Dutch Harbor

Dutch Harbor

ALAK08D-190

July 25, 2008

Alright, enough with the fishes (for now).  This week we're back to our normal helter-skelter of images.  Today we head back up to Alaska, a beautiful destination, to Dutch Harbor, home of the Deadliest Catch crews.  This image, overlooking a secluded part of the harbor on the back of the island, has some beautiful light.  The main elements are not terribly interesting in some views, but the calm of the water, the soft light on the hillside, the lone seaplane sitting there, all combines to make a lovely soft morning image.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Sigma 10-20 mm f/4-5.6

Focal length:  20 mm

Exposure: 1/320 @ f/8  ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Stupas of Bangkok

Stupas of Bangkok

THAI040205

June 12, 2004

Continuing with the Thailand theme this week, another image from my first sojourn to that nation.  In fact, this was probably on the first day of adventure, after landing in the capital.  Wandering through the main tourist areas, the Palace and Wat Po, This stupa struck me.  These are small shrines (though sometimes not so small, you can see it towering over the roof tiles of the palace) where the remains of holy men are kept.  They are intricately designed and decorated, and are beautiful to admire.  I remember looking at this slide when it first came back from the lab, and immediately fell in love with it.  The wide angle approach, the off-center view with the storm clouds in the background (storm clouds are never far away in Thailand in the summer).  All of it spoke to me,  I hope you enjoy it as well. 

 

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon N80
Film: Velvia 50

Lens: Nikon 28-105 mm f/3.5-4.5

Focal length: 28 mm

Exposure: 1/60   f/2.8 ISO50

Post-processing: Scanned on a Nikon Coolscan 5000, toning and curves adjustment in PS4

Photographer of Note: Bridget Fleming and downtownfrombehind

Bridget Fleming
"Downtown From Behind"
http://downtownfrombehind.tumblr.com

Photography takes all different shapes and forms, and one thing that is so important to defining someone is a particular project or style or aim, something that I still wrangle with and I know a lot of others do as well.  And then you stumble upon a project that is so simple, yet so imaginative and encompassing, that you have to stop and take notice.

downtownfrombehind is a photographic series that, as the name implies, captures subjects as they ride their bike through New York City from behind.  Bridget Fleming has photographed people riding on some 200+ streets, avenues and lanes in the downtown part of the metropolis.

 It is a whimsical, romantic view of the city, in my opinion, as these bikes become the departure point for a daily look at the streets of New York. The portrait models are a diverse collection of writers, architects, designers, chefs, etc. that inhabit the city and make it so colorful.  So it is a hybrid of portrait photography (although from the rear, which is unique unto itself) and street photography of the less popular avenues of New York.  Still, the imagery is interesting, intimate, and charming, and I recommend checking it out.  Enjoy.

The Royal Observatory

The Royal Observatory

GUAT07D-340_pan

July 8, 2007

While venturing through the sights of Guatemala, my main objective for going there was to see the Mayan ruins.  And they didn't disappoint.  My one hiccup was that they were very touristy.  Now, this is to be expected, as the ruins at places like Tikal are restored and in fantastic shape, and they should be appreciated by all so they can be maintained.  However, there is that part of me, as in most adventurers, who enjoys moving off the beaten track, seeing things out of the way.  And that was what brought us to Yaxha. 
 
This smaller site, located right on the river, is in various stages of decay and repair.  The 90-minute jeep ride through the jungle to reach the site gave you an idea of how isolated, how off the beaten track it was.  And the site did not disappoint.  Ruins fading into the jungle, crumbled by centuries of disuse and steady rain and humidity.  The royal astronomical observatory, which I climbed to take this photo, was in good shape, as were a few other pyramids.  Best of all, these places were without any other visitors; besides us two and our guide, only two archaeologists were at the site, giving it a lonesome, first-discovery feel.  It was fantastic.  I hope you like the panorama I stitched together of the royal palace sitting near the river, with clouds stretching far to the horizon.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Sony DSC-55

Lens: n/a

Focal length: 6.3mm

Exposure: 1/500 f/7.1 ISO 200

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

Sunrise Over the Ruins

Sunrise Over the Ruins

GUAT07D-234_pan

July 7, 2007

A beautiful and famous landscape, sunrise over the Mayan city of Tikal.  This scene was not only found in Star Wars IV: A New Hope (the home of the secret rebel base), but is the site of one of the greatest cities of the Mayan empire.  I chose this image because it is a good reflection of a new year, full of optimism (so far), and also because the nay-sayers have the Mayans predicting 2012 as the end of the world.  Highly doubtful, I think it is misinterpreted, but oh well.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Sony DSC-55

