Posted on by Anne Sandler

Out and about with Goose: Dry Creek Falls and Gibson Ranch

Photographers are willing to go out and about whenever they can and they are willing to help.  “Goose” Simmons has been a big help to me. I recently went out during an evening with him and shot on manual until I realized my GPS was stolen. Then I went back to aperture priority.  I was too upset to think. I think I was so excited to be shooting with Goose that I forgot to lock my car. I won’t forget again!

Tonight, I’ll be learning how to shoot the Milky Way, and I hope I’ll be posting some great images for you soon. Meanwhile here are some (because I ended up with more than 20 shots I liked) shots from my outing with Goose.

 

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A fun time with the peeps: Sacramento’s Tower Bridge at night

Yes, I’m trying to learn the new lingo. That’s one of the reasons I retired. I couldn’t keep up with the “20 and 30 somethings” colloquialisms, and it was time at 69 years! Hanging around with the peeps from Sacramento Photographers, a group on Facebook open to people who like photography, was fun.

I went out to the Tower Bridge with the intent to put my camera on manual, shoot with it on manual and get some light trail shots. I accomplished my task and also did some HDR. I don’t know why I didn’t shoot the HDR shots on manual rather than staying in my comfort zone at aperture priority. There’s always a next time.

Hopefully that next time will be with the Sacramento Photographers. They have one event a month, and the members are eager to share and help. They will also go out and invite the group at the spur of the moment like last nights activity. I’m looking forward to going out with the peeps again.

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler

If you knew Peggy Sue: Peggy Sue’s 50’s diner

How about a “Frankie Avalon Philly Steak Sandwich,” a “Patti Page Patty Melt,” or a Tina Turner Tuna Sandwich? Are you hungry yet?

We don’t travel Highway 58 over the Tehachapi Mountains very often, but we’ve been that way twice since May. About 30 minutes from Baker, California you start seeing signs announcing Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner; and I mean large signs! But the timing wasn’t right for us to stop and experience the cuisine and decor.

This time we did, and it was amazing. The food was good and there was a lot of it. However, roaming the diner was the real treat. Originally built in 1954, the diner was reopened, after being closed after an unknown amount of years, by Peggy Sue and Champ (last names unknown) in 1987. With a history of Peggy Sue working in the movie industry and Champ for Knox Berry Farm, the diner became a place to display their extensive collection of movie and TV memorabilia. Peggy Sue used her grandmother’s family recipes and made food the old fashioned way. The diner soon became a popular with locals and truck drivers. In 1995 they added on a 1950’s style dime store, then a soda fountain, ice cream parlor and a pizza parlor. You just roam from room to room taking in the photos and other mementos from the era, and dining is available in all rooms.

Outside they have a pond, ducks, dinosaurs and other things to delight young and old. I thought it could have been better planned, but just like the diner it rambled on. I’m sure they didn’t import the huge red ant colony that prevented me from taking a picture of the weirdest duck I’ve ever seen! Those ants didn’t look friendly.

So if you want to eat a “Frankie Avalon Philly Steak Sandwich,” listen to 50’s music and enjoy some 50’s memories, stop by Peggy Sue’s Diner, 1-15 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, California. You won’t regret it.

 

 

Posted on by Anne Sandler

A change of attitude: The Optainium Cup Race at Mare Island, part 3

When you need to change attitude, it’s best to get away. That’s what we did. We took our new/used trailer to Las Vegas, Nevada for its “shakedown run.” I know it’s hot in Las Vegas this time of the year, but it was our cousin Jim’s 70th birthday–so why not! The good news is that we were able to outfit and situate the trailer to our liking, but the bad news is that I didn’t take any pictures except for Peggy Sue’s Diner on the way home. I’ll show you those in my next post.

Today, I want to wrap up the Otainium Cup Race and show you some images that are a mixture of what is happening on Mare Island. I did not do any HDR on these, and, yes, there are some buildings again. But, don’t click off, there are some new sights too. Hopefully, if I can get into a carpool, I’ll be going back there for a full moon shoot on Saturday. Fair warning–more Mare Island. Hopefully I can do better with my images. After all, a change in attitude is mostly accepting that what you’re doing is good and you can also improve.

Posted on by Anne Sandler

A change of attitude: The Optainium Cup Race at Mare Island

Yes, there needs to be a change of attitude on my part. When I was looking at other photographers’ photos of the Optainium Cup Race at Mare Island, I thought how could mine compare. That’s what you get for posting to the Meetup a few days late! But, that’s been my feeling, everyone is better than me. I need to change that. I may not be great, but I’m better than some. And, I’m learning. Each time I go out, I learn. Each time I look at other photographers’ images, I learn.

My recent outing to the Optainium Cup race was fun and another learning experience. The race was exactly that except it was in homemade peddled vehicles that were decorated with a theme. You’ll understand when you look at the pictures. My photo buddy Jayne and I had never been to this fun activity before and it was a learning curve for us.

In this post, I’ll show you the line up and the start. Tomorrow, I’ll show you the challenge stop that we were at. I’ll explain it also. Oh, the people staffing the race were also in costume. Visitors were too; however, it was hot. I don’t know how they managed in costumes.

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Then and now: looking back to the beginning

I can’t believe it’s been 26 months since I got my Nikon D3100. I remember the first time I used it at the Balloon Festival in Windsor California. We took our trailer and stayed overnight so we would be there bright and early–meaning 4 a.m. They woke us up via a loud speaker. I got dressed quickly, grabbed my camera and ran out into the dark. I had a great morning and afternoon. And, I haven’t stopped enjoying shooting images. But, now I have a Nikon D7100 (which I’m still getting used to) and additional lenses, a new tripod and two camera sling.

