Archive for March 2009

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Clear Shot to Hennepin

No longer obstructed by the Lotus Restaurant, the view from Famous Dave's loading dock now includes Hennepin Avenue, and a lot of snow. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

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While the Cat Sleeps Tonight

The beast dozes in the open field. Having consumed the Lotus restaurant and an abandoned bookstore, the giant cat sleeps soundly in the knowledge that all the inanimate objects of Uptown quake in fear of it's home-wrecking jaws. The reassuring glow of abomination rakes over it's hulking form; another parking structure smiles down upon it's creator. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

2

Drifting in the Snow

Crystalline snow shimmers in the gaunt light of the distant streetlamp; twisting tendrils in the lee of a post. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

2

Omnipresent Seatless Bike with Snow

Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

1

Lake and Hennepin

A quiet, snowy Thursday night in Uptown, Minneapolis, on the edge of the Great Northern Plains. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

5

Persistent Smokers & Hangers-on

Snow and wind whipping all around and like fellow travelers around the campfire, the smokers huddle under the heatlamps outside Calhoun Square. Like pack animals on the fringes, the postal boxes and newspaper machines keep close. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

7

Snowmeter

Note the snow in the upper right. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunites of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

3

Tinted Shrubbery with Snow

On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with my trusty 50mm f1/1.4 Nikkor. Because of all the street lights, I went full manual: ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 and wandered between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. Now that I have the technical out of the way, stick around for a few days and see what I was able to find — shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm with a fixed focal length and an extremely shallow depth of field. Within the challenge lies the reward.

3

Kite Photo Minneapolis Lake of the Isles

Another kite photo over the lake. The exposure is a bit off, I'm still getting used to the little point 'n shoot. It's the only half-decent photo that was taken before the kite took a header into the lake. Everything's OK, but I need to find a different kite. The darn thing was working fine the other day. There's a great video from the show Make about Kite Photography, it was very helpful in getting me started. In the video he talks about having a "conversation with the kite." When mine started doing loops, swinging the camera all over, I was having a conversation too, but not one I'd care to share.

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Theme Day — Glass

Minnesota in February, a fools paradise! Today is a theme day, click here to view thumbnails for all participants