Lens: n/a

Focal length: 6.3 mm

Exposure: 1/13 f/2.8 ISO 200

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

The Pyramid

The Pyramid

GUAT07D-354

July 8, 2007

A quick post this morning, post-Christmas, to wish you all the very best.  Here's hoping you are secure with friends and family, and that you are off to new adventures, like seeing the main pyramid of Yaxha in Guatemala.  Enjoy!

Technical notes:

Camera: Sony DSC-55

Lens: n/a

Focal length: 6.3mm

Exposure: 1/800 f/7.1 ISO 200

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

The Antigua Arch

The Antigua Arch

GUAT07D-72

June 27, 2007

Today's image remains in the theme of central America, with a slice of the great arch at Antigua.  This colonial piece of architecture has stood for centuries, marking the beginning of the central plaza area, with its shops, restaurants, and government buildings.  It is a beautiful piece of construction, fitting with the rest of the town's ambiance.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon D80

Lens:Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length: 18mm

Exposure: 1/2000 f/8 ISO 400

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

The Ballcourt

The Ballcourt

HOND07D-78

July 14, 2007

One of my guilty pleasures when watching TV is shows that revolve around conspiracy theories.  Most people have a healthy distrust of things, and a conspiracy theory appeals to everyone.  But the ones I really enjoy hearing are not about politics, who shot JFK, or crashed into 9/11, but the weird theories about ancient aliens that visited civilizations past and helped them develop.  The theoriests have all sorts of wild theories about how the humans could never have developed such sophistocated building technology, astronomic predictions, or cultures at such an early point.  It is usually hokem, but still interesting to listen to.  Last night they were talking about the Mayans and centered on Copan, Honduras, which fits perfectly into the theme of this week.
  This is a ball court from the main part of the city, where competitions were held to honor the gods, and determine superiority of skill.  It seemed a mix of soccer (where no hands were allowed), and basketball (having to get the latex ball through a hoop on one side).  Intricate and difficult, it was a typical Mayan pastime.  And even after the jungle has partially reclaimed it, it still possesses some majesty.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Sony DSC-55

Lens: n/a

Focal length: 16.3 mm

Exposure: 1/125 f/11 ISO 400

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

Antigua Washing with Volcano Watching

Antigua Washing with Volcano Watching

GUAT07D-10

June 25, 2007

Wandering through the colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala, in the morning is a tranquil time.  This pool is used by locals for washing, and has been for the last two centuries or more.  And in the background, the ever-present threat of volcanoes.  Antigua is surrounded by three such monsters, which forced the moving of the capital from Antigua to Guatemala City after a major eruption.  Two of the three are still active, and Pacaya can be climbed until your boots start smoking.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens:Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length: 20mm

Exposure: 1/400 f/10 ISO 200

Post-processing: Toning and curves adjustment in PS4

Photographer of Note: Natsumi Hayashi

Natsumi Hayashi
"Yowayowa Camera Woman"
http://yowayowacamera.com/

I've been thinking of ways of exploring and expanding my photography.  One way is, of course, to travel and shoot more, which is how I'll be trying to post some more on the 'wandering' aspects to my travel and shooting.  The other is about looking and admiring other photographers, drawing inspiration and energy from their endeavors in the photographic arts.  And so, to kick that off, I present the first photographer of note, Natsumi Hayashi.

Natsumi is a photographer in Japan that levitates.  She sets up her camera in various scenes to make it appear as if she were floating above the scene.  Her scenes are well-chosen, always unique, and so it's as much a slice of her daily life (on the train, in a restaurant, walking down the street) as it is about her ability to levitate.  One of the fantastic parts is that the images appear very natural.  While she has to jump to make the photograph, she rarely if ever looks like she just jumped.  It appears as if she is quite literally hovering above the scene, a couple inches or a foot above the pedestrian ground.

Her images are a streak of whimsy in photography, delightful scenes from life and the thought of escape as well as the beautiful execution of each photograph.  I've been following her for just under a year or so, and each creation has been a delight.  Float on!

