Sometimes, the way I set up a shot is amusing…
October 22, 2006, 1:02 AM
I’m looking at the photo feature I’m running right now, described as “Headlights illuminate a sign marking the Buena Vista overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.” What I find amusing is how I used practically everything I had with me except for the Blistex that I keep in my camera bag in order to get this shot. Seriously. Even the Sable got into the act. Where do you think the headlights that illuminated the sign came from? Sa-a-a-a-a-able…
I was actually trying to get a nice long-exposure shot of the sign, which is how this all came about. The sun was down enough to where the shot would come out dark, but light enough to where it would be blue. So I fiddled with things, and also, since I was parked right in front of the sign, I fiddled with my headlights to get things how I wanted. In the shot I ultimately used, I timed things. I set the camera up at an eight-second exposure, and then using the remote, unlocked my doors (which makes the headlights come on) with two seconds to go. I used other exposures and length of time with the headlights on as well, but that’s the one that looked the way I liked.
I also had some fun taking some long-exposure shots of the Sable while I was up there in the dark, with the tripod all set up. I reached into the car and hit the switch for the interior and door lights. Then I fired off a few long-exposure shots of that. Thus we have the Sable, an island of light in the midst of darkness…
I also got a close-up shot of my leather seats from the same basic location:
I’m also glad that my recent trips along the Blue Ridge Parkway have been uneventful. I don’t need any more deer up there. Before the accident damage was repaired, I actually did what I consider a “return to flight” trip along the Parkway, if nothing else but for a confidence boost. After all, I love the Parkway, but I didn’t want to fear it forever because of the one incident. The run down the Parkway on October 9, when I did the photos, would be more of a true “return to flight” trip, though, because the accident damage was fully repaired. And I passed the area where the accident happened, between the Yankee Horse Ridge and Boston Knob overlooks, without incident. Good deal.
Still, the whole incident has given me a new respect for the deer on the Parkway, and I drive really slowly when I think deer might be around, so that I can easily go from slow to a crawl whenever I spot one.
And no deer whistles. Those things are a waste of money.
Web site: Photo Feature Archives, since we're talking about it and all...
Song: Minnie the Moocher as sung by Cab Calloway
Quote: By the way, I never mentioned the anniversary that came up last Tuesday. Two years ago last Tuesday, October 17, was the Million Worker March. That day was a life-changing day, almost as much as the April 12 protest did some time before that. April 12 got me into the activism scene in the first place, but the Million Worker March introduced me to the Infoshop, and gave me a new circle of friends and acquaintances that I attend protests with.
Categories: Blue Ridge Parkway, Photography