends I haven't seen in many years, and tour the National Mall with some locals. It's an interesting place, D.C., and I'd like to visit again...in the autumn, perhaps, or another time when 200 year old high temperature records aren't being broken...

Nikon D700, 70-300mm lens @ 145 & 300, f/29 and f/40, 30.0s and 1/2.5s, ISO 200. I spent more than an hour making this image, getting the moon in just the right place. Photoshop was not a major player in this image, but if you know that the Capitol lies at the East end of the National Mall, then you also know that this image is impossible to make in June! The moon rose nearly 90 degrees to camera right. This image was made by exposing the sensor twice without advancing to the next frame. This is a technique that has been around as long as photography. Is it 'realistic'? Just as real as any photograph that is an image of a moment in time. Photography is never realistic. The world keeps moving, the world is color not black white, the world is color, but never as vivid as we remember, the world is changing and decaying and growing and aging. Photographs are static and timeless and surreal and historical. Never realistic. 

The Monument

Nikon D700, 50mm, f/16, 8.0s, ISO 1000.

Lincoln

Nikon D700, 50mm lens, f/16, 8.0s, ISO 100.

And, my guide through the Mall. D. has a vision for photography, and I'm excited to see how his images are realized.

70-300mm lens @135mm, f/5.0, 1/160s, ISO 800.

50mm lens, f/1.4, 1/80s, ISO 800.

Natural History

Nikon D700, 70-300mm lens, f/4.5, 1/20s, ISO 1600.

Air and Space

"Droid"

Nikon D700, 50mm lens, f/2.8, 1/30s, ISO 3200.

National Museum of the American Indian

Nikon D700, 50mm, f2.0, 1/30s, ISO 3200.

Vietnam

Nikon D700, 50mm lens, f/16, 30.0s, ISO 1000.

Arlington

Nikon D700, 70-300mm lens, f/36, 8.0s, ISO 100.

My Evening with Judy and Gene

There I was, enjoying a late evening at the National Mall, making pictures everywhere I looked, when suddenly, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland were walking up the sidewalk toward me! I asked if I could impose on them for a photo, and they were gracious enough to allow me a few frames.

Did I say Judy? Sorry, I meant Jenny! 

Jenny and I are old friends--grew up in Colorado, worked in a chocolatiers' dungeon, and conquered many of the highest mountains on the continent together. She and her fiance, E., now live in D.C. and I was so happy that they had t1me to meet me and show me around the Mall. It was a splendid evening--we circumnavigated the capitol, walked from the Sun to Pluto, stared at Sputnik, and were awed by the architecture. 

Here're a couple more, and here's to many more for the two of them!

Nikon D700, 50mm lens, f/1.8-2.8, 1/15/1/100s, ISO 2000-3200.

Tide Me Over Flower Friday

This trip has had little time for shooting, but I'll post some from around the DC area soon. For now, enjoy an oldie.

3rd Place

I won 3rd place in the Summerfest Photo Contest last week. Boy was I excited to win. I had been to this location twice, scouting it out and imagining how I wanted to make a picture there. This first image is what I was was working on. I shot a million of it with different framing, and different exposures, and different filters--heck, I even used different tripods! It just wasn't happening, though.

So, I turned around, and this is what I saw in a barn. Immediately I imagined it in black and white, and thought about how I would finish the image. then I started hooting it. Took about ten frames. This is the image I entered, and it's the one that one Third Place.

I never did print the first one. This next was my second entry at the Faire.

I love flying. I always wanted to be a pilot--a helicopter pilot was the latest desire, and in high school I even got to fly the simulators at the Army  base in Colorado. I was doing well at it--better than my classmates and even some of the cadets; so the instructor shot missiles at me, and that was the end. There's just something about being flying.

So last week when one of my students invited me to go up, I jumped at the chance. Coincidentally, I had just finished reading a chapter on aerial photography in John Shaw's Nature Photography Field Guide, which ended with, "Seize any chance you have to do aerial photography." So I did, and my dad came , too. And it was a blast. I was hanging out the door of a Piper Super Cub, swooping low and shooting away. Wow.

Nikon D90, 70-200mm lens & 300mm f/4.0 lens, various fast shutter speeds, ISO 400-800. fast enough shutters to freeze the shake of the plane, the slipstream of air out the window, and my excited hands.

Flower Friday

Nikon D90, 300mm lens, F/4.0, 1/1000s, ISO 800.

A Quick Columbine

Getting ready for the Summerfest Photo Contest. This is the first year it has happened, and there have been a few rough spots, but there are so many extremely talented photogs involved that it will certainly be a good show. For my part, I awoke at 4:30 this morning to try for some sunrise options, and scheduled a model shoot this afternoon to try some more stuff. Do i have anything? That will be seen on Wednesday--at which time you're all invited to come to our Tent on the Tabernacle grounds at 7:00 for our reception and awards announcement. Should be pretty exciting. 

Speaking of Summerfest, be sure to head over to Mel Torrie's blog and website. He is an astounding photographer, and we will be privileged to peruse his work at his enormous booth at the Faire. Be sure to stop by, and mention my name...on second thought, don't bring me into the conversation...

Here's a quickie from a scouting tri for the contest my wife and I made yesterday. The long lens isolates that subject. I'm very pleased with how sharp this lens is proving to be, and the bokeh is excellent. See you at the Faire.

Nikon D90, 300mm lens, f/4.0, 1/1600s, ISO 800. Have I mentioned how much I love the noise reduction tools in LR3?

A Cathedral Wedding

I'm glad that A. and J. decided to risk it. The weather has been rainy all week and the temperature dropped last night, too. However, the sprinkling stopped almost as soon as the bride started down the aisle, and it didn't rain a drop the rest of the afternoon. In fact, we were blessed with character-rich clouds and fabulous, even light across the sky. The grandest barrel-vaulted cathedrals in Europe can't match the hills and sky of Avon.

I was pleased to assist Chavonne Demler for this wedding. She has style and is a wiz at this stuff. I sure had fun working with her and the families, making beautiful images that they will treasure for a lifetime or two. We both shoot with the same camera, so we were switching gear all around and sharing lenses, and talking tech (always good to sound like you know what you're doing!), using remote strobes, and just generally using light to create. 

Plus, the reception food was incredible.

Nikon D90, 12-24mm lens @24mm, f/8.0, 1/100s, ISO 800, SB-600 camera right (bare headed on a monopod from high).

Flower Friday

Nikon D90, 55mm Micro, f/5.6, 1/125s, ISO 400.

Smokin' Blues' Food

Not only do they host the best bands in town, but they have the best food around, too. I can't get enough of this place, and I haven't even tapped the root beer list, yet. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did.

Nikon D90, 55mm Micro lens, f/3.5-f/16, 1/125s-1/4s, ISO 200.

Man on Stairs

Canon 1Ds MkII, 50mm lens, f/1.4, 1/500s, ISO 640.

Know Any Brides?

Wouldn't this look great as a wedding image, too?

Canon 1Ds MkII, 50mm lens, f/1.4, 1/160s, ISO 640.

I Teach Photography

I really enjoy teaching, and I'm lucky enough to get to teach what I really love. Look me up for lessons...We always have a good time.

Canon 1Ds MkII, 50mm lens, f/1.4, 1/2500s, ISO 200.