Shoot the Light

Well, the weather here has been kinda miserable and not particularly photogenic, so I figured I'd post this shot I took in Alaska in the 2005-6 winter.

Sunrise: The Promise of a New Day

Iced Coffee

Chilly in the Seattle Area today...

Starry Night

This shot is taken from a similar position and angle to another star trail I posted last year, this time with a wider angle. The pre-dawn glow is barely visible to the right of the image. The north star, Polaris, is near the upper left. Click the image to see more detail.

The crystal clear, windless sky made for crisp air (28°F). It may not be darkest just before the dawn but it is often coldest.

Wine Not?

Colors

Colors in the prismatic Fresnel lens at the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, San Diego, CA.

Lady in Gold

Mt. Saint Helens illuminated by the warm sunrise glow.

Overcast

The sun pokes through the heavy overcast.

Demon in the Tree

California Firestorm: View From Above

Southern California was burning. It is certainly the most populated area currently affected, but there are forest and brush fires all the way up through Oregon. Smoke is everywhere.

Incident information

NASA MODIS/EOS Satellite Imagery
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 21st) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 22nd) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 22nd) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 23rd) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 23rd) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 24th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 24th) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 25th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 25th) [NASA]
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 26th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 26th) [NASA]
Cloud cover on the 27th provided a less than useful satellite view.
TERRA Satellite Imagery (October 28th) [NASA]
AQUA Satellite Imagery (October 28th) [NASA]
With these images, it appears the Southern California firestorm is pretty much concluded.


A Canadair / Bombardier CL-415 SuperScooper [Wikipedia] fire fighting aircraft landing at Van Nuys Airport to refuel.


Poking above the smoke.


A clear view down to a burn area somewhere north of the San Fernando Valley and west of Interstate 5.
Click to enlarge - some flames can actually be discerned even from this altitude and at this reduced resolution.


Another burn area seen from a bit higher.


Yet more active burns.


Looking toward the coast, the smoke is very evident.


Considerably further north and still smoky.


Another fire up near Fresno.


Plume from a fire near Mt. Shasta.


Klamath Lake with Mt. Loughlin looming in the background. Smoke from many fires visible all around.


Crater Lake. More fires visible in the foreground and the background.

Southern California Firestorm: Ground Truth

Beginning on October 21, fierce winds fanned the flames of at least 11 large fires in Southern California. After a long dry spell there was plenty of fuel for the fires to consume. As of this posting, the winds continue to blow and the flames continue to spread, threatening many residential areas. As of this writing, some homes have already been lost but many more are in danger.

Incident information

NASA MODIS/EOS Satellite Imagery


Smoke billows from the Castaic fire; the sun filters through.


A wide view over the lake.


A closer view.


Smoke starting to fill valleys and canyons in the Santa Clarita area.


Smoke from the Agua Dulce fire seen from highway 14 looking across Vasquez Rocks County Park.


The view from the slanted rocks in the previous image.


Amidst the chaos, a tranquil scene.


Down the road, flames can be seen on the hillside.


A little closer, it becomes apparent just how huge this one fire is. And how close to neighborhoods.


Helicopters of various descriptions work to protect homes and fight the fire.


A Sikorsky Sky Crane rigged with water dropping tank.


Closer up under a tank-equipped chopper.


Off to the fire they go.


The winds are blowing so strongly that it's difficult to stand; harder still to hold the camera steady. Even on a tripod or braced against a log fencepost, with image stabilization at 1600 ISO, it's hard not to get some image blur. The effect of these gusts on the fire is at once amazing and frightening.

Harvest Time

As the days grow shorter, the late harvest comes in providing, among the bounty, pumpkins. At this time, creatures set about their preparations for the coming winter, winds pick up and whistle through the trees taking with them colored leaves that settle to a crunchy carpet on the ground. Imagination runs a bit wild, hearing voices in the breeze, seeing shapes in the trees, and fearing what the blustery weather may bring.

Water Works

Look but don't touch!

Sharp needles adorn this cactus, protecting it from being eaten. The water droplets are from rain.
Click to enlarge.


A closer view. Ouch!
Click to enlarge.

Bark

Like a work of modern art, this eucalyptus tree shows its multicolored bark layers.

Seattle Sunrise - Another Travel Day

The plane taxis away from the gate. A magnificent sunrise illuminates the sky and reflects off the windows of the terminal building.


Mt. Rainier seen across the wing.


Seattle tower silhouette.


Freight aircraft.

And the Rain Gives Way to Sunshine

If only for a brief time, the rain has subsided, the clouds have moved off, and the sun shines down through a deep blue sky. Autumn has progressed to a point of deeper colors but the show is far from over. Many trees are just beginning to show signs of their color change and others have yet to start.

Shelter

Deer taking shelter from the pouring rain.


Some shelter.

(Un)Stable

A dreary old barn on a dreary day.

Textures and Colors

Deep blue sky highlights these sunlit leaves.

Awash in Color

Around every corner, behind every shrub, waits another feast for the eyes. Sunlight peeks through the trees and touches the leaves, announcing their presence in shades of red, orange, yellow, and green.

Early Autumn, Late Afternoon

As the day draws to a close and the sun angle approaches the horizon, a gentle light filters through the changing leaves, flooding some with light while others remain quietly in the shadows.

Scenes like these are repeated all around. Gentle breezes bend and creak the branches. Distant dogs bark and coyotes howl; crows and ravens call. Spider webs abound. Sunset passes and a full moon rises in the distance casting its eerie glow upon the scene.

It's not hard to imagine how earlier peoples living in environments like these conjured mythologies of spirits, ghosts, and demons. Today we are more enlightened and can see these scenes for their tranquil beauty without the need for such fanciful explanations. But somewhere deep down in our beings lives a memory of earlier times and we may be forgiven if occasionally we succumb, however briefly, to a sense of mysticism in the air.