T+7.2

Posted by Richard Harrison on 25/08/2011

A very long day. Roamed more than 400 miles around the base camp. Took
447 shots including sunrise and sunset. I’m better at sunsets. I
suppose because I have more practice. Too, they seem to extend longer
than sunrises.

I’m not sure yet just what to do with a sunrise and while I ponder
that, well, the sun rises and it’s then too late to do much other than
wait for sunset.

I love chasing the sunset, especially here in the west. They last an
incredibly long time and seem to spread out across the sky to a much
greater degree than is the case back east. Gives one lots to consider.
But the sunrises? Blink and it’s over.

I wish I had a couple of examples for you tonight but I took none with
the iPhone (don’t ask; I don’t know why.) and I’m just too tired to go
through the downloads and conversions right now. I have a couple that
are really good though and I’m anxious to show them to you. So,
mañana!

There is a crescent moon tonight that will rise in the eastern sky
about 0200. Hoping to get to it. That would be sunrise, sunset and
moonrise all in the same 24 HR period. Whew!

Good night boys and girls!

-rgh
Sent from my iPhone

Arrived Badlands

Posted by Richard Harrison on 23/08/2011

See the full gallery on Posterous

T + 6: St Joseph’s to Pierre (slight change in plans)

Posted by Richard Harrison on 23/08/2011

The big news yesterday for me, at least initially, was flooding. The Missouri River and it’s creeks and run-offs were swollen beyond belief for someone like me

who has never driven through this part of the country when water is high.I suffered a few delays but the people who live here had entire farms underwater. It was both a wondrous and sorrowful sight to observe.

I had checked into a hotel in St Joseph‘s, MO late Sunday night rather than camp and I’m glad I did – a big storm passed through overnight. Probably would have blown me and my tent away.

A late start out Monday morning was lengthened when I discovered, about 20 miles down the road, that I had left my camera battery and charger at the hotel. Add and hour. Then came the sign on I-29 “Closed“. A not-to-well marked detour took me past some windmills and a few good shots and finally dumped me back out on the interstate. But when I got to Council Bluffs/Omaha I found the road blocked again. No detour signs so I just kept turning north until I got to Sioux City. From there it was pretty much clear sailing but between the detours and stopping for photographs I was now nearly three hours behind schedule.

Not wanting to arrive at Badlands NP and have to set up camp in the dark, I decided to take another detour into the SD state capital at Pierre.

Found an absolutely fabulous local motel called the Governor’s Inn. HIGHLY recommended the next time you’re in Pierre. As I write it’s Tuesday morning and I intend doing a few shots here in the city along the riverfront and then heading – at last – to Badlands for the rest of the day and most of tomorrow.

I’ll have a little more time today since as soon as I cross the Missouri heading west again, I’ll be in a new time zone. 🙂

T + Something

Posted by Richard Harrison on 23/08/2011

Sunset approaching The Badlands

T + 4 & 5: St Jo to Badlands

Posted by Richard Harrison on 22/08/2011

Didn’t get a chance to post last night; too tired by the time I rolled into St Joseph‘s, MO. It was also too late to go looking for a campground and pitching tents in the dark so I checked into a Days Inn. It has a bed and an internet connection and that’s about all the good things I can say.

Awoke this morning to the sound of thunder (and wind and rain and lightening and the like) and was feeling pretty good about not being in a tent. As I write this things seem to be clearing up a bit. The sky to the south is beginning to break blue.

Unfortunately the sky to the north is breaking bad and that’s the direction I headed today. Destination: Badlands of South Dakota. How Baaaad can they be? We’ll see.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=St+Joseph,+MO&daddr=Badlands+National+Park,+SD&hl=en&geocode=FdKnXgIdW-lY-ilxJS6TThrAhzGocdNbeZZ15g%3BFWF3mwIdX2Ls-SHwd-baMV5oaQ&mra=ls&sll=39.757778,-94.836389&sspn=0.305104,0.612488&vpsrc=6&ie=UTF8&ll=41.820455,-98.393555&spn=5.730721,9.338379&z=6&output=embed View Larger Map

It’s about a 10 hour run so I better get rolling. If the skies clear I send up some pics from the phone later.

