One Shot #23 | Stop Go

One Shot #8 | Dogs

We had a storm and a cold front come through today, and when I left work there was a thick fog. I could have done something interesting in the woods, but I wasn’t dressed for that, and I wanted to photograph somewhere where I could grab dinner afterwards. I decided to head downtown, thinking I might be able to shoot people walking through the fog.

It wasn’t as foggy downtown, but I quickly saw the above juxtaposition of the red Morley’s Dog and the green dresses. I had the E-PL5 and 20mm f/1.7 with me, but I had to go back to the car for the Olympus 14-42mm kit lens in order to shoot at a long enough focal length to keep the dresses prominent in the background.

Unfortunately, the shot is technically unacceptable. The statue, where I focused is unsharp, apparently due to motion blur. I’m surprised that that was the case with a 1/90 exposure time, but I guess I was hurrying in the rain.

Postcard Project: Week 5

For background on the Postcard Project, please see the introductory post.

Well, this was a tough week for postcards. The solid white skies continue almost every day, and we’re even under a Winter Storm Warning tonight. Overcast and muddy is pretty much the theme. It’s a big change from last year, and it makes it hard to get the “picture postcard” look for the area’s attractions. I had more luck shooting the details than the sweeping vistas.

Postcard Project: Week 4

For background on the Postcard Project, please see the introductory post.

The photograph of the Inclined Plane (top) was made during an effort to photograph Comet PanSTARRS Saturday night. The comet has just become visible in the northern hemisphere, and is very close to the sun. On Saturday, it was to be just 5° above the horizon 30 minutes after sunset.

I planned a shot from somewhere I’d never been: Cover Hill, between the Little Conemaugh and Stonycreek rivers. There’s a radio tower there, and paths to power line rights-of-way. From that vantage point, the comet would have set directly over the top of the Inclined Plane. The sightlines from that area were moderately good; trees kept me from going much wider than you see above.

Unfortunately, cirrus clouds accumulated in the west as sunset approached, and the comet was never visible. The weather forecast for the next few days is worse, so I may not get to see this one. But I was able to get an interesting shot of the Inclined Plane against the sunset light, from an unusual vantage point (eye-level to the top).

This may be the last week for the Pentax K10D… something new (to me) is coming. More on that later.

Postcard Project: Week 3

For background on the Postcard Project, please see the introductory post.

Postcard Project: Week 2

For background on the Postcard Project, please see the introductory post.

Postcard Project: Week 1

It’s going to be a busy weekend, so I wanted to get the first week of the Postcard Project in the can. It was a gray day, not great for shooting, but I managed to find some targets after work.

Lent 2013: Introducing the Postcard Project

Oh, wow, I have a blog! I almost forgot.

Last year I did a photography project for Lent, shooting with a single lens. Once again, I’ve found the winter to be slow for shooting, so I wanted to do another project. This year, I’m taking my lead from Blake Andrews:

Eugene Greyhound Terminal, Blake Andrews

That’s right, I’m doing a postcard project. Each week during Lent, I will produce two postcard designs. One will (I hope) be a “good” postcard that visitors might actually want to buy. The second will be more like Blake’s example above, or those found in Boring Postcards USA (Phaidon, 2000). The cards are due on the blog by Sunday night. At the end of the project, I’ll get a set printed at Moo.

Last winter was remarkably mild, making outdoor shooting quite pleasant most of the time. This winter has been more typical, with cold snaps and a good bit of snow. Not “picture postcard” weather by any means, but we’ll hope for some agreeable days as spring marches on.

To whet your appetite, here are some Johnstown postcards currently for sale on eBay:

Separated at birth?

Luke Swank, native of Johnstown, Circus Tent II, c. 1928–34:

Yours truly, Johnstown Folk Fest, 2008:

(Taken without foreknowledge of Swank’s photograph.)

Easter Moonset | 28 | 2.8 | #47

I concluded my Lenten project with a walk around the Franklin section of Johnstown before sunrise. Tomorrow I’ll post a wrap-up discussing my thoughts on the project.

Boating | 28 | 2.8 | #41

Recycling | 28 | 2.8 | #40

Portions of the old Route 271 bridge between East Conemaugh and Franklin were removed today. The process was widely observed by members of the community.

Hanging On | 28 | 2.8 | #33

Today I walked the nearby Path of the Flood Trail from Ehrenfeld to the Conemaugh Viaduct overlook, and back. It was my first time on these sections of the trail.

Blooming | 28 | 2.8 | #32

I walked around Sandyvale Cemetery, in the Hornerstown section of Johnstown this morning.

Cherry blossoms at Sandyvale. At least I'm pretty sure they're cherry blossoms.

Captain’s Log: Supplemental

Here are a few photos that I didn’t process quickly enough to include in the blog post on the same day they were taken.

Old Stone Bridge | 28 | 2.8 | #26

Self-portrait at the Pennsylvania Railroad Stone Bridge.
The bridge survived the Great Flood of 1889, and was the site of a horrific fire in the days following the flood.

Homepwner | 28 | 2.8 | #10

My friend “The Circumstance” bought a house today. There was beer.

This morning, there was a heavy frost on the ground, under clear skies. I stopped at the Johnstown Flood National Memorial to photograph on my way to work. The memorial is the site of the dam that failed in 1889, killing over 2,200 people. I parked at the South Abutment just as the sun was rising, and mist was floating over the Little Conemaugh River. The morning was fun to photograph, but challenging. The clear skies made it hard to control the contrast between the skies and the shaded river valley, and I wasn’t carrying a tripod for long exposures of the rushing river. There was one factor operating in my favor: It was Casual Friday at work, so at least I was wearing trail shoes!

Fun House | 28 | 2.8 | #08

Former Mexican Restaurant | 28 | 2.8 | #05

Drain hole | 28 | 2.8 | #04

Minersville Bridge, Johnstown, Pennsylvania.