An Old House, A Lighthouse, Some Flowers & A Fence

dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
edited January 6, 2005 in Wildlife
This morning the rain finally let up for a few hours. After taking the dog out & wiping the sleep from my eyes, I was heading down the road. Well...after starbucks :D

I wanted to revisit the Lighthouse, and spend a little time in Pescadero. Pescadero is a little historic community about 2 miles off of highway 1. The downtown (both blocks) was packed today with people. I guess they were tired of being inside too! There was no parking available, so I went outside of town looking for my subject.

Luckily, I ran across this old house and flower field. I spent a lot of time there, and this is what I came up with.

13411828-L.jpg


13411831-L.jpg

Once I finished there, I did some more exploring & took a few notes. I wanted to get moving down the road before the weather turned. When I had left, the weather.com showed rain again early afternoon.

I was excited to see the clouds and good light today. The one thing I did not do was remember to take a few shots from my favorite composition spot. I got to talking with some tourists & completely forgot to finish.

This is what I was able to do. I need to go back, yet again for sunset shots, and maybe re-take these from my other spot.


13421549-L.jpg


13411812-L.jpg


I did get a new shot at the lighthouse. I loved the weathered old fence. I'm a huge fan of lines, colors & textures. Put them all together and I'm giddy.

13411817-L.jpg

This is all from today. I get my rain cover tomorrow, so hopefully I can keep shooting.

For the lighthouse shots, I had to blend a few exposures to get the dynamic range. One thing I did notice is how the Fred Miranda plugin really boosts the saturation once you blend a few images. I will have to find some way around this.

Dave
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Comments

  • fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Wow! Excellent...all of them! bowdown.gif

    I think I'm going to have to tag along with you and learn something.
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
  • marygracemarygrace Registered Users Posts: 73 Big grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Great shots! I need to go down HWY 1 sometime soon while there's some awesome clouds in the sky. Thanks for sharing!
    marygrace
    my photos go here

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  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    fish wrote:
    Wow! Excellent...all of them! bowdown.gif

    I think I'm going to have to tag along with you and learn something.

    Thanks Fish!

    I've got a pretty flexible schedule, so shoot me a message if you ever want to go out shooting. I love getting out with new people, even if they use Canon gear :D

    Dave
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    As always dave ...great shots. Thanks for showing me.
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    marygrace wrote:
    Great shots! I need to go down HWY 1 sometime soon while there's some awesome clouds in the sky. Thanks for sharing!

    Highway 1 is great. There is so much to do, you could go every day for a month, and not come close to seeing it all.

    I've been out here for almost 1.5 years now and this past week is the first I've really ventured down for photography. I'm usually driving visitors down the road & stopping at a few beaches along the way. They would never put up with me if I brought my camera :D

    Dave
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,948 moderator
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:
    Highway 1 is great. There is so much to do, you could go every day for a month, and not come close to seeing it all.

    I've been out here for almost 1.5 years now and this past week is the first I've really ventured down for photography. I'm usually driving visitors down the road & stopping at a few beaches along the way. They would never put up with me if I brought my camera :D

    Dave
    Nice shots! Only one comment, the fence could use some horizon leveling.
    If you drive a tad south of the lighthouse, you can get some great shots
    looking North.

    Had my stuff in the truck...was looking out the window of work() and thought
    I should bail out and go shooting. And then it started raining again :cry

    Ian
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • NirNir Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Beautiful shots Dave! All of them! thumb.gif
    __________________

    Nir Alon

    images of my thoughts
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Humungus wrote:
    As always dave ...great shots. Thanks for showing me.

    Thanks 'gus! When are you going to make it out to the west coast & visit us? I'd love to get you out here and turn San Francisco upside down :D

    Dave
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    ian408 wrote:
    Nice shots! Only one comment, the fence could use some horizon leveling.
    If you drive a tad south of the lighthouse, you can get some great shots
    looking North.

    Had my stuff in the truck...was looking out the window of work() and thought
    I should bail out and go shooting. And then it started raining again :cry

    Ian

    Thanks Ian. Between you and I, we could probably apply for a job at that old lighthouse & man it 24/7 :D. I guess its your turn to go back next.

    You know that damn fence was killing me tonight. I started at it for a good 30 minutes before I gave up. I turned on grid lines, held a ruler to my screen, and even made that little photographer window with my thumbs and forefinger to try and frame. It seems no matter which way I rotated it, it was still crooked. Maybe I'm just cross-eyed ne_nau.gif

    This weather is crazy tonight. With the high wind, I had to put a little duct tape on the mail slot to keep it from flapping. It had the dog all freaked out. She thought a monster was going to come through and get her! rolleyes1.gif

    Dave
  • GraphyFotozGraphyFotoz Registered Users Posts: 2,267 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Great Shots!!!
    Love the shots!

    You gotta stop teasing me tho!

    I want one of those Nikon D70's real bad but just don't fit my budget!:cry
    Body alone cost almost what my 828 cost.

