Category: photography

Daily Image — 29 October 2023

ruminator
One of my favorite places along the Carson River — Mexican Ditch Trail on the Silver Saddle Ranch. Shot with the Fujifilm X100V at f/8 with the Portra film simulation. #SOOC

For the last number of weeks, my daily walks have mostly been on the job site in El Dorado National Forest. By the end of the day, I was pretty much done and getting in a half-hour walk for The Girl was about all I had left in me. I sometimes carried a camera, but the creative juice just was not there.

Now that I am recovering from that slog, I have time and energy to play a little radio, work a little in my house, and do something with a camera. I am also walking an hour or so for both The Girl and I. We love those times together.

Today was a treat for a couple of reasons. First was the image above. An irrigation structure on the Mexican Ditch often returns flow to the Carson River at this location. The flow crosses the road and I love the sound and sight that it makes. With the colder temperatures of the last few nights, the cottonwoods are dropping their leaves as the color leaves them. The sight this morning made me pause for a couple of captures. I like this one.

On the way back to the rig, I was keeping an eye out for other walkers/dogs and heard a whistle behind me. For a moment I thought of the Mockingjay whistle from The Hunger Games movies. That caused me to pause and I looked behind us.

Sera came to attention. When Timber and Lisa started calling her I said “Go! See you peeps!”

She blasted off, of course and I heard Lisa call “Watch your knees!” as she blew in to greet them. Sera was all wiggles and soft looks as she interacted with some of her favorite people.

I walked back to greet them and retrieve The Girl and we walked back to my rig. We paused to visit for a few minutes. I so enjoy them and it was good to spend a few minutes catching up.

The capture was made with my Fujifilm X100V and its lovely 23mm f/2 lens. The capture was made at f/8 using the Portra-400 film simulation. I am running a light diffusion filter on the camera, which provides a more filmic look.

It was a good day. Life is good.

Daily Doggo — 28 October 2023

ruminator
While walking a morning or two ago, Sera posed for me on overwatch. Shot with the Fuji X100V 23mm f/2 at f/8 using the Portra film simulation.

It has been a minute or two. After six weeks in the field overseeing a construction project, I am no longer leaving the house at 0-dark-early and returning at 1700h. That was a string of long days and a lot of physical activity.

I am recovering and resting. The last couple of days were spent catching up with things left undone. I still have a lot to do. There is also a slug of analytical work to get done and that will take a few weeks.

It is good, though. The work is good. Then I might catch a break before the next batch of projects start up. Or it might be that work slows for awhile as the consulting business has an ebb and flow.

Anyway, The Girl and I are enjoying the cooler weather. With the cool weather the risk of snakes is much reduced. Soon they will all be in their winter dens and will be of no concern until the weather warms in the spring.

I am carrying a camera again. I have a few images that need review and processing. I have a couple of new lenses to try. I want to get out and do some radio as well.

Life is good.

Daily Doggo

ruminator
The Girl staring out the rainy window of the 4Runner. Shot with the Fuji X100V at f/8 with the Tri-X 400 film simulation.

After a long week working in the field, we drove up to our favorite place near Spooner Summit to walk this afternoon. Then we drove up to Reno to the Apple Store. It is time to upgrade my aging MacBook Pro (2015 model) after nearly eight years of service.

We came home with a new computer about mid-afternoon. I was hungry, so we stopped at the Black Bear Diner for me to get some food. The Girl waited for me in the rig because I did not know how busy the restaurant might be. It turns out she could have come with me in her training vest and would have been fine on the floor next to me.

Nonetheless, she got my leftover turkey and mashed potatoes and will not need much supper. Neither will I.

I thought the rain provided a nice effect with her looking through the glass. It might be cliche, but I like it anyway.

The new MacBook Pro is transferring files from my old unit. It should be done in another hour and then I will go through the remainder of the setup process.

Daily Image — 24 September 2023

ruminator
Captured with Fujifilm X-E4 and a Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 at f/8 using the Tri-X 400 film simulation.

I have been very busy the last week and the upcoming weeks will be no different, I expect. But, today, The Girl and I got out to walk one of my favorite trails near Spooner Summit along US50.

Soon the snow will come and walking there will be more difficult. I might buy a pair of snowshoes and learn to do that. The Girl might have to have snowshoes for doggos, too.

But this morning, the trail was lovely and the couple who got there before me were far enough ahead that it was as if I was along (with The Girl, of course) on the trail.

I carried the Fujifilm X-E4 with the Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 mounted today. That is a marvelous lens that is fast, plenty sharp, and renders out of focus areas nicely. In fact, I think I see a hint of bokeh balls in some of the images.

I often set the lens for f/8 and just run it. However, for some images I will open up the aperture to reduce the depth of field and isolate the subject a bit. But not for this image.

I really like textures. The granite of the Sierra Nevada provides plenty of subject matter. The iage is straight out of camera. #SOOC

The walk was good. I came away with a frame the pleases me. The Girl is tired (so a happy dog).

Life is good.

