Flying to the Summer Sky

Flying to the Summer Sky

ILLN07D-45

August 12, 2007

Following up the post from last week of the Santa Monica Ferris wheel, today's image comes from the Illinois State Fair a few years back.  I was attracted to this scene because of its levity.  the kids, spinning around and around in the chain-linked chairs, give off that vibe of youthful energy and possibility.  Adding in the lone clouds makes it seem even more like they're flying, escaping the summer and taking to the air.  And the monochrome just fit perfectly, with good contrast in the scene.  It was not my favorite image when I first was cataloging everything, but as I look at it more and more, I like the imagery and the feeling that it invokes.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  28 mm

Exposure: 1/200 sec @ f/8, ISO 100

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

Lights Along the Beach

Lights Along the Beach

CALI06D-14

December 23, 2006

Summer is in full swing in North Carolina, with the twin devils of high heat and high humidity.  These warm days bring to mind a number of classic summer images, and the fair is one of the definite highlights of summer to a kid (or most adults).  That carefree atmosphere, the food, the games, and the rides.  Garrison Keillor wrote a terrific piece for the National Geographic reminiscing about the state fair and all that it entails.

This photo, which to me invokes these ideas of nighttime hi-jinks and fairs, was taken in the dead of winter.  Being Los Angeles (Santa Monica, specifically), it of course never gets cold, and the ferris wheel lights up and runs all year long.  The image at night was begging for monochrome, and the winter sky kept the humidity and the haze away, leaving this long shot along the pier, with the lights of Santa Monica in the distance.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length: 18 mm

Exposure: 2.5 sec @ f/8, ISO 200

Post-processing: Desaturation,  curves adjustment in PS4