    Siiiigggghhhhh depressing.
    Canon 60D | Nikon Cooloix P7700
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  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:
    Thanks 'gus! When are you going to make it out to the west coast & visit us? I'd love to get you out here and turn San Francisco upside down :D

    Dave


    Just imagine Steve Irwin on amphetamines if at all possible....how good is your S.W.A.T ?
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,948 moderator
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:
    This weather is crazy tonight. With the high wind, I had to put a little duct tape on the mail slot to keep it from flapping. It had the dog all freaked out. She thought a monster was going to come through and get her! rolleyes1.gif

    Dave
    My ex-inlaws lived in Anchor Bay. I used to love sitting in the living room
    watching it storm...ah, those were the days.

    It's quieted down here in the last hour or so. Earlier, I went out for a walk
    and it was big drops and wind all the way.

    I stopped by the store at the lighthouse. There are some great books
    in there. Which makes me want to hit a few more...but I will take up the
    torch and head down there again. Perhaps this weekend if the weather
    pans out.

    Ian
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,948 moderator
    edited December 30, 2004
    Humungus wrote:
    Just imagine Steve Irwin on amphetamines if at all possible....how good is your S.W.A.T ?
    Ah...you don't want to know. Let's leave it at "over anxious" rolleyes1.gif
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Humungus wrote:
    Just imagine Steve Irwin on amphetamines if at all possible....how good is your S.W.A.T ?

    Worst case scenario, we would have to call in help from the L.A. S.W.A.T. They are a few hours away, so you could have a little fun :D

    I would love to visit the down under some day, but I may be too much of a sissy rolleyes1.gif I've read some of your stories. Those ants, big spiders, sharks, stinging trees? What the hell is that about? Seriously..

    Maybe I need to train with our S.W.A.T before the trip :D
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Karz wrote:
    Love the shots!

    You gotta stop teasing me tho!

    I want one of those Nikon D70's real bad but just don't fit my budget!:cry
    Body alone cost almost what my 828 cost.

    Siiiigggghhhhh depressing.

    I'll give you fair warning, the D70 body will be cheap compared to everything else you will buy. There is a whole new disease with no cure called lens lust. Many, many paychecks will go to newer, better, faster lenses! I have a love hate relationship it 11doh.gif

    Dave
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:
    Maybe I need to train with our S.W.A.T before the trip :D
    Dont worry...i'll get you up to speed fairly quickly...can you create a diversion whilst i photograph deal.gif ? Thats what i really need at the moment.

    Pretty well everyone i know keeps their distance from me.
  • John MuellerJohn Mueller Registered Users Posts: 2,555 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Nice Dave,really like the first one.My kind of shotthumb.gif
  • ehughesehughes Registered Users Posts: 1,675 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Nice shots Dave, I really like the fence..thumb.gif
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:
    You know that damn fence was killing me tonight. I started at it for a good 30 minutes before I gave up. I turned on grid lines, held a ruler to my screen, and even made that little photographer window with my thumbs and forefinger to try and frame. It seems no matter which way I rotated it, it was still crooked. Maybe I'm just cross-eyed ne_nau.gif


    Dave

    I think this series is excellent - Once again I envy the subject matter and the weather ......

    The fence looked fine to me until Ian started mentioning the horizon. The image isn't really tilted I think - Was this shot with a wide angle lens perhaps?? I think this may represent barrel distortion, and might be approached that way. There are some software approaches to Barrel distortion - one is in the Adobe Liquify filter. The other is the free transform tool.

    The fence looks fine to me, but horizon does curve down and to the left. Remember though that this tends to be a fairly critical audience
    :D

    Nice work Dave. You have come a long way in the last year as an artistic photographer. The camera club experience is showing through perhaps??

    Happy New Year!!
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • BryanBryan Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:


    I did get a new shot at the lighthouse. I loved the weathered old fence. I'm a huge fan of lines, colors & textures. Put them all together and I'm giddy.

    13411817-L.jpg

    Dave
    Is this the fence shot everyone is talking about? The horizion looks more like a hill than a horizion. If it is a hill then one would expect that it ould not be flat running perfectly accross the shot, right?

    I love this shot and it composition is amazing. It show the Photog has a great eye and has captured a great setting. If the picture were tilted to correst the horizion then he would lose the line that you get with the post and the edge of the picture.

    *shrug* I like it like it is :-)
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,948 moderator
    edited December 30, 2004
    Bryan wrote:
    Is this the fence shot everyone is talking about? The horizion looks more like a hill than a horizion. If it is a hill then one would expect that it ould not be flat running perfectly accross the shot, right?

    I love this shot and it composition is amazing. It show the Photog has a great eye and has captured a great setting. If the picture were tilted to correst the horizion then he would lose the line that you get with the post and the edge of the picture.

    *shrug* I like it like it is :-)
    Don't get me wrong, I really like the shot.

    I don't think the hills should be level but the fence along the background
    should be more level than it is. Also, the barn structure in the background
    is near the highway which is slightly uphill until you reach the road for the
    lighthouse (if you are headed North on 1).

    Honestly, I don't know if I'd have noticed had I not been there a few days
    ago.

