Blood Moons: A Game of Light & Shadow

Almost a George R. R. Martin novel.  Almost.

In all seriousness, watching last night's total lunar eclipse was a pretty awesome experience.  While NASA may not consider them to be anything special, considering that there was a 300 year period just before the 20th century where there was a complete absence of blood moons, they still seem pretty awesome and somewhat rare to me.

Alas, I do have two complaints about observing celestial phenomena...

1. They generally involve staying up really late at night, which is just inconvenient since the cosmos don't accommodate a working schedule
   
   and
2. Cloud cover and light pollution mean you have to drive forever to find someplace with an optimal view

Both of those came into play last night/this morning since totality wasn't until 12:45am and our original viewing spot of the beach had to change with the marine layer that rolled in... literally at the precise moment we got out of the car and started walking towards the sand.  It was actually beautifully clear until then.  Fortunately, we had nearly 2 hours from start to finish and were able to head back inland and not really miss too much. 

Since I don't have a telescope, I was relying on my best zoom lens (50-200mm) and a tripod.  And the fact that the moon isn't all that far away really helps.  Since there wasn't a whole lot to change with composition given the distance limitations, this session was really all about the light.  At the end of the day, that is at the core of photography.  This concept was also underscored for me when this girl that happened to be at the same park kept getting frustrated as her little point-and-shoot camera's automatic flash kept going off automatically and blew out all of her snapshots.  I imagine even if she could turn it off, the photos would end up just showing a pinpoint of light anyway, which is what happened with every iPhone photo I attempted to snap. 

Fortunately, with the DSLR, I was able to override automatic modes with manual settings and focus.  I ended up opening the aperture as wide as it would go on the 50-200mm lens (f/5.6) and kept that as a control, so the variable was the shutter speed.  It's interesting how there seems to be a parabolic relationship in terms of light exposure - too much light and the details are lost in the highlights; too little light and the details are also lost, but this time in the shadows.  It's also pretty incredible how much light affects color and how the right lighting conditions can really produce some amazing images.  All of the below photos are digitally unedited with the exception of two that were cropped and yet, they still look pretty visually stunning - a great reminder that digital editing isn't always necessary.

The moon peeking through the marine layer just at the beginning of the eclipse - taken at the beach

Exposed for too long, so the details were lost.  And I freehanded this, so it's slightly blurry.

Further inland and with a tripod, 1/8s exposure @ 12:13am

1/6s @ 12:13am - interesting how the longer exposure resulted in underscoring the red hue as the Earth cast more of its shadow on the moon and made the whole sky darker.

And yet, evidence that photography is still more art than science... this photo was taken with the identical settings as the photo above: 1/6s shutter speed, f/5.6, ISO 3200, and less than a minute after, but looks so different.

Probably my favorite of the series, with the lunar surface detail, but also the copper "blood red".  Shutter speed of 1/5s and 10 minutes before totality

Many Moons
Active Shooting Hours: 1 hour
Review Hours: 1 hour
Hours To Date: 129

Happy April (Don't Be A) Fool's Day

[Edit: 4/2/14 - spent an hour today after work and experimented using a flash bounce on the products and this actually greatly improved the lighting!  I'll have to try and experiment with a photography light box next when photographing objects.]

Today's post is not at all photography related... I initially meant it to be to test my photography on products, potentially in a white box, but I didn't actually get all of my items in time.  In any case, I wanted to make a post and I may try to update with photos this weekend.

I realized that April Fools' Day, a day when most people prank and play tricks on each other, is actually a great annual date to check up on emergency plans, supplies, and smoke detectors to not be the fool when an emergency happens.  Since I have a full-time job and other responsibilities, I'll probably end up doing it the weekend prior or following, but it's a stable date to check everything.

This idea really spawned from the recent spate of earthquakes in Southern California and the realization that I live on the top floor of a multi-story apartment building.  When the rolling started, I realized I only had one very tiny desk to get under and no comprehensive emergency kit to speak aside from a few canned goods and some band-aids.  After the shaking stopped, I went on an Amazon ordering spree followed quickly by a trip to Target and compiled an emergency kit.