I do look like I know what I’m doing when I’m decked out in my photo vest and cameras. But, do I? I certainly know more than I did back in Windsor, but there’s more to learn. With patience and perseverance I’m getting there. New software helps too. I’ve fallen in love with HDR. I recently tried night photography and had a lot of fun. I’m thinking it might be better in the Fall or Winter when darkness falls earlier.

I took my D3100 across the country in 2013.  Turning this blog into a travelogue and posting daily has firmly etched three months worth of memories into my memory. This hobby has become my passion. It has taken me to places I probably never would have visited. It has helped me meet wonderful people who care enough to help. Where would I be without Jayne who gently pushed me toward HDR? Or Mary who recently put my camera on manual?

Have my pictures gotten better as time passed? I think so. There’s always the element of being at the right place at the right time; but, I think it takes the ability to see the shot and compose it. Now, I’m learning the technical aspect to photography.

Photography has also helped me see the world differently. I notice more now. I’m seeing light differently. Some architecture amazes me. I appreciate old stuff. Where will I be in another 26 months? I don’t know. This hobby is something I haven’t pushed, but relaxed with. My goal is to overcome my fear of the technical.

Here are some images from then and now.

 

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Beyond the comfort zone: sunset, full moon and light painting – Mare Island

Everyone has a different comfort zone. When it comes to photography, mine is on aperture priority and hand held. I’m just making peace with the tripod–I no longer feel like throwing it when I try to set it up! I’ve just started doing HDR, and have only mastered part of Lightroom. It’s safe to say that I’ve not gotten fully knowledgeable with my D7100. So with all this learning to be done, I headed back to Mare Island in Vallejo California with Mary Gromer and the “Shoot or Go Home” photo Meetup group.

We were going to shoot some buildings during the golden hours before sunset, catch the sunset, do full moon photography and end with light painting. I have never done full moon photography or light painting so I was really excited and knew I would be out of my comfort zone.

For today’s post, I’m going to show you some of the buildings. I know I’ve done the Mare Island buildings before, but not in the golden hours. My next post will go into the full moon and light painting photography.

 

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What was, isn’t: Hallberg Butterfly Gardens

It’s sad when you know something that was once beautiful is in danger of going away. I’m talking about the Hallberg Butterfly Gardens in Sebastopol, California. Louise Hallberg’s garden officially became a non-profit organization in 1997. I say officially because she has lived in the same house on the property since a child in the 1920s.

Today, at 97, Louise still tends the gardens with help from a few friends. The grounds do need work and tender loving care. However, they are still a haven for butterflies and insects. The Meetup group that arranged this outing billed it as a chance to pull out the macro lens. I don’t have one, but I shot with my 55 – 300 lens some of the time and my 18 – 55 mm the rest of the time. We didn’t see too many butterflies, but there were birds and flowers to compensate. I do wish the butterflies would stay still for just a moment! We did have one that seemed to want to show off, and I was able to get some great shots of him (or her!).

I hope someone will come along and take over the property. It would make a great historical park. While we were there, I did meet Hallberg, who had a helper with her. She is frail and just got out of the hospital recovering from a fall. If you’d like to help, visit their website at http://www.hallbergbutterflygardens.org/. It would be great to keep Hallberg’s vision and this garden alive. This will be another 2-part post. There’s so much to show you!

 

 

 

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Meet me up Scotty: Ruth Bancroft Garden, part 2

If the cacti and their flowers weren’t enough for us to photograph during this Meetup outing, the addition of sculptures made it an outstanding experience. We were allowed to photograph the sculptures, which were for sale, if we gave credit to the sculpture. So, I put a system in place of shooting the name card before I shot the sculpture. Of course, there were times I forgot! I’ll do my best in identifying these amazing artists. My apologies if I didn’t get them all right!

The art forms came in all mediums. There were some sculpted from metal, glass, stone, and wood. Here are just a few.

 

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Meet me up Scotty: The Ruth Bancroft Garden

Which Meetup do I want to go to? Yes, if you belong to enough Meetup groups, you’ll have a choice. I joined my first Meetup group when I ordered my Nikon D3100–before I had taken my first digital SLR shot! That was 26 months ago, and I think I was excited about my new hobby.

Most photography Meetups try to do at least one outing a month. Some groups do more. They each have their own personality and leadership. Many of us belong to a few, so we run into each other as we travel. Through the Meetup world, I have met new people, made new photo buddy friendships, learned new information, have gone places I didn’t know about and have had fun.

On a recent Meetup, we went to the Ruth Bancroft Garden while they hosted their Sculpture in the Garden show. The garden features various cactus from Mediterranean climates and other dry regions around the world. Its founder, Ruth Bancroft, lives next door and is 105 years. The garden became the first preservation project of the Garden Conservancy, a nonprofit organization and has been open to the public since 1992.

Well maintained, this garden was easy to walk through. It was small, but still took us a few hours to take our images. The next outing I went on was to a garden that was not well maintained. But, first take a glance at the Ruth Bancroft Garden. I’ll show you the cactus in this post and the sculptures in the next. I was able to identify some of the plants from the garden’s brochure. Too bad, I did somehow catalog them by their numbers!

I wonder what Meetup I’ll be going to next!