I blame you all...

[HappyCynic]

I blame you all, especially Tindalos, who got me to register and started me coming to this forum. Since this started, I've spent a lot of time and money on my new hobby (addiction?) of photography. It's warped my view of the world and now I'm looking at things spectacular and mundane and thinking about how to photograph them. (Possible obsession?) I've seen the wonderful photos you all take and it's pushing me ever further, trying to be as good as the rest of you. I've only really just started but already, I think the signs of the madness are becoming clear.
Friday was the day that brought it all into focus (if you'll pardon the pun). For this month's contest, I was considering a moon shot. I noted that moon rise was at about 7 pm on Friday. I didn't know how late I would be getting off work (typically, it's about 6:45-7:15) so I packed my camera and monopod and biked to work like normal. I got off work at about 6:30 and started the bike home... or rather halfway home. I'd already decided that I would take the shot from the bridge on the way home. So, I get to the bridge and stop halfway. It has an extra large sidewalk (built to accommodate shared biking/pedestrian traffic) so I'm not concerned about obstructing anyone. The time is about 6:45. So I wait for moon rise. This might not seem too bad until you take into consideration 3 factors:
1. There are mountains and moon rise is calculated based on the horizon. So, visible moon rise was actually 20-25 minutes later than the listed time.
2. The temperature was at the freezing mark, give or take a degree. (My guess is that it started out at or just below freezing and got colder as I waited.)
3. I biked in shorts and a light biking jacket. (Which is fine for me when I'm pedaling the bike. Standing around, not so much.)
So there I am, on the bridge, in shorts, freezing my ass off, waiting for over half an hour. Just to get a shot like this:



That's the kind of crazy all of you and all your photos have nurtured in me. And for that, I blame you all.

Was it worth it? I think it was and I have no regrets. So, for all those to blame, I thank you in equal or greater measure. The fun I'm having doing all this more than makes up for the occasional self-inflicted discomfort.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I'd say it was definitely worth it!

What a stunning shot!

The colors, the clarity, the composition......ALL terrific!

Thank you for sharing...

[Celebration]

2. Cool shot of the moon behind the clouds

I love that. Usually people get big full moons but this makes your different. Light reflections at night are great shots. I wish I had one of the Parthenon!

LOL, that's funny. I have to admit I place limits on myself having to do with climate. Although, I do remember risking life and limb last year during the ice and snow.

Keep it up! Speaking of Tindalos............has Tindalos recovered yet?

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

3. If that's Vancouver, that's mountains

not clouds, I think


Good shot, we accept and welcome the blame.

[Celebration]

4. LOL, my excuse is that it is dark

And also I am not used to looking up and seeing a mountain!

In any case I like the moon rising over the mountain.

[Tindalos]

6. Yes, it's the North Shore Mountains

if that's the bridge I think it is. And yes, I'm recovered (mostly).

---------------------------------------------

[HappyCynic]

9. Risking life and limb...

That sounds like an even better story than mine. Care to share?

In my defense, I do place limits on myself when it comes to climate. Although I think my limits are a bit more, um, flexible than for most others.

As Tindalos mentioned below, she's mostly recovered. I hope this means we'll be seeing an entry from her for this contest.

[Tindalos]

5. Ya done good!

I like the moon peering over the mountains. It's definitely a more interesting view of the full moon and this photo makes the wait worth the wait. At least for us, who can enjoy it in the warmth of home without stepping out onto that cold bridge.

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[HappyCynic]

11. Thanks

I've always thought there aren't enough moon rise shots. I also figured that during moon rise, the moon wouldn't be as bright so the rest of the photo wouldn't be too underexposed.
Stay warm. I'll do some of the crazy so others don't need to. Incidentally, I have some more photos to sort through from the night before and the night after as well. (I took a few quick ones the previous night on the way home - well after moon rise. And for the night after, I didn't bike and dressed much more sensibly.) I'll sort through those tonight and hopefully post them.

[NV Whino]

7. And it was worth every frostbitten finger.

Great shot.

[alfredo]

8. It's called "suffering for your art."

It was worth it.

[HappyCynic]

12. Hopefully...

Hopefully, the suffering is not in direct proportion to the skill of the artist. If that's the case, given my current proficiency level, if I start getting as skilled as some of the people here, I don't think I want to know what kind of suffering that would entail. :P

[alfredo]

16. Jill Sobule describes her artist heroes as "drunk and depressed."

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Thousands of dollars later,

I agree with you. :P DU Photo Group was my downfall, too.

