I froze myself silly, but I got the shots. I had one HD camera doing the 1080p time lapse while I ran around getting other angles and video footage with a second HD camera. Of course I kept my trusty still camera bag with me at all times. It was something I’d looked forward to seeing for a long, long time…but I was also quite glad to be out of that wind and cold!
The complication: that was when the water level was low. This year, however, the Missouri River has been extremely high for WEEKS. That means there is no safe place to even venture along the shore of the river in search of a shot. Don’t try it. If you don’t believe me, go to the boat landing by the Lewis & Clark Lego statues. You’ll see that the water level is extremely high, and not to be trifled with. Always be aware of your conditions when going out on a photography expedition.
Keep an eye out: diamond dust needs these cold temperatures to form. It’s a form of condensation which, unlike fog, condenses straight to solid ice form in the air. Fog is liquid. I’d guess it’s most likely to form when a pocket of warm air comes through and meets the cold, turning its moisture into those ice crystals we know and love. Once again, this phenomenon only allows a fleeting window of opportunity, so be vigilant! It’s a fun thing to pursue…even in the cold.
When I left the house Wednesday night on other business I noticed that the air was thick with this diamond dust, even at ground level. Already its effect on bright lights around town was manifest. I couldn’t wait until I was able to break away and head out with the camera (which yes, was already on my person). I was not disappointed.
There are a few dilemmas when chasing these ice crystals for purposes of photography. One is that they typically exist only for a fleeting moment, as just the right conditions are required for their appearance. The second is trying to get a good angle and a good foreground object, and doing so before the phenomenon passes. That makes River Road a good safe bet, since there’s a LOT of bright light on the Mandan side of the river.
I was out in the cold, freezing myself silly for quite some time. The spikes of light provided by this “diamond dust” are best witnessed (and photographed) with clear skies. Wednesday night’s skies were partly hazy, but they still worked okay. Then the haze began to overtake the diamond dust, and it was time to go home and warm up.
I’ve got a few more photos of this phenomenon to post in the next couple of days. Yesterday I succumbed to the same stomach flu bug that had attacked the rest of my family and several of my friends, and I’m just now on the mend.
In the mean time, I can refer you to some previous examples of this “diamond dust” phenomenon. They were taken with clear skies, which helps the light spikes stand out even more. Wednesday’s hazy conditions illuminated the sky, but a clear sky gives a dark background from which those light spikes really stand out. You can find those other photos by clicking here and here. The second link includes a much larger version of the photo in which you can see much more going on than just the ice crystals!
This particular shot shows the Heskett Station on the right and the Tesoro Refinery on the left. The moon posed graciously in between them. But this wasn’t the only place my camera and I braved the cold. I’ll post more shots in the next couple of days as time allows. It was worth the shivering!
I was hired to document Falkirk Mine’s big event: Chief Ironsides, the 13 million pound dragline, crossed Highway 83 for the first time in years. It was so cold, my camera batteries were freezing up.
I got an amazing photo using only my cellular telephone. I don’t ever want to upgrade away from this phone; the camera’s too good!
My list of homemade 4×4 hybrid vehicles grew by one: I present to you the 4×4 Ford Galaxie!
Some unique weather conditions caused a lot of very dramatic spikes of light around town. I chose the river as the best place to photograph them.
I found the best spot in Bismarck to get a shot of the capitol interacting with the moon.
After this February trip I already figured I’d taken my coolest photo of 2010, and now that 2010 has passed I think I was probably right.
I found some American flags waving victoriously in a very unlikely location.
After a storm dumped an overwhelming amount of snow, ice, and something in between, crews scrambled to fix miles and miles of downed power lines in some very challenging conditions.
I spotted this homemade P-51 Mustang replica, sporting a Geo Metro engine, at a meeting of the local Experimental Aircraft club.
Power outages continued as the icy crust from early April’s storm almost immediately melted, turning the area into a mudfest. Power line towers and poles for miles west of Mandan were bent, twisted, and broken. Crews worked diligently to repair the lines in spite of the conditions.
