February 20, 2014
In September, 2012, Rick surprised me on a date by taking me to Rio Lindo Adventist Academy in Healdsburg to witness a natural phenomenon. We arrived before dusk and found the building of focus. A dozen or two people were already gathering, some with folding chairs and snacks. Rick didn't tell me what was about to happen, just that an old brick building with a large chimney was to be the focal point. We explored the back of the building, the south-west corner, where there were no other spectators. I'm an avoider of crowds, but also am drawn to sunlight facing lighting when I have a camera in hand. We noticed that there was a large ravine behind the school, between the hills, and that the billions of flying insects that filled the air were very visible in the setting sunlight.
We also found an old rusty truck among the weeds while we waited for the sun to sink lower.
A few small swifts appeared, and suddenly hundreds. After a few minutes the air began to fill with thousands of the birds, swirling and vortexing through the sky.
A merlin, predator bird, attacked the swarm and I heard a thud a couple feet from me.
After the last bird was tucked away in the chimney, Rick and I explored closer to find out if we could hear them inside, though we couldn't. Everyone else had left and we were alone in the dark, knowing that the chimney behind us contained ten's of thousands of vaux's swifts.
arianna (27), bird (5), birds (27), building (4), dead (29), migration (1), night (33), rick (15), vauxs-swifts (1)
Arianna (20), Birds (27), Creatures (75), Dead Stuff (24), Degree (56), Night (12), Old Buildings (4)
March 18, 2013
My younger brother and his lovely bride hosted family and a few friends on a bay dinner cruise last September to celebrate their union.
alicia (7), arianna (27), bay (2), bella (5), boat (6), cruise (1), dancing (1), erica (7), family (35), mark (1), micah (13), mom (9), night (33), portraits (1), rick (15), rochana (5), romklao (1), san-francisco (42), simon (4)
Arianna (20), Bridges (7), Family (48), Night (12), San Francisco (29)
April 21, 2009
Night photos in Joshua Tree National Park.
The photo of Jason and I was lit by us both (we were not in the photo at the same time), taking turns in front of the camera and behind the camera with flashlights while the shutter was open.
arianna (27), jason (8), joshua-tree (3), light-painting (9), night (33), road-trip (23)
Joshua Tree (3), Night (12)
June 3, 2005
I tried again with the full-moon night shots, same location, same flashlights, but using the newly discovered "bulb" setting on my camera. Exposure time: 637/10 sec
car (17), light-painting (9), night (33), potter-valley (65), truck (4)
Cars (16), Night (12), Nikon D70 (54), Potter Valley (43)
I tried again with the full-moon night shots, same location, same flashlights, but using the newly discovered "bulb" setting on my camera. Exposure time: 176 sec
light-painting (9), night (33), potter-valley (65), trees (28)
Night (12), Nikon D70 (54), Potter Valley (43)
April 27, 2005
Colored with flashlights. My sister Erica acted as lighting assistant for me late Tuesday night in the cold.
agave (2), light-painting (9), night (33), plants (17), potter-valley (65)
Night (12), Nikon D70 (54), Potter Valley (43)
Colored with flashlights. My sister Erica acted as lighting assistant for me late Tuesday night in the cold.
car (17), light-painting (9), night (33), potter-valley (65), truck (4)
Cars (16), Night (12), Nikon D70 (54), Potter Valley (43)
Colored with flashlights. My sister Erica acted as lighting assistant for me late Tuesday night in the cold.
light-painting (9), night (33), potter-valley (65), trees (28)
Moon (12), Night (12), Nikon D70 (54), Potter Valley (43)
Arianna Helen