Jim's Place

"Get the picture?!"

After feeling so awful and exhausted all afternoon Friday, the logical thing would have been to take it easy and try to get to bed at a "decent" time, since my sleep-cycle has been so topsy-turvy - but right around sunset, I started getting a second wind and thought "To hell with sitting on the couch! Where's my camera?!" I didn't feel up to my planned workout, but I did feel up to a photo excursion! So I hopped in the van and headed towards the harbor.

After I made it to Coronado Island and set up my camera on the tripod, I thought about why it was so important to be here tonight, taking photos of the San Diego skyline. Obviously, it's a serious hobby and a fun activity - look at that beautiful cityscape with all of the color and reflections on the water! Who wouldn't want to be here enjoying the view?! But yet, there's still so much more than meets the eye...

There's an ongoing emotional churning that just goes with the territory when you're coping with chronic illness on a daily - or more accurately - hourly basis. I was jazzed to have flown my RC glider Friday morning and looked forward to a productive afternoon - just needed a short nap first. But the next thing I know, I'm crashed on the couch, waking up several hours later, absolutely exhausted and feeling profoundly sick - stunned and wondering "What the hell happened?! I didn't overdo it this morning, so how can I be so wrung-out?!"

I'm used to dealing with this constant rollercoaster, but it still requires me to work through a lot of the inherent emotional fallout, if I'm going to maintain my usual happy camper disposition. Eventually, I started getting a second wind and thought about going to the gym, but what I really needed was just a little fun and an emotional boost. Yes, I knew it would mess up my sleep-cycle, but this wasn't just a "want", but an urgent need!

As I stood there on the sands of Coronado marveling at the beauty of San Diego at night, I felt so giddy to be here, to have this chance to photograph such an incredible nightscape. Despite the frustrations of the day and the years of fighting against such an overwhelming and erratic array of medical challenges, I was still here... still happy... still grateful... and as excited as I could be to experience the magic of this moment... And I knew that I was right where I needed to be - taking photos in the middle of the night... feeling reassured that God still hears my prayers and that He hasn't forgotten about me...... Yeah, the photos are nice, but the meaning behind them is really the most beautiful part of this picture... :)

My fireworks photo technique

My basic fireworks photo technique using my Canon Rebel T3i w/Canon 17-40 L-series lense:

• I position myself upwind of the fireworks to minimize smoke messing up the shot.

• Settings:
• ISO 100, on a tripod, using a remote switch, manual mode, bulb mode, manual focus, mirror lockup enabled, image stabilization off
• Aperture - f/13 for exposures up to 8 seconds. Longer exposures such as for the grand finale will require smaller apertures such as f/22 or a neutral density filter. (Note: This aperture has worked well for my local fireworks display, where I'm able to get extremely close. For fireworks that are further away, apertures such as f/8 and f/11 might be a better choice)
• No UV filter or similar filter unless you are using an ND filter
• White balance: I shoot in RAW format so I don't worry about it but if you shoot in JPEG try Daylight or Tungsten or set a custom white balance.

• I set the focus manually and ideally will do that before it gets dark - usually using the launching pad where the fireworks are set up as a focal point.  I also look for a fallback focal point that I can use during the show (i.e. one you still see after it gets dark) - for example, a street light that is about the same distance away as the fireworks. That way, if I have to move or change my zoom during the fireworks, I can quickly do it.

• After the first shot, I quickly check my LCD to confirm that the focus is correct. I make sure to already have my reading glasses on!

•  As soon as you hear a firework launched press the remote switch to start the exposure. If you're using mirror lockup it'll take 2 presses. Close the shutter after the explosion ends, or leave open for up to about 8 seconds to catch multiple bursts. If the fireworks are especially bright, you'll want to close the shutter a little earlier than usual. I like to close the shutter earlier on some shots so that I catch the explosion while it's still in progress and then on others I'll leave the shutter open longer to capture the light trails.

• After your first couple of shots, check to verify correct focus/exposure and see if you need to reframe the shot. If you do, be careful not to bump the focus. If you decide to zoom in or out, you'll need to reset the focus, which might be a challenge now that it's dark. If the shot is too bright, lower the aperture (increase the f stop), too dark, raise the aperture (lower f stop). Note: changing f stop may require re-focusing.

• For the grand finale: Ideally, you would want to use a neutral density filter so that you could leave the shutter open for 10-20 seconds without the picture being blown out - maybe a good option if you have an extra camera. But what I usually do is near the end of the show, I just spin up the aperture to f/18 or f/22 and leave the shutter open for about 10 seconds.

Patience and persistence can be fun!

Happy Monday gang! Yes, that's possible! I've been reflecting how much it meant to me to go to the airshow this weekend and take photos. It was a thrill for me, but I'm pretty sure a lot of people in my shoes would have considered it way too much work! Even avid aviation fans might just figure they can buy a nice photo of any plane at the airshow, so why go through a marathon effort of taking hundreds of difficult-to-get-right shots?!

Well, when I was about 11 years old, I built my first model airplane and began developing the patience and persistence necessary to experience the incredible reward of putting part of yourself into something you created - and experiencing a lasting reward that money can't buy. That gift has stayed with me all through the years, manifesting itself in so much of what I do. I didn't even really know how to use a camera 3 years ago, but I once again called upon that patience and persistence to study and learn and develop my skills and technique. And this weekend was yet another wonderful chance to experience that reward and meaning that comes from putting your heart and soul into something you created.

In a world where instant gratification is so widely sought, I hope a few people feel inspired by my example - that they decide to be more patient and persistent in the activities/tasks that mean a lot to them and maybe even dare to take on a new hobby that they've always been interested in - but didn't feel they had the patience or persistence to stick with it long enough to feel that hard-earned sense of reward that they know would mean the world to them... :)

My 2012 Slideshow

My 2012 slideshow featuring some of my best photos from the last year. Created using Proshow Producer slideshow software. Photos taken using my Canon Rebel XS and my Canon Rebel T3i. Photos edited with Adobe Lightroom and Nik Color Efex Pro 4 and Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 for the HDR shots.