My "First Take" Fall Images

[Andy]

I have now uploaded my "first take" Fall images to my website on SmugMug: http://lightcentricphotography.com.

We had a great trip to California and got a variety of images there (still have to work on some images from the Napa Valley - to be added later). An especially nice surprise: The "Fleet Week" military air show on Sunday. Got some great images there -- given the limitations of my equipment and point of view. Mother Nature was generally cooperative and the time change made early rising to get sunrise and pre-dawn twilight shooting pretty easy.

West Virginia held some nice surprises and we were lucky enough to find some foliage left. While foliage is nice, its just NOT Vermont

[ctyanky]

Andy: your new additions gallery is great. The clarity of the images is exceptional and the spread on the Fleet Week Blue Angels is my absolute favorite! I've seen them perform many times and your photos remind me of the exhilaration I personally experienced when viewing them in California. Thanks for sharing! The whole set is awesome as are your other galleries!!!!

[Andy]

Aw shucks . Thanks ladies!

[Utah Baker]

Andy, Abolutely love the photos of the gristmill and the airshow, wow! Looks like you found the best color in W.V. I had seen pitctures of the mill before we left, but never could find out where it was. What day where you there, we where at Seneca Rock Tues of last week and the color looked like it was just on the edge of popping. Same with Massanutten, Virginia, but in a week it just never seemed to get there. Hope to have some time to go thru my pictures tommorow.

[Andy]

Utah: We were there Friday and Saturday a.m., Oct 14-15. My own experience is that Virginia is later than W VA, which seems to be closer to on par with Vermont -- strange, because it is further South, but the moutain influence seems to be the key. We "missed" the absolute peak by about 5 days.

The mill is in Babcock State Park. It is just a few miles off of Route 60 which is known as the "Midland Trail" which goes roughly from Lexington, KY to Richmond, VA and crosses a couple of mountain ranges, with some pretty amazing switchbacks and view.

We picked up 60 from Charleston, W. VA and took it through Hawks Nest up and down a mountain. Babcock is near Fayetteville, W. VA and Summersville, W. VA in the New River Gorge. Once you find your way to the park, the Mill is right there in the parking lot.

Looooooong drive from Saginaw, MI. Probably won't do it again. But worth the weekend!

[deaner1971]

Andy,

Wonder as always. I am currently planning a San Francisco trip so the great quality of your pictures there are intimidating! Great shots though and terrific color saturation. People too often leap to "fog" and "dreary" when they think of San Francisco so I always enjoy when people do a great job of showing that a lack of color is hardly a San Francisco problem.

Quick question, is the night shot of the city the result of doing the night tour of Alcatraz? If so, how was it? Having done the daytime tour, I am debating which to recommend to the first time San Francisco visitors for whom I am planning the trip (a couples trip for some friends and my wife and I) as I really enjoyed the daytime trip. I am thinking daytime bay cruise (easier to shoot bright daylight shots from a moving boat, afterall) and the nighttime Alcatraz tour.

Great shots and thank you for sharing/intimidating!

[Aspen]

Andy, you really had a terrific photo op in California! Enjoyed viewing your slideshow. As a matter of fact, just curious what jet you were on...grin! Some of your air shots of the airshow looked as if you were flying along with the planes. Was looking for your pictures of Lombard Street and Postcard Row (Alamo Square) Know Lombard Street is a challenge to photograph but is always interesting to see how different photographers capture it. Your night skyline of San Francisco from Alcatraz is really a keepsake, not many get to experience that wonderful opportunity. Enjoy all the beautiful memories you captured!

Aspen

[Andy]

Dean and Aspen: Thanks so much for your kind words.

Dean: Yes, the skyline photo was the result of a night trip to Alcatraz. I think our boat left the dock around 6:00 (maybe 6:30). I hemmed and hawed about taking a tripod and ultimately only too a small tabletop. That was a mistake. It seems pretty sturdy when you set it up on the kitchen table, but with wind blowing fairly strongly and the lens at its full length, pretty difficult to hold the camera still, especially on long exposures, so it was the proverbial "crapshoot." Took several and a couple of them are sharp enough to put online. Might not be so good in a large print.

Was worried about being in the way and lugging it around. Wish I had. A couple folks had them and it would have been no problem. If you go, do not hesitate. There is a part of the tour where you can step out the door and walk out and see this view. You can pause the tour, if you are really into it. I don't think there is any "rule" that you have to stay with the tour, and if I go again, I probably will just walk around and photograph. There was a beautiful pink/orange sunset that night that I missed.

