Movie! Views from Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
This is a five minute time-lapse movie I made during my three trips to observe for the DES between 2016 and 2018. Once per hour I had to go outside for 15 minutes, let my eyes adjust and then document the seeing conditions. This allowed me some time to pick nice views and set-up my camera to click away an automated sequence if images. Those images were used to make the movie.
Over the end of 2018 I spent a lot of time making individual clips in Photoshop. After that I rested - making the clips is both tedious and computationally consuming. In early 2019 I began the task of making a five minute movie, which as it turns out, is much harder than it sounds. Including the time the shutter was clicking there is about 200 hours of time put into this 5:38 video.
This is my third attempt to edit the thing. I was in a funky mood when it came time to pick a sound track. :-)
Views from CTIO - v1.3
Eta Corinae Nebula
These images for this image were captured in 2018 during my last trip to CTIO. I spent a significant amount of time after making the CTIO movie (in January) learning to use new (to me) astro imaging software.
16 minutes of worth of 8-second exposures. Fixed mount/tripod. Processed with Pix Insight and Photoshop. 16 dark frames used for noise reduction.
All those dots are stars!From Deep Sky Objects
Rain on Half Dome, and Little Yosemite Valley from Washburn Point
One of the nicest things that can happen at a very crowded national park during peak season is a good thunderstorm. If you happen to be at a picturesque, high traffic location the people all go away and you get the place to yourself.
From Yosemite 2019
Milkyway & Andromeda Rising Over Yosemite Valley & Half Dome.
We took a family trip to California. Yosemite was on the agenda and it was a new moon. This is an outer arm of the Milky Way along the Andromeda galaxy rising over Half Dome. Also visible are Vernal & Nevada Falls in the right corner.
Image captured at Washburn Point. Stayed up late and traveled a long way to get this vantage point and scene.From Astro-Landscapes
View from Casa del Mar
At 5875 square-feet Casa Del Mar is the largest of the three "cabanas" at William Hurst's San Simeon castle in California. It comes with a stunning view outside one of the bedrooms.
From Hearst Castle
Self-Portrait #1 - in Motion
Recently someone asked me where my self portrait could be found. We were in my studio and I told them I didn't really do self-portraits (selfies don't count!) and they told me all serious artists do at least one self-portrait.
This got me thinking of what kind of picture I could take that would evoke a sense of who I am...
I came up with this image. Its a simple concept - fasten the camera to the front of a cart and slowly drive myself around a particle accelerator tunnel taking one-second exposures.
Many thanks to Reidar Hahn for helping to make this shot possible.From Portraits
M in Yellow Autumn Woods
Colorful woods in Autumn is a good setting for family portraits. It snowed like hell two days later.
From Portraits
Bright Lights, Big City Portrait or Tourist Gothic
Olive park is an under appreciated spot from which to photograph Chicago. I've been playing with this telephoto-wide-field concept for a while now. This prints big. All lighting was ambient.
From Portraits
Chicago - Streeterville Neighborhood at Twilight.
John Hancock Tower is the most recognizable building in this part of the city. Locals know the Water Tower (not visible) that survived the Great Fire of 1871 that resides a bit to the south of the JHT.
Paris Street; Rainy Day - Art Institute of Chicago.
This 1877 painting by Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848-1894) is very prominent in the AI's European Painting & Sculpture gallery (#201).
This is an iPhone picture because the best camera is the one you have with you! I was kinda struck by the symmetry of the people and the painting.