    Ian
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • fishfish Registered Users Posts: 2,950 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    pathfinder wrote:
    Remember though that this tends to be a fairly critical audience
    :D

    Only if one cares about the audience's critiques :D
    "Consulting the rules of composition before taking a photograph, is like consulting the laws of gravity before going for a walk." - Edward Weston
    "The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over."-Hunter S.Thompson
  • DavidTODavidTO Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 19,160 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Dave,

    Love the shots, and the velvia look for them.

    Of the house and the lighthouse, I prefer the first of each, think they're stellar.

    As is the fence. Awesome shot.
    Moderator Emeritus
    Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    pathfinder wrote:
    I think this series is excellent - Once again I envy the subject matter and the weather ......

    I noticed you are in IN. Were you a part of the country that got the heavy snow last week? I don't envy anyone having to deal with a cold harsh winter. I did it for 26 Years in IL.
    pathfinder wrote:
    The fence looked fine to me until Ian started mentioning the horizon. The image isn't really tilted I think - Was this shot with a wide angle lens perhaps?? I think this may represent barrel distortion, and might be approached that way. There are some software approaches to Barrel distortion - one is in the Adobe Liquify filter. The other is the free transform tool.

    The fence looks fine to me, but horizon does curve down and to the left. Remember though that this tends to be a fairly critical audience
    :D

    This was shot with my 17-35 at 17mm. Your probably right as to the lens causing the issues here. I'll have to do some searching to see if I can find a cheap way to correct the distortion.
    pathfinder wrote:
    Nice work Dave. You have come a long way in the last year as an artistic photographer. The camera club experience is showing through perhaps??

    Happy New Year!!

    Thanks for the compliment! I'd say my improvements are due to shooting more, the photography club & dgrin. Most of all, I'm having more fun than ever. I was in a rut for awhile, and I've seemed to finally get myself out.

    Dave
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    Bryan wrote:
    Is this the fence shot everyone is talking about? The horizion looks more like a hill than a horizion. If it is a hill then one would expect that it ould not be flat running perfectly accross the shot, right?

    I love this shot and it composition is amazing. It show the Photog has a great eye and has captured a great setting. If the picture were tilted to correst the horizion then he would lose the line that you get with the post and the edge of the picture.

    *shrug* I like it like it is :-)

    Thats the shot! Thanks for the kind words.

    Dave
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    DavidTO wrote:
    Dave,

    Love the shots, and the velvia look for them.

    Of the house and the lighthouse, I prefer the first of each, think they're stellar.

    As is the fence. Awesome shot.

    Thanks David. I just noticed your in Thousand Oaks area. I've spent a lot of time in that general area a few years ago. I spent many sleepless nights installing and testing equipment at a Telecom site in Indio.

    Do you get out into the deserts much for landscapes? I've always thought about making a weekend trip, but wouldn't know where to start.

    When I was traveling, I usually had to get the work done & head down the road. There wasn't much time for exploring with our deadlines.

    Dave
  • GREAPERGREAPER Registered Users Posts: 3,113 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    I happened across that same lighthouse , just by chance last year when I visited S.F.

    4076342-L.jpg

    I love seeing all your pics of it. It reminds me of the trip.
  • dkappdkapp Registered Users Posts: 985 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    GREAPER wrote:
    I happened across that same lighthouse , just by chance last year when I visited S.F.

    4076342-S.jpg

    I love seeing all your pics of it. It reminds me of the trip.

    Awesome shot! clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif

    Do you remember when you were here? I'm not sure when anything blooms as the weather is always the same. I love the flowers in the foreground bowdown.gif

    Dave
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited December 30, 2004
    dkapp wrote:
    This morning the rain finally let up for a few hours. After taking the dog out & wiping the sleep from my eyes, I was heading down the road. Well...after starbucks :D

    I wanted to revisit the Lighthouse, and spend a little time in Pescadero. Pescadero is a little historic community about 2 miles off of highway 1. The downtown (both blocks) was packed today with people. I guess they were tired of being inside too! There was no parking available, so I went outside of town looking for my subject.

    Luckily, I ran across this old house and flower field. I spent a lot of time there, and this is what I came up with.

    Once I finished there, I did some more exploring & took a few notes. I wanted to get moving down the road before the weather turned. When I had left, the weather.com showed rain again early afternoon.

    I was excited to see the clouds and good light today. The one thing I did not do was remember to take a few shots from my favorite composition spot. I got to talking with some tourists & completely forgot to finish.

    This is what I was able to do. I need to go back, yet again for sunset shots, and maybe re-take these from my other spot.








    I did get a new shot at the lighthouse. I loved the weathered old fence. I'm a huge fan of lines, colors & textures. Put them all together and I'm giddy.

    13411817-L.jpg

    This is all from today. I get my rain cover tomorrow, so hopefully I can keep shooting.

    For the lighthouse shots, I had to blend a few exposures to get the dynamic range. One thing I did notice is how the Fred Miranda plugin really boosts the saturation once you blend a few images. I will have to find some way around this.

    Dave
    Dave very nice series of shots. I need to go back and some better light house photos.

    After looking at the fence photo I came to the conclusion that the horizon was tilted. i rotated it and here is the results. Better?
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited December 31, 2004
    Excellent set, kappman, really good stuff. clap.gif
    Sid.
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