I wouldn't trade you guys for anyone, though.

[charlie and algernon]

13. I'm right there with you

got myself a DSLR camera and added $100 in lense filters, wide-angle, and HD lense attachments this weekend. Won't be long till my investment in my camera reaches well over a thousand bucks too. Already drove through a snow storm on Saturday to get pictures of the Antietam Illuminations, which I'll post tonight. The Photography group is a like a drug, can't stop looking in here and then wanting to improve my camera situation.

[JeffR]

14. You did good!

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Great shot! Definitely worth it. :^D

[Mira]

17. There is a wonderful balance in this picture.

And it also is gorgeous. I hope you consider entering it.

[regnaD kciN]

18. Oh, you'll forgive us when you win this month's contest...

...but may be inclined to retract that forgiveness when you have to host next month's! ;-)

[HappyCynic]

20. Not likely...

Given the talent of all those I'm blaming (and it's a very long list), the chances of me winning are vanishingly small. Thanks for the compliment, though.

[qnr]

19. What a gorgeous photo. I love the colors and the reflections, and it's well balanced.

Did you happen to take a portrait/vertical shot?

Yeah, you'll find yourself doing lots of weird thing... laying on your back, holding your camera on an extended tripod over your head while using a remote or timer, etc. :)

If it makes you feel any better, when I climb my local bridge, I have a 2-foot wide walkway, with a Jersey barrier on one side to 'protect' me from 65mph semi's, and a below-hip-level railing to protect me from falling into the water here on the Harbor Bridge:

[HappyCynic]

21. Bridge

Yikes! Sounds like it would be really nerve wracking, not to mention dangerous.
I've always pondered sticking the camera on the monopod, hitting the timer, and extending it out over a bridge railing but I'm too afraid that I'll drop it. A while back, I went to the aquarium and for a bit, I carried the camera around with tripod attached. I sometimes just shot like normal, sometimes used the tripod as a monopod, and sometimes actually used it as a tripod.
Unfortunately, no portrait/vertical shot. Mainly because my fingers were half frozen and I wasn't sure I would be able to get it in a good vertical position and keep it steady.

[qnr]

22. It is nerve-wracking. I think it's really meant only for people that have vehicle

breakdowns rather than as a pedestrian walkway.

I can understand, dropping the camera would definitely fall into the 'not a particularly good thing' category. Play at home for a bit, with the camera over a mattress or something, to see how secure you feel.
I know what you mean about the cold, I'm really a 'northern boy.' It's not particularly cold down here Corpus Christi, but I since I tend to ride my scooter everywhere, it can get very nippy at night. Luckily, since I am using the scooter, I can just grab the muffler to warm my hands up a bit :)

Edit: typo --- 'northern bot' didn't quite sound right :)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

23. When I do something crazy like that

I tie some parachute cord to the camera very securely, as a sort of insurance thing... oh yeah, I tie the other end to me, well, actually I now have a mini carabiner that I clip to my belt or something.

I figure it might, might save a fall

I do the same thing to my longer lenses in crowd things, making sure the cord is short enough so they can't hit the ground

[qnr]

25. That's a good idea. While it wouldn't work the way I normally do it, which is

holding the tripod & camera directly overhead (maybe tying it to the top of the tripod/monopod though) - it sounds like a good plan it you're hangin it over or under something.

[qnr]

24. self-delete - replied to wrong post - you know how it is.. you click on the link

showing a reply in "My Posts," get here and the reply is visible.... so you forget to switch heheh

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

26. yeah, I figure i can catch it if it

is above me, but below me? or out over a ledge/railing/building? at least it will only go so far, or pull me over with it

[HappyCynic]

27. Breakdowns

So, what you're saying is that if you have one breakdown, they try to induce another...
The practice is a good idea, as is WannaJumpMyScooter's cord idea. I'll have to try it.

'northern bot' might not sound quite right but you have to admit, it would make make things much more interesting. :P

[qnr]

28. lol - actually I had used just breakdown, I inserted the 'vehicle' afterwards so it

wouldn't be confused with the mental breakdown due to the journey. And yeah, I kind of liked the 'northern bot' too, in a twisted way, but I knew it would be taken as just a typo anyway, so I corrected it.