Not to worry: many workers like these brave souls worked tirelessly to get things repaired and power restored. They worked at an impressive pace in challenging conditions.
Accomplished mime and all-around amazing performer Dan Kamin (dankamin.com) performed with the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra. The performance highlighted the many talents of our Symphony as well as its conductor, who did quite a bit of acting as well.
I took a friend’s Canon 7D camera on a test drive for a Fallen Farms shot. I knew it was the camera I’d been waiting for, and within a couple of weeks I had one of my very own.
I added the Categories feature to the ol’ Blog. Now you can click on a category title (in blue, by the title of the post) and find similar posts going all the way back to the beginning.
North Dakota finds itself in the middle of a viral movie marketing campaign for the film Super 8. I of course hop in with both feet…
Memorial Day 2010 was highlighted by a B-52 flyover and a stirring speech from Major General C. Emerson Murry (retired). We lost Maj Gen Murry later in the year.
I found a new favorite sunset spot for my photography outings. It’s hard to get to if you don’t know the way, it’s got spectacular views in all directions, and I’ve gotten plenty of use out of it already.
The Barnstormers Tour came to town for three absolutely packed days of nostalgia and rides. My little boys and I went all three days but I didn’t purchase a ride.
I introduced you to Bill Jundt, the head of the crew who arranges the window shades of the capitol tower displays for July 4th, the new year, or the colored Christmas tree. The local media must read my blog, because they then picked up on the story for Christmas.
I took advantage of my newfound vantage point to catch the capitol and the moon perfectly aligned.
I got a response from the Super8 viral movie campaign, and am now an official Rocket Poppeteer!
I broke my rule about entering deserted farm houses just this once to get an amazing shot of this abandoned living room and picture window.
A large group of local photography enthusiasts took part in the annual Worldwide Photo Walk this year, with great results.
Art in the Park 2010 featured a very talented chalk artist who uses perspective to give his artwork a 3D look.
Cold War Mancation, Part One – Oscar Zero, the Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Historic Site.
Mandan Airport hosted a fly-in as a companion event to Buggies ‘n’ Blues. The weather was perfect (for once) and there was a ton of participation!
I found a new perfectly picturesque location for my Dakota Roads signature shot. This was a brand new (like, literally a day old) Highway 1.
Cold War Mancation, Part Two – the defunct Nekoma Missile Site, part of the Stanley R. Mickelsen Complex.
Cold War Mancation, Part Three – the former Omega radar tower, now part of a Naval computer operations something-or other.
The Global War on Terrorism Memorial pays tribute to North Dakota soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the GWOT.
Cold War Mancation, Part Four – the gigantic PAR (Perimeter Acquisition Radar) array is a feature of Cavalier Air Station.
By patiently spending an evening in my favorite photo hiding/sunset spot I was able to take a variety of photos in multiple directions.
Cold War Mancation, Part Five – Minot…including an extremely rare pair of vintage fighter planes.
KVLY’s tower got demoted in 2010 to the world’s SECOND tallest man-made object. As a former employee, it’ll always be the tallest object in my heart.
Mandan Fire Department hosted plenty of emergency services agencies in an amazingly fun event for the kids with demos, hot dogs, and fire engine rides!
I found out that those ginormous brass doors on the front of the State Library building DO actually work.
Drew Wrigley became the first person to be appointed Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota in 70 years.
A large crowd gathered on November 11th to see the Veterans’ Memorial
cast a ray of sunlight on North Dakota.
The 2010 Capitol Christmas Tree lighting ceremony was particularly fun this year, and my little boys got to have their picture taken with some famous North Dakotans.
As wonderful as it was, Christmas 2010 was missing a few notable displays around Christmas and Mandan.
Christmas on Kennedy Avenue was one of the best Christmas displays in Bismarck-Mandan this year.
So…there you have it! There are plenty of other posts in between, but in looking back I thought those were the most noteworthy. Who knows what 2011 has to offer? One thing’s for sure: you’ll see it here!
It’s nice to see the display still going strong for a few more days after Christmas. I’ve always liked continuing past Christmas Day until the New Year’s holiday has passed before