circadianreflections

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”~Mary Anne Radmacher

September 2, 2010September 2, 2010Posted in California, Landscapes, NikonTagged Alviso CA, Santa Clara County, SunsetLeave a comment

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”~Mary Anne Radmacher, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge
Drawbridge Ghost Town

2.5 mile hike out to this spot

A friend and I went out to this refuge to scout it out for a possible Meet-up location.
Unfortunately you can’t really get to Drawbridge anymore from this side. This is as close as we can get.
Not a total loss though. There were White Pelicans everywhere, and several types of Egrets, and this sunset was rather nice.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8AF-S

5:04 in the Eastern Sierra

September 1, 2010September 1, 2010Posted in California, Landscapes, Nikon, TravelLeave a comment

5:04 in the Eastern Sierra, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

The Sierra Nevada Mountain Range from Mono Lake,CA.
Reaching back to June now. I have some time to go back to some older photos that I haven’t had a chance to post.

This was after sunrise. My friend Theresa and I were heading up to the car to get breakfast when I stopped to grab this shot. We ate at a picnic table with a view of mountains and lake.
Breakfast was hard boiled eggs, and a fruit cup. I really wanted a hot cup of coffee or pot of tea! That wouldn’t come until lunch time though as Bodie the Ghost Town was our next stop on our Photography week-end in the Eastern Sierras.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S

Full Moon Over James Lick Observatory

August 26, 2010August 26, 2010Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, hikes, Landscapes, NikonTagged California, Diablo Range, Full Moon. James Lick Observatory, Mt Hamilton, Santa Clara County14 Comments

Full Moon Over James Lick Observatory, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

This shoot was fun. We hiked out through some thick brush, and not much of a trail to get to this location.
Using TPE we got the angle and with a bit more math and thought we got the time right too.
I need to remember to buy bug spray and wipes they were eating me alive! We’re having a hot spell so the evening was gorgeous and warm. I didn’t need my wool sweater or jacket until the sun dropped.
I didn’t realize the little dome was open last night at all. It wasn’t until I uploaded my photos that I saw it open. It was only open for two frames then closed again.

Walking out of the location and back to our cars we were stopped by a Ranger who had been looking for us. Evidently we were parked in area that was closed after sunset. He told us he’d been looking for us for 45 minutes and he given all 3 cars citations despite our day passes and camping permit. He didn’t see our camping permit. We didn’t put it in the right spot. We left it on the dash of one car and it should have been dropped in a box at the entrance. We had been told we needed to buy a campsite, and a day pass per car two days prior to our going to shoot this by a Ranger.
Once we explained what the Ranger told us to do to be legal he said he’d remove the citations. What a relief that was!
I’m glad the group leader for this event called ahead to speak to a Ranger and made sure we would be legally in the park after sunset.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 70-300mmVR

After Hours Photo-Walk

August 23, 2010August 23, 2010Posted in Astrophotograhpy, California, Flowers, hikes, Landscapes, NikonTagged Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont CA, Moon Rising, SunsetLeave a comment

A friend and I went to Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, CA for an after hours photo walk with a Ranger.

There were quite a few other photographers there. We were a 5 car caravan in all with Ranger Bev, Alex, and myself in the lead car.

We drove out to a creek to catch the last of the Golden Hour. Here we saw white pelicans sleeping on a pond, the moon rising, and the most beautiful golden amber color on the sun dried fennel, thistle, and grass.

For this shot I used my Singh Ray LB ColorCombo/Warming Polarizer which really helped to make those golds pop.

I also thought to take my telephoto on my D90 just to be ready for any wildlife or birds. It proved to be a wise choice.

While shooting the creek several White Pelicans flew by me. I managed to get this one as it passed me. It’s lost its whiteness in

this evenings amber glow.

and a couple more,

While regrouping and getting all 5 cars ready to roll to the next stop I caught this shot with the Fennel in silhouette through the window

of the van.

After this we drove around the mountain to the mud flats where we parked then some of us climbed up a trail on foot about 1000 ft with at least a 20% grade- NO KIDDING! I’m going to look up the name of this hill, er Mountain!

The view was stunning. Here I got a great view of the lights just coming on in Eastern Fremont including the Moon on the rise.

I turned around and got a nice view of the mud flats and sunset. As the evening wore on the colors in the sky got deeper and deeper.

I used my Graduated Neutral Density filters and polarizer, to cut the heat of the sky, and then found bracketing with 2 stops down really brought out those reds, and oranges.

Here is my last shot of the night. Bands of blue, red, orange, and yellow, and a bit of reflection in the damp mud flats. I used the middle bracketed shot EV 00. I ran it through ACR’s basic sliders, added a bit of sharpening, and resized it.

It was a lovely Sunday evening spent with good people, a good friend, and beautiful views.

Nikon D300s

Nikon D90

Nikkor 80-200mm 2.8AF-D

Nikkor 17-35mm 2.8AF-S

Stories from my dressing table

August 22, 2010Posted in Uncategorized5 Comments

Stories from my dressing table, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

A special gift, a great buy, and a reminder of an old friend. Each one has a special memory, and story.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 AF-D

Tuolumne Meadows

August 20, 2010August 20, 2010Posted in California, Landscapes, NikonTagged Yosemite National ParkLeave a comment

Tuolumne Meadows, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004.

One of many pull outs along Hwy 120 that we stopped at on the way home from Bishop,CA.
This is a meadow again by July I’ve heard. I wonder if it’s covered in wildflowers right now.
I remember playing here as a girl.

PP- Usual ACR sliders plus a wee bit of sharpening. Shooting RAW I find I need to add it verses JPEG where I’ve added it in camera. Resized, and cleaned up a few dust spots.

Nikon D300s
Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8 AF-S

After dinner photo-walk

August 19, 2010August 19, 2010Posted in CaliforniaTagged Campbell CA, Evening, Golden Hour, photo walkLeave a comment

Having Big Baby Boy home is always so much fun. We have a few traditions for his homecomings.

We always go out to eat at some favorite places around home. We’ve eaten at two places already. One was Aqui’s the night before last. A Tex-Mex place with patio seating which means I can take Diva Dog. She loves to go out too.

I had a Swirl- A Guava, Margarita, Sangria concoction that tastes like smoothie, and has a kick you wouldn’t believe. I had the fuzzies after drinking it. So we took a photo-walk around Campbell, CA to walk off some of that Swirl and dinner. Here are a few shots of what was happening in downtown Campbell Tues. evening.

I had the Garbanzo Bean Falafel with Apple Walnut Salad. The falafel needed the spicy chili sauce you get in real falafel places, the salad was wonderful! Apples, cranberries, walnuts, mangoes, fresh mixed greens, and tangy mango dressing. I should have ordered it with grilled chicken.