I consulted the Red Cross when ordering/purchasing the items for my emergency supplies and based upon that, compiled the list below so you can replicate your own kit.

To keep myself organized and accountable each year, I will be making an Excel inventory workbook with all of the items in the kit listed by expiration date so I can easily check on April 1st to see what needs replacing or updating.  In addition to updating the emergency supplies, I'll also be checking the batteries & functionality of smoke detectors.

Emergency Plan - during the chaos of an emergency, there won't be time and/or mental focus to decide who will do what when, so it's important to have it squared away with all members of the household before anything happens.

• Who (responsibilities each person will have, emergency contact info)
• What (what to do in the various emergency situations common to your location - fire, earthquake, tornado, etc.)
• Where (meeting/evacuation points both inside and outside the house)
• Red Cross Emergency Plan Resource 

Minimum Amount of Consumables - I put all of the food in a large storage bin and the water next to it.  To make this easy to review on an annual basis and replace items as needed, I sorted through the expiration dates and wrote labels on the top of the can.

• 1 gallon of water, per person, per day - I got several 2-gallon jugs from the store and a pack of water bottles
• 2 cans of food, per person, per day - assortment of chili, soup, veggies like corn, fruit, etc.  Don't forget to pack a can opener in the pack, even with the pop tops, I've had those fail before.
• 7 day supply of any medications, vitamins, etc.

Emergency Evac Pack - a mobile pack so I can easily take it with me in the event of an evacuation

1. Fūl Hybrid Rolling Duffel Bag - a backpack would do as well, I opted for the pricier but also sturdier rolling bag in the event of an evacuation to be able to take more supplies (like heavy canned goods) with me
2. Cash - during an emergency which may knock out power, credit cards will be useless.
   
3. Photocopies of important personal documents - insurance policies, passports, financial information, emergency plan, list of medications, etc.
   
4. Multi-tool - I purchased a Leatherman Sidekick, which has a pocket knife, a serrated knife, pliers, wire cutters, pliers, file, saw, bottle opener, and can opener.
5. Flashlight
6. Headlamp (it's nice to have something hands-free in the event of a power outage)
7. Hand-crank or battery powered radio
8. Spare batteries for all devices
9. Mylar "space" blankets
10. Water filter straw
11. Leather work gloves
12. Rain poncho
13. Toiletry kit / sanitary items / wipes / toilet paper
14. First-Aid Kit - I built my own based on the Red Cross Anatomy of a First Aid Kit resource and ordered a red lunch bag to house all of it 

Other Considerations:

• Emergency Pet Supplies (food, leashes, food/water dishes, waste disposal, medications, etc.)
• Entertainment/comfort items - toys like stuffed animals or books specifically for small children to keep them happy and calm

Emergencies are an unavoidable part of life, but being prepared will help make them all a little less scary.  It's interesting to me how this kind of information is really only passed on if parents teach their kids, when it really would be good to include in a school curriculum.  Perhaps there wouldn't be so many helpless individuals if basic survival skills and various financial products were standardized and taught.

[Edit 4/2/14: Added below photos]

Fūl Rolling Duffel, taken with the pop-up flash.  The bag semi-reflected back and created weird shadows.

Same bag, same camera settings (Nikon 35mm f/8), but with a flash bounce.  Not perfect, but much improved.

Evac pack items, tools in the bottom and first aid and toiletry items out front.  Just pop-up flash, which reflected off some of the white colored items but not others as well.  The carpet and the back wall look especially drab. 

With flash bounce. Increased the color saturation slightly in post-editing.

Easily my favorite of the series and not just because of the Maker's Mark!  Love how the red contrasted with the metal can lids.  Nikon 35mm f/8 with flash bounce.

Active Shooting Hours: 0.5
Review Hours: 0.5
Hours To Date: 127

The Island of the Pelicans

Innocent sounding enough, but Native Americans avoided it, believing it to be cursed.  Early Spanish explorers initially called it La Isla de los Alcatraces, after the flocks of migratory birds that nest there; it would later be known simply as Alcatraz.  First a lighthouse, then a military garrison and prison, and finally, and most infamously, a federal prison housing only the most troublesome inmates who had a penchant for escape elsewhere.