Dead Man's Tree

Dead Man's Tree

ILLN08D-372

November 3, 2008

First, my apologies.  The vagaries of grad school and life caught up with me, and I was unable to hook up five images to post last week.  So I lost some time.  However, now we're back, with all new images.  With Halloween quickly approaching, I was flipping back through the archive to see what there was from years past.  And this image, with the ghosts hanging from the tree, seemed to fit perfectly.  I love the slight hint of motion in this image, a whispy notion for the ghosts fluttering there in the tree.  And it works well in black and white.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 50 f/1.4

Focal length:  50 mm

Exposure: 20 sec @ f/8 ISO 100

Post-processing: Desaturated, minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Aguateca's Canyon

Aguateca's Canyon

GUAT07D-212

June 5, 2007

Continuing on in Guatemala, I figured to double-down to end the week and present this image of the canyon along Aguateca.  This ancient Mayan city used this fissure in the ground as a natural defense point; there were only a couple of places where one could cross, and so it kept the city relatively well-defended from invaders.  By now, however, about twelve centuries after the city was abandoned, the jungle is back in full control, tearing down the bricks that were put up, covering the whole place in a verdant moss.  You can see, in the middle of the picture, the light brown strip is actually the road leading down and out of the canyon on the far side.  Quite an experience to walk among these ruins.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 4.5 sec @ f/16 ISO 200

Post-processing: Tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4

The Foggy Church

The Foggy Church

GUAT07D-135

May 31, 2007

It was a foggy day this morning, after a torrential storm whipped through the town.  During the morning run, the fog lay thick in the little creek that I run along, and it reminded me winding through the  higher mountains of Guatemala's Cuchumatanes Range.  This highland area in the northern stretches of the country doesn't see as many visitors as the popular East coast, and I was the only foreigner on the bus as we headed up to the town of Zunil.  Due to the weather, the market was shutting down early, but I was able to wander through the town, and came across this church.  They had just opened the doors, and the fog was flowing in past the pews, like something out of a horror movie, with a true eerie feeling.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  48 mm

Exposure: 1/13 @ f/8 ISO 400

Post-processing: Tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4

Silhouette of Golden Fall

Silhouette of Golden Fall

ILLN08D-364

November 4, 2008

I am becoming very impatient for fall.  Today actually dawned gray, cloudy, rainy, and a bit foggy, which made a nice walk to work, and reminded me of fall and winter in the bay area.  However, one of the great things about living in NC is the opportunity to see some actual color changes when fall finally does rear its head.  And so I've been patiently waiting, counting down the days and checking trees whenever I go running.  But in my thirst for golden-hued leaves, I went digging for this image from when autumn was in full swing in Illinois, the trees illuminated at night from the lamppost.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 50 f/1.4

Focal length:  50 mm

Exposure: 3 sec @ f/4.5, ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Flowers of Remembrance

Flowers of Remembrance

NOLA09D-118

April 21, 2009

A quite different panoramic composition today, found while wandering through the surreal and altogether serene graveyards of New Orleans.  These amazing vaults, built above ground to protect against floods and hurricanes, have withstood, in some cases, over a century of being in the hot, muggy south.  Lichen creeping up their facades, old stone tablets describing the inhabitants, and always flowers in front.  While a lot of folks in the south enjoy fake flowers on graves, these were actually real roses, left beside this solitary marker.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 50 f/1.4

Focal length:  50 mm

Exposure: 1/400 @ f/4.5, ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4

Washin'

Washin'

NOLA09D-63

April 19, 2009

While my advisor would not approve, during a long conference, eventually you get saturated with the science and the meetings and the wearing of ties, and you have to escape.  When the Experimental Biology conference was in New Orleans, it gave me a great opportunity to flee the convention center and head out into the city, armed with just a camera and a 50mm lens.  There was such a diversity in the districts of New Orleans, an atmosphere that was so different than other cities, and more than a few scenes that were throwbacks to a different time.  This laundromat, found in the Garden District, had that old-time look to it.  A few chairs sitting outside for folks to sit and watch the world turn as their clothes spun.  The signage, the lone person sitting in a tank top, all bespoke of former days, and it all came together as a single image.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 50 f/1.4

Focal length:  50 mm

Exposure: 1/800 sec @ f/5.6, ISO 200

Post-processing: Desaturation, minor curves adjustment in PS4 & LR1.4