Last Saturday I joined 56 other ardent photographers at 0-dark thirty in Sacramento to photograph in the California State Railroad Museum. It was one of over 1100 groups (32,000+ people) in Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk. Our leader had secured permission for us to be in the museum before the public and therefore able to use tripods. This lends itself to some interesting possibilities especially HDR. This shot is of the galley in a dining car. As I began to work on it, it moved (of its own accord) from being photorealistic to more like an illustration. Norman Rockwell’s paintings come to mind.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 15-30mm, 4 minutes @ f/8

I got a chance to shoot a bit more on Mare Island last night. The Mare Island Nocturnes held an Alumni night and there were perhaps 30 photographers out and about in the night.

If you look in the lower right, you can see a tripod and a ghosted image of one of those photogs.

As I said before, this was a wonderful learning experience. Mostly, I learned a number of things that don’t work as well as I would like.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 15-30mm, 6″ @ f/8
This is a test image, shot at ISO 3200. I like it better than the long exposure because you can see the stars as I saw them. Orion’s belt is right there.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 15-30mm, 240″ @ f/8
This is the island superintendent’s quarters. Here, it’s a long exposure and the stars have turned into lines. I used a pretty wide lens and corrected the perspective in PS.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 15-30mm, 360″ @ f/11

Another shot with perspective correction.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + 15-30mm, 360″ @ f/11
Last night my friend John and I went to a shoot sponsored by the Nocturnes on Mare Island. We had a great time and at least understand the basics of long exposure nighttime photography. It’s a very different experience given 4-8 minute exposures.

This is perhaps my favorite shot of the night. It was a six minute exposure.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/30 @ f/4
On another pre dawn walk, I noticed this illuminated pot. I’m not at all sure why it’s illuminated ….

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/25 @ f/4
Things that are ordinary can look different (extraordinary?) in the dark. I pass this place nearly every day and only today “saw” this.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/100@f/8

Canon EOS 5D Mark II + EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/60@f/8

Canon PowerShot S3 IS + 6.0-72.0 mm, 1/800@f/3.5

There is a large gaggle of Canada Geese that make the long migration from AT&T to Chevron (nearly a half mile) several times a day. They stop and rest as it’s such a long journey. When they are on the ground, one goose seems to always be elected to be the lookout.

Canon PowerShot S3 IS + 6.0-72.0 mm, 1/160 @ f/8
I can remember complaining to my Mother in Michigan that it was January and I would have to start mowing the lawn again. Oddly, I didn’t get much sympathy.