Even during one of the most beautiful days I've ever experienced in San Francisco and amidst the throngs of tourists, there's something unsettling and eerie about the place.  Beyond the rumors of it being haunted, it's bleak and cold.  The natural light that streamed into the cell block created harsh contrasts and the incandescent lighting inside the cells themselves cast a sickly yellow tinge upon everything and everyone inside them.  It was a stark contrast to the glorious weather outside.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip was meeting an actual former prisoner, Bill Baker.  He has written a book about his experience and happened to be on-island during our visit.  We were fortunate enough to get signed copies and ask some questions... of course the boyfriend being far more thoughtful than I, asked the better question: What would you have mailed yourself, if you could have? He responded hilariously that he would have mailed himself either a pretty woman or a speedboat to get off the island.  It's amazing to me that he was able to maintain good spirits and humor despite all of that time locked up in a bleak environment not optimized to actually rehabilitate anyone.

Freedom and captivity

Welcome to Alcatraz

Cell blocks

A key hanging from the gun gallery

On any other island, it would just be a glorious day.  On Alcatraz, it further underscores the dilapidation.

So close, yet so far.

More

Active Shooting Hours: 4
Review Hours: 2
Hours to Date: 132

Sea Lions and San Francisco

The sea lions at Pier 39 are a San Franciscan institution, though they arrived to the docks only a few months before the Loma Prieta Earthquake in 1989.  They bark constantly and playfully jostle for space on the wooden docks, pleasing tourists, marine biologists, and the occasional photog.

Some of these shots were difficult purely because I couldn't get any closer to the animals beyond using the 55-200mm zoom lens, which made composition a challenge.  Some of that was resolved with post-editing and liberal use of cropping, but it makes me yearn for a telephoto lens.  I don't need one, but any stretch of the imagination, but I would love to be able to zoom in to capture expression in detail when moving closer isn't an option.

Still, I managed to get several interesting images out of 40 or so tries.

The sea lions' view of the city

Unsurprisingly, they all were gathered on the docks furthest away from the viewing area.

Making a ruckus

Plenty of dock space to go around

Active Shooting Hours: 1
Review Hours: 0.5
Hours to Date: 126

Halls of Science

72 Nobel prizes, 15 Turing Awards, discovery of 16 elements on the periodic table (more than any other university in the world... Go Bears!), University of California, Berkeley and Berkeley Labs are collectively a heavy hitter when it comes to scientific discovery, research, and contribution.  And then, of course, there's the California Academy of Science... natural history museum by day, club and bar for the scientifically-minded on Thursday nights with its Nightlife events.  Aside from the nostalgia of revisiting old stomping grounds, I wanted to to capture the exploratory, innovative, and erudite spirit of these places in an image.

This was a tough endeavor since the lighting in both places were harsh.  At Berkeley, it was early afternoon with the sun bearing down and buildings created shadow, which resulted in unwanted shadows.  At the Academy of Science, there was harsh overhead lighting in the rainforest exhibit and no flash photography allowed anywhere.  Not to mention people everywhere in both places... and not helpful crowds blending in the background to add to the scene, but random individuals wearing obnoxiously bright and distracting floral patterns that distracted the eye.

Not as successful as I would have liked, but I still managed to have a great time... of course, the drinks at Nightlife helped with that!!

Looking from North side back towards the Campinile... otherwise known as how engineers see campus.

The lighting of this photo is all off since the background is in bright sunlight and the foreground has the bear statues in the shadow of the building to the right.  Opening the aperture or slowing shutter speed resulted in blown out sky and bears that were in shadow.  I'm not sure this could have been corrected with just the camera given the natural light and short of waiting for the sun to be in the right spot at the right time.  Even with a neutral density filter that would tint the sky and not the ground, the vertical lamppost and the Campanile itself would be exposed incorrectly since they both would cross the neutral density filter line.  Tricky.