T + 3: Lover’s Leap

Posted by Richard Harrison on 21/08/2011

David and I spent a large part of the day post-processing the Shaker Village shoot and getting ready for a book signing in the evening at Lover’s Leap Winery near Lawrenceburg, KY, about an hour’s drive from base in Elizabethtown.

See the full gallery on Posterous

I joined David and his friend Beth for the trip and while they smoozed and signed and sold, I ran the property in search of a few good shots while at the same time trying to correct some of my setting errors from the pevious day. For the most part we were all successful – a good time was had. And I finally gained an appreciation for an f/22 apperture. These are some of my favs from the 464 shot during the three hour visit.

T + 2: Shaker Village

Posted by Richard Harrison on 20/08/2011

A long days shoot with Dakota at Shaker Village, Pleasant Hill, KY. Eight-hundred and forty one images collected. Here are few for now.

T + 1

Posted by Richard Harrison on 18/08/2011

My new friend Sam in Elizabethtown, KY

Ruth Elizabeth Crawford: 23 April 1950 – 17 August 2007

Posted by Richard Harrison on 17/08/2011

No one loved is ever lost and Ruth was loved so much

Picture taken in Trafalgar Square

T – Day: Reston to Elizabethtown….

Posted by Richard Harrison on 17/08/2011

…… With a stop in C’ville to visit with Ruth

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=11614+Ivystone+Ct,+Reston,+VA+20191&daddr=University+of+Virginia,+Charlottesville,+VA+to:Elizabethtown,+220+West+French+Street,+KY&hl=en&geocode=FWcZUgIdcsZj-ykBU3AxREi2iTFSN_Hi-f5f-w%3BFUGHRAIdjAVS-yHnWjG_qxe_KQ%3BFYddPwId1g7i-im5yQLdMu9oiDGRe1o2Gl0lvQ&mra=ls&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.136668,78.398437&vpsrc=6&ie=UTF8&ll=38.3232,-81.59772&spn=1.23986,8.50142&output=embed View Larger Map

T – Minus 1 The Big A

Posted by Richard Harrison on 17/08/2011

What you’re looking at here is my brand new Big Agnes 4 Bedroom, NO bath home. After having tried it out on a camping/rafting trip to WV this past weekend, I think I’m ready for prime time in the Missouri Breaks.

T – Minus 2

Posted by Richard Harrison on 16/08/2011

Never a bad day in C’ville

T -Minus 3

Posted by Richard Harrison on 14/08/2011

Survived the Lower Gauley -celebrations at The Red Dog

T – Minus 4.1

Posted by Richard Harrison on 14/08/2011

Campground cuisine.

T – Minus 5

Posted by Richard Harrison on 12/08/2011

Some new gear for The Trip finally arrived today. So far I’m tent-less
but except for this weekend in WV that shouldn’t be a problem. That
tent will be here before departure day. In the meantime I got one of
those red-tipped wonders to while away the hours with. And this thing
is Wide! Yes!!!!!

T – Minus 6

Posted by Richard Harrison on 11/08/2011

I have been using a sleeping bag (on those rare occasions I need one) that I inherited from Charles several years ago. It’s big, blue, bulky and seems to be made mostly from cotton and flannel or something. A nice red plaid lining.

I used it on a visit with friends in Port Jervis, NY this past early spring when it was stil cold there. Noticed it wasn’t all that warm. But otherwise I’ve never given much thought to the things. What’s to be said about them anyway? They’re big enough. They have a zipper that doesn’t get stuck. Well padded. Pleasing color maybe.

Whoa! Little did I know – literally 🙂

Charles let me know that the bag I was using would not really work for The Trip – I’d probably freeze to death – and sent a recommendation for an upgrade. That enticed me to look around a bit to see if I couldn’t become a more informed buyer. It’s like stepping off the side of a cliff into a bottomless pit to see how far you can fall.

Lotsa bags out there!

