This image is something that is not the most interesting, but its simplicity is well needed. As I was taking panoramic shots and flying the drone (both pictures that I am posting later), I noticed this ship to the west. I believe it was a military ship, either Coast Guard or Navy. Regardless, I like how the sky is bright all around it, and the ocean is rough and dark. Then, in the middle, is the one ship.
Since most of the days were cloudy and the sunsets were not optimal, I had to find other objects to be the subject of my images. I use this technique often with my camera but had only experimented with it once on the drone. The idea is you put a neutral density (ND) filter on the lens, and it darkens the image. It allows the shutter to remain open longer, and it creates a blur in the moving objects. I utilized this to smooth the waves and to add more depth to the seemingly calm city.
On one of the few sunny days we had, I was lucky enough to see the Pacific Ocean and the Palomar Mountain Range. The timing of this image was very unexpected. We decided to check out a new clothing brand, and since I wasn't interested, I decided to fly the drone. I only had time to fly for five minutes, but that was plenty of time to take this shot. Then right after I landed, I had THE BEST burrito ever. Yes, I said it. The place is called The Taco Stand, in Encinitas, California. Steak, avocado, cheese, and fries in a burrito? Yes, and churros and condensed milk to wash it all down.
On another adventure, we drove in then hiked around the Torrey Pines State Reserve. Unfortunately, they prohibit drones from taking off and landing within the reserve, but that didn't stop me from finding a few compositions. About thirty minutes into our hike, I noticed this overlook, Yucca Point. The point offered incredible views of the ocean to those on it, and from my perspective, it created an entirely different image. I saw dramatic formations on the rock contrasted by the smooth clouds. And between those parts are a group of people looking off into the ocean.
After a few days in California, I was ready to pedal again. Luckily, the hotel we stayed at had bikes to rent. I opened up Google Maps and found this location, San Dieguito Lagoon State Marine Conservation Area, right next to the Del Mar Fair Grounds. It looked promising from the satellite pictures, so I biked on down there. At this area was a river of seawater that created a unique ecosystem of birds, fish, and plants. I sent the drone up to capture a larger perspective of the land, then took this image.
Next to the beach was a (slightly annoying) train track. It allowed for both passenger and cargo trains to go through. We happened to stay near a railroad crossing, and every time a train went through, you could hear it rumble. It wasn't much a problem during the day, and at night the trains would generally stop, but at 5 am, it was a little unpleasant. But during the day, the tracks provided the perfect leading line in an image. For this picture, I was flying the drone when a train went by. It might seem like I was lucky to be in the right spot at the right time, but with the frequency of the train, I had many chances to take the image.
My next adventure takes us to Del Mar, California. It is about 90 miles south of Los Angeles and is situated right on the water. Unfortunately for us, we arrived during June gloom, a time when most days have cloudy skies. For our first sunset, the clouds created a slight gap long between the Earth and sky. This trend continued for the rest of our stay, with most sunsets blocked by the clouds. Regardless, I was able to take some incredible images and some even without clouds.
For my final shot of this series, I return to the drone. I had received the critically low battery warning and needed to land. I looked down to find my landing spot when I noticed how the paths looked from above. They weren't straight or follow any structure. What you can't tell from this image is just how much mud is on them. You can faintly see the pool of water on the curved path on the left side, but other than that, it looks dry. My shoes and bike said otherwise.
For about an hour after sunrise and before sunset is a time called the golden hour. These minutes are when the sun is soft, and the light is very conducive to portraits, landscape, and all types of outdoor photography. For this shoot, I utilized the golden hour to capture some greenery around me. I was initially trying to hide the sun behind some plants but liked how the sun flare looked. I set some tall grass between my lens and the sun and snapped the image.
Minutes before the sun's rays hit this part of the Earth, I sent the drone over towards downtown to capture its awakening. I made sure that the drone took this image before the sun rose so that there was no glare from all the windows. While it would have been nice to have a light yellow glow on the entire image, I decided that not having the glare was more important.
Simplicity
As the sun continued to rise, I wanted to capture the light along with the park and its surroundings. I had already taken many shots of downtown Fort Worth and wanted something different. I noticed the broadcast pole and made it the subject of my image. The image is simple, a pole dividing the brush. But I like this simplicity and feel it allows the colors in the sky to stand out.
In Tandy Hills Park is one main trail with a few split-offs. It had rained for multiple days before the 26th, and the main trail was caked with two inches of mud. With my shoes five pounds heavier, I pushed on closer to the interstate. I eventually found this little trail that created a perfect leading line towards downtown. I waited for the lighting to be optimal and the sunrise colors to shine, then snapped the image.
Morning Light
My next step, as I typically do, was to send up the drone. By this point, the clouds were thin, and the sun was shining. When I sent it up, I was fascinated by the cars, shadows, and soft light on the ground. If I were to retake this picture, I would add an ND filter to the drone to allow for a longer shutter speed and make the cars a blur. Regardless, I still really enjoy this image and its simplicity.
As the sun continued to rise, the clouds finally began to dissipate. Unfortunately, the eclipse ended at 6:22 am, and the clouds decreased well after then. While the clouds were blocking the eclipse, I pivoted and used them as a smooth, solid backdrop to allow the buildings to stand out. Also, I combined two shots to make this image, one focused on the flowers and one on the buildings. I felt the shots individually weren't the strongest, but together and with everything in focus, they create something great.
This image is one of the first Todd Hido emulations that I took. After being introduced to the idea, I set out that night with no intentions other than to follow Hido's ideas. When editing, I debated brightening the image to reveal more of the house or leave it dark and hide it. I ended up leaving it dark to make the image appear more mysterious and vague. More up to interpretation to the viewer.
A few days later, I began another adventure to capture life void of human existence. I chose to take images of this house for its structure. There are many sharp corners, angles, and geometric shapes. Unlike yesterday's, this image is the complete opposite. Opposed to the openness of the house, this one is closed and finished. The walls filled, and lights lit. Humans definitely have been living in this house.
For this picture, I continued my nighttime drive through the neighborhood. This house is unique as it is the only one of this series that is unfinished. This uniqueness balances the series appropriately. Many times, we see the finished product. A finished picture, project, or house. But this picture shows the unfinished nature of things. The fact that perfection and completeness aren't instantaneous, rather a culmination of many hours of work.
Next, I found this house with an American flag flying on its porch. It was illuminated by two lights, and I wanted to make it the subject of the image. I carefully positioned myself such that the pole didn't block the flag, and I could capture the reflection of the flag on the front door. The next challenge was finding the balance in light between the bright flag and dark sky. I made the priority the flag, since it is the subject, but made the overall composition slightly above the brightness I typically shoot at to compensate for the sky.
After a short drive, I showed up at this second house. Many of Hido's images appear during a storm. But when you can't produce a storm on demand, it makes emulating a little difficult. To compensate, I used a trick Hido himself uses, water. I fill a spray bottle with water then spray it onto the lens. This action blurs the image and adds an interesting element to it. There is a possibility of the water getting into the camera from this process, but most modern cameras are water-resistant, and I made sure to avoid spraying the body.