Pterodactyl in the Valley Life Sciences Building

Rainforest dome in the California Academy of Science... it was 80 degrees and 80% humidity in there!

Monster of the deep.

Looking up.

More Science

Active Shooting Hours: 1.5
Review Hours: 1
Hours to Date: 124.5

Dream Big

Awestruck.

That's the best word to describe the feeling one experiences when looking up at Hearst Castle.  Dreamed up by newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst, and designed by architectural glass-ceiling-buster, Julia Morgan, this property is truly stunning.  To me, it's a reminder of what can result from a lot of work and little luck.  Luck, of course, being what happens when preparation meets opportunity.  Of course, life isn't all about work and this place wasn't Hearst's main abode, but a vacation home of sorts.

Despite being referenced as "The Little Ranch" and described as a side project for Morgan, it's incredible what can result from a labor of love, skilled artisans, and a ridiculous amount of wealth.  Perhaps it's because I'm not familiar with current trends in art, architecture, or decor, but it seems to me that there isn't the same value or importance attributed to quality craftsmanship or attention to detail now.  At the very least, it doesn't seem that it's a priority.  Of course, that could just be a blind spot... after all, I lack a sample from today's wealthy and it's always said that history is written by the victors and the rich.

In any case, I've been wanting to photograph Hearst Castle since I started this project and I'm glad I was finally able to plan the trip.  Logistically, it can be a difficult trip to plan since it's approximately 4 hours from either Los Angeles or San Francisco and removed from major cities.  In part, that's what makes it so picturesque - there's no development within 13 miles of the property.

These were from just the first day of a 5 day lap around my old haunts in Northern California to celebrate the end of an era and the new adventures to come.  On this day, we drove up to San Simeon via the 101 (after detouring around a ridiculous milk truck accident) and continued up the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur and on to Monterey for the night.

More to come once I get a chance to update.

Casa Grande - the main house... over 60,000 square feet of house.

Hearst's Gothic Study, where yellow journalism was perfected.  I dream of a workspace like this.

He collected ceilings... that's right, ceilings.

Neptune Pool

With this view and a private airstrip for easy access, this seems like paradise.

An elephant seal flipping sand on itself at Piedras Blancas, just north of Hearst Castle.

Rain Rocks Rock Shed, opened just in January.  Built by Caltrans to protect this section from falling rock.  It actually shepherds falling rock directly into the Pacific Ocean instead of onto the road.

The rocky shore, from a viewpoint alongside PCH

 More

Active Shooting Hours: 6
Review Hours: 3
Hours to Date: 122

All Over the Place

Since my last post, I've been caught in a whirlwind of travel, adventures, and organized chaos.  I've seen the Book of Mormon, traipsed all over Santa Monica and Hollywood, been waylaid by snowstorms and freezing rain in DC, Richmond, and Houston, went shooting at an outdoor range, experienced an excruciating corneal abrasion, and did a lap up the California coast around old Bay Area haunts to celebrate the end of an era.  It's been a crazy month with no real time to update, but I have logged considerable hours for the project, especially on the trip.

On the corneal abrasion note... don't get one, they're an especially terrible misery.  Long story short, my hard contact lens cracked and developed a hole while on my eye and scraped the hell out of my cornea before I was able to get to the optometrist for treatment.  It's like having sandpaper for an eyelid until the epithelial cells regenerate and I was incredibly sensitive to light.  Even a full week later, my vision in that eye is still blurrier than usual.

In any case, when I get a chance to review the trip photos more thoroughly, I'll post those.  In the meantime, a smattering of iPhone-based photos from various treks.

Beignets from The Beachcomber Cafe

Pigeon trying to sneak in for some brunch

Making the best of a bad situation with authentic southern shrimp & grits after a flight cancellation and getting stuck in Houston overnight en route to Richmond, VA

Snow, ice, and a baby plane at Dulles International while trying to get to Richmond

The speakeasy life - Bourbon & Branch in San Francisco

Combined Active Shooting Hours:1
Review Hours: 1
Hours to Date: 113