Charles’ recommendation turned out to be solid – why would I doubt that? – but I decided I wanted a bag with a hood and the one he pointed me to didn’t have one. I also wanted a roomy pouch and not a slender mummy style. I wound up buying a Big Agnes Silver Creek +30 bag. It’s large and has a pouch on the underside to slip the sleepng pad into. It’s a “sleeping system” 🙂

I was hoping to test all this out this weekend on a two trip to WV’s New River Gorge for a rafting event. But my bag might not arrive in time. REI shipped it FedEx Smart Post. It made it from PA to Reston in two days but then they dropped it at the local post office for final delivery and advised me it might take a couple or three days more before I actually receive it. I’m leaving Saturday morning, so I really need it on Friday. There also seems to be some questin about when the new tent that Charles bought me as a late birthday gift will arrive, but that’s another blog. I may wind up on the ground with a sheet the way things are going. Will be all prepared for delivery to the local morgue.

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

What’s the penalty for breaking into a PO to get your goods?

T – Minus 7

Posted by Richard Harrison on 10/08/2011

The Trip is coming up. Too many things to do. Get a house-sitter. Eat all the perishables in the fridge. Cancel this service and that. Get the taxes paid (Yes, I’m one of those.) And check and double check the lists. The big one is the kit list that Chaz sent my way. He being the Pro cCamper; me being the neophyte. Yesterday I ventured out to fill in some of the gaps.

I dropped by Costco first to see if perhaps they might have one of my list items at a lower price. No such luck, but as I walked out the door I marveled that it was the first and only time I had ever visited Costco and not spent a single solitary dime, much less the $300 that was the norm. I figured this was a good omen and headed to REI. I kept repeating to myself as I entered the store: “Stick to the list. Stick to the list.” Needless to say.

REI is like a specialized Costco – and just as dangerous to one’s bank account. I think I did ok though; only wandered off the path a couple of times and I did avoid all the bargains on the clearance racks since they were not listed. Some things became irresitable though, like the Eat Well – Go Far Beef Enchilada Meal in a bag. Add hot water and stir. No cooking – except the water. Of course I had to have something to heat the water in: Jet Boil. And if you’re going to have hot water why not hot coffee; Jet Boil Coffee Press. Cooking attracts bugs: Ben’s Bug Spray. Bugs make noise: ear plugs. Get away from it all – need light: Black Diamond LED lantern. And so on. I was lucky to escape, but having said that I have to go back today to get a sleeping pad and a head lamp. They were both on the list but somehow got overlooked. Someone posted a video this morning on age-activated attention disorder. That might have been it. Anyway, I have to go back. And as I walk in the door I will repeat my mantra: Stick to the list. Stick to the list.

The 3six5 Project – 4 August 2011 – Richard Harrison

Posted by Richard Harrison on 05/08/2011

Since I wrote this I can’t imagine they’d object to my cross-posting it.

http://the3six5.posterous.com/august-4-2011-richard-harrison#comment

What To Do With A New Remote Shutter Release

Posted by Richard Harrison on 05/08/2011

Try it out!

State Theater

Posted by Richard Harrison on 01/08/2011

I have been meaning to shoot The State for some time now and this morning I found myself in Falls Church with both my camera bag and some spare time. So.

When I was teenager I used to attend an occasional movie at The State. It was some ways from the town I lived in – by teenage standards anyway – and so going there was much an adventure. Sometimes we’d run into friends; sometimes into fists, but it was always fun and generated more than a few legends, all of of which now escape me (keep journals kids!).

Today The State serves as a live performance arena for retro, indie and niche acts. The latter include a lot of blues players. It’s a small venue but you’d be amazed at some of the names that turn up. The one that pops for me on the marquee in these shots is Jimmy Thackery.

I’ll go back at some point and get some night shots. This was another outing with my EF 50mm f1.4 USM. I think I’m getting used to it; I suppose you’ll have to be the judge of that – as always.

More Occoquan

Posted by Richard Harrison on 27/07/2011

Had to drive to Lorton this morning to have an orthopod check out my
knee. The good news: no surgery required. In fact it appears some
anti-inflamatories and a lot of X-Stretch do the trick.

I took the camera bag along and intended visiting The Workhouse Arts
Center. Typically, too many shiny objects got in the way. I'll put
some on here later but most will go to Facebook, Flickr and Google+.

Got some good shots I think. It was a 50mm day. Mostly at f4.0. Trying
to decide if the next lens needs to be f4.0 or f2.8. Sampling. This
shot of course came from the iPhone.

-rgh