One think you just cannot control, though, is the weather. We had the luxury of a very clear night, which I understand is not common in SF. However, I do understand that the fall and winter months give you a better chance of that. My daughter was surprised at how much clear weather and views we had during the week we were there, but she hasn't lived there a full year yet, and I think she will probably be able to give me a better idea of how the patterns are next year.I may go back around TG week, as the vintners tell me that is when to see the colors on the grapevines.

Aspen: Sadly, didn't get to Lombard Stree or the Painted Ladies on Postcard Row (have to have some reason to return ). There are still some images I want to try to capture. Didn't get much into Chinatown, but we did walk all the way through it from North to South one evening (long story) and it whetted my interest. Also, Pt. Reyes, some of the seashore shots and mabye get lucky and get a lighthouse clear of the fog. Lots more to photograph.

[deaner1971]

Andy,

Your tripod decision is the same one I struggle with. You go someplace where you are excited about the photographic possibilities but you are worried about being "that guy", either because you become a bull in a china shop (gear bumping others or just looking like you are capable of tipping over at any moment) or you look "too serious". Too often I leave my tripod in the car/hotel room/at home and come to regret it.

I just need to accept that I am "that guy" and embrace it. I do over-pack for trips both clothes-wise and photographically and I do love photography a bit "too much" for a rank amateur but that is just who I am.

The best picture I ever took was a shot of the Yosemite valley. The weather and time of day were perfect (actually it might have worked even better as a sunset shot but let's not be that "that guy" ). I lugged my tripod out of the tour van, set-up and shot away. I know some of the people were probably thinking "aw Jeez, there goes a wanna be Ansel Adams (possibly the word they would have used just started with "a" but you get the gist)" but I knew I had my shot. Only really great shot I got that day (a mid-day haze settled in and the bright sunlight combined with it to just make a white background for all my other shots) but I had it and the tripod was how I knew it would look good on my wall (which it does) just as it did on the view finder.

Then, in the dark of the drive back to San Francisco, I heard a British tourist say to his partner "this picture was perfect but I must have moved". Guy had come 5000 miles (pardon any poor geographical estimates inherent in that number) and was going home that night knowing that he didn't have a shot he really wanted.

We all just need to embrace our geek and not be that final "that guy".

Sorry for my long-winded take on the tripod adamance of others (and one which I too often forget myself).

Sounds like you'll have plenty of trips back there to get that one shot but I have to say, you will struggle to up and of the others. They are just brilliant. Thanks also for the insight on bay Area weather. Good to know for planning.

[deaner1971]

Andy, sorry, I just realized that it was your thread I was remembering when I mentioned "tripod adamance"...

[Andy]

Dean: Funny you should mention that. I did bring the table top tripod. Could never have gotten the image without it. As you know well, there is no hand-holding night shots. My concern was primarily that I didn't have the "lay of the land." Had never been to Alcatraz and didn't know how much room on the tour or the tour boat. Also, it was a family outing, and there were 6 of us (with two of us being pretty avid photographers and 4 not really caring about it at all). My Family (especially my wife) put up with alot of my shooting antics and work their schedule around my shooting schedule alot of the time. So I have to be mindful of that sometimes. Also, there was a guy who had a tripod and he went out on a very small deck that was part of the tour and basically monopolized it for a few minutes. He got some disgusted looks from others on the tour who were unable to go out an look at the view (being described on the tour tape), and I got a comment about it from my wife. Glad I wasn't THAT guy .

I don't ever worry too much about what I "look" like (just look at my dorky photo vest) or what others think about me. I am not concerned at all about being "that guy." They can roll their eyes and make fun all day long (they are probably the same people that are in a huge sports arena at a night concert up in the nosebleed section using their flash on their P&S LOL!

The "that guy" I DON'T want to be is the one that is holding people up, getting in the way, or generally inconveniencing them. That was the primary concern re: Alcatraz. Knowing what I know now, my advice is, if you are going at night, take the tripod. Use it outside where you are not in anyone's way. Be very careful about using it inside, if there are other people around.

And, yes, I am generally PEDANTIC about using a tripod.

Thanks for the strong praise of my efforts in California. I was pleased with how some of them came out. Looking forward to going back soon!

[deaner1971]

Yeah, the confined spaces are always the wild card. It is always tough to balance getting what you want out of a trip with what you know others (both those traveling with you and those just traveling at the same time) want.

I have tried the small tripod and the monopod compromises and still haven't gotten good results.

I also have a 2 1/2 year old and a baby on the way so, I hope that VC makes leaps and bounds soon. Kids don't compromise and a couple of decades of blurry handheld photos look to be on the horizon or my trips will be populated with "Daddy, COME ON!"