Daily Image — 23 September 2023

ruminator
Here is a capture of Lucas with a 55mm f/1.8 Super-Takumar wide open. The shot was made with the Sony A7Sii with in-camera black and white conversion.

After a week working in the field (and a buttload of travel), I am home for the weekend. This morning (I need another coffee) I am catching up a bit on email and other things.

I decided to put a new-to-me 55mm f/1.8 Super Takumar on my Sony A7Sii and make a couple of images. Of course, The Girl is involved. But Lucas is often a test subject because there are lights in the background.

This Super Takumar is a very good lens. I like its sharpness and background blur. It will be fun to take out on a walk and see what it can do.

Daily Image — 18 September 2023

ruminator
I made this capture in a Placerville, California used bookstore. I love used bookstores and should spend more time in them, and in the books I bring home. Capture with Fujifilm X100V at f/8 using a Tri-X 400 film simulation.

On my way home from testimony in Sacramento, I stopped in Placerville for a walk around and an early lunch. Placerville is an old gold mining town with a rich history. I really enjoyed the few minutes I spent wandering the streets with my Fuji X100V.

I am reminded that Placerville is not far and The Girl and I could drive over for a day to spend walking around and enjoying the history of the place. I might add this to my list of things to do.

I wandered into a used bookstore. I was reminded of how much I enjoy used bookstores, particularly those that are shoehorned into a cubbyhole like this one is. I wandered through the stacks, not looking for anything in particular. But i was drawn to the orderly-disorderliness of the stacks and thought it might make an interesting black and white image.

So, I made several. I think the Fujifilm X100V is nearly the perfect camera for this sort of shooting. At least, I find that I like the workflow that comes with it.

Back to my rumination… There was a nostalgia and a bit of melancholy that crept into my emotions as I wandered through the little store. Wife and I loved to visit these places. She always came away with an armful of books that were on her list, or by favorite authors. We would pay for her new treasures and off we would go, usually with her nose stuck in one of them not long after we exited the door.

Those were good days and I miss them. In writing this, a bit of the sense of loss returns knowing that those days are now my history. That part of my life is closed and now I am in another part of my life.

This part is good, too. But it is also diminished a bit because Wife no longer shares it with me.

Still, I remain grateful — grateful for that shared life and grateful for the life I have. Many good things are in my life. Life is good.

Daily Image — 17 September 2023

ruminator
The signs of fall are showing. Shot with Fuji X-E4 and Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 at f/2.8 with the Kodachrome 64 film simulation.

While walking The Girl in the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, I noticed that the colors of the bear brush1 are changing. This started a couple of days ago. The lodgepole pines, of course, have not changed.

I can feel the difference in the air as well. Over the last couple of weeks, it is not as warm in the afternoons. Fall is coming.

I look forward to it as it is after the summer heat and we move into the cooler months. I love the weather here in the high desert. it suits me. The heat lasts only a few weeks and the remainder of the year has wonderful weather.

I enjoy being outdoors with The Girl. We have fun. Life is good.

1I am sure this brush has a formal name. I recall calling it bear brush from back when I was a kid. I think it will stick.

Daily Image — 13 September 2023

ruminator
Shot of Aloha Liquor Store with the Asahi-Kogaku Optical Company 58mm f/2.4 at f/8 with the Sony A7Sii and Vivid Creative Look.

This (very) vintage lens came to me a couple of weeks ago. It is from an Asahi-Kogaku rangefinder camera, probably made in the 1950s. I had to order a M37/M42 adapter so I could mount the lens. Then I got busy with field work and did not take time to shoot it.

Well, I decided to reprovision my stock, so I took The Girl and we drove down to Aloha Liquor. She waited while I did a little shopping. Then I made this capture of the store front.

The lens is certainly sharp at f/8. The colors are not quite as nice as the Hexanon 40mm f/1.8 produces. But they are good.

I made a second capture in black and white, below, of my Lucas plushie. This one was shot wide open (f/2.4). It is also quite sharp and there is a hint of swirly bokeh in the background. It looks like this lens will also produce some soap bubble bokeh balls as well. I need to play with it some more.

One more thing — this lens is heavy. There is a lot of metal in the lens.

This is a shot of Lucas using the Asahi-Kogaku Optical Company 58mm f/2.4 wide open. Captured with the Sony A7Sii and the Black and White Creative Look setting.

Daily Image — 11 September 2023

ruminator
50 Percent Off — While walking the streets of Placerville, California, I came across this rack of on-sale clothes. I liked the look. Capture with the Fuji X100V, 23mm Fujinon f/2 at f/2.8. Tri-X 400 film simulation.

There are other reasons to remember this date. I suspect it was the for my grandparents’ generation and 07 December. I have not forgotten and will not forget.

On a lighter note, I was on my way home from Sacramento a couple of weeks ago. I stopped in Placerville, California for a bite of lunch, although it was a bit early. So I walked the streets a bit to see what I could see.

This rack of clothes caught my eye. So I made the capture.

Then I wandered back to Mel’s Diner for a shake and a BLTA.

Life is good!