Driving Home Time Lapse

Inspired by Jeremy's last post on his blog, I set up my camera on the passenger's side of the car and set the interval timer to take a picture every thirty seconds. Here is the result. Shingle Springs, through Lake Tahoe to Carson City, Reno, Highway 80 to 95 to Oregon and into Idaho. I ran out of light about 250 miles from Missoula, so the video ends short of my destination.

Yosemite National Park

I wanted to see the park after telling everyone at school that I have no pictures of it. The three hour drive was scenic with all of the little towns between Shingle Springs and the western entrance of the park on highway 120. First sight at the park was the warning signs that a "maintenance burn" was going to take place on the 26th. After seeing some of northern CA this week, the dry condition of the region worried me.

Fun driving along ridges.

Western entrance to the park. Maintenance Burn of meadow.

Valley floor drive lined with trees.

Half Dome in smoky conditions from valley floor.

Condo reflection of Half Dome.

Two rock slides caused the authorities to evacuate the Ahwahnee area.

Later in the day the smoke started building into a column.

View from Glacier Point looking north.

Glacier Point view of Half Dome.

Heading back down to try to leave the park.

Airplanes and Helicopters were called in to fight the fire.

Highway 120 was closed.

Bridalveil Falls had a gloomy cast due to the fire.




Early filtered sunset. Reports say the fire will be contained by Tuesday.

Skies and Roads on the way Home

I started out for home on Saturday with the idea of making straight through to CA . I had great scenery on Hwy 93 all through Montana and Idaho. Then Nevada ended my fun. I made it home Sunday afternoon a little lighter in the wallet.


Open roads in Idaho.


Grand View Canyon, Idaho


Nevada just before the blow out.



One benefit of pulling off on the side of the road is that you sometimes encounter interesting ruins.

The Fair

Steve R. reminded me that the fair was ending today and that we should meet up to shoot the rides. Thanks, Steve! Janie also joined us at the fair. I mostly shot the Zipper since it was the busiest ride. The girls in the first picture wanted to know if I was with the paper and would I take their picture. I told them these pictures were for my blog and that they had to stay still for 10 seconds--and they did!! Hopefully they find this pic.





The Round Up

Merry-Go-Round

Tilt-A-Whirl

Graduation Gallery

The ceremony showcased six pictures from each student in a slideshow with music. We also submitted candid shots from the summer. Those pictures set up the slideshows. Group A entertained the audience with a rap that made fun of the instructors and assistants. A great laugh for everyone!

I ran into the gallery before it filled up with people and snapped some shots of everyone's work. Great photographs by all of the students.

Other's Finals Sample

I took some pictures while others in our group were presenting their final projects. We had a diverse selection of artistic statements and presentations. We placed samples of our projects around the room and when it was our turn, we took all of our work up to the front to present. Each person had seven minutes to read the statement, have the work critiqued and field questions from the audience.

Before the review started.

Andy's work.

Marian & Esther's portraits samples.

Sami presenting her firefighter's series with custom built and burned frames.

Jeremy's bodyscapes being reviewed after his video amazed everyone.

Richard's (not shown) action series presented on children's letter blocks.

Ross' stopped time clock.

Shad's roots series.

Rita's clouds with landscapes.

Kristiana's circle of life.

Janie's macro earth tapestry before it was unveiled.

Summer Intensive Final Project

Don't look if you want it to be a surprise on Tuesday.








Attached are my pictures for the final. I outsourced the framing and matting. Outsource is the euphemism the instructors taught us for "have someone else, who knows what they are doing, do it ". I elected that route due to my inability to create a polished presentation framework. I wanted a classical framing look to the series but considered backlighting the skies in the road pictures. Earlier I had other pictures with lens flare that would have benefited from that type of display.

The Artist Statement must accompany this presentation. It has its own from, similar to the others. The theme of the series is Equivalents. The viewer feels something ( has a memory, emotion or reaction) while looking each picture. The photographer must also demonstrate that Equivalents are present in the series. My statement covers some of that.

Artist Statement

My favorite pastime with the camera is seeing new places at 65 mile per hour. I look at a lake and might stop if I see something extraordinary. Otherwise I am breezing by, usually as my dog has her head out the window.

Shooting something with the windows up is a waste of time. Tint, blur, bugs and dirt are all too difficult to overcome. Shooting out the driver’s window toward an approaching target is another story.

Montana has too many roads, trails and paths worth exploring. The trips I take in the driver’s seat usually have been initiated without a specific destination in mind. I wander the country side and see and feel what the area has to offer.

Early in the day the roads bend sharply and the hills are low and gentle. I am alert and eager to tackle tight curves and steep drops in the asphalt.

While I speed up to eighty the rolling terrain gives way to larger foothills and straight runs which allow for exhilarating rides. Side roads become hundred mile jaunts that take you completely off track (if you had one in the first place.)

As it grows later in the day and I begin to grow weary, the roads keep stretching out before me, meandering up and down and left and right. Do I stop and eat or keep on driving? Is it cloudy out or will the stars cooperate tonight? Have I really been driving for ten hours and five hundred miles with only forty-eight minutes of stopping time? Did I just see something over there?

Looking back I see that the sunset is chasing me and pushing me toward a way home. Or should I make that four hour commitment to shoot the stars?

I must find a place to face northwest before the sun is down so I don’t have to scout it in the dark. Hour one includes picking the spot, setting up the equipment and waiting for the daylight to extinguish. The next three hours include trying to keep from falling asleep after such a long journey. Did my eyes just close? Did I see a flash? Is there any danger to being here?

Hopefully I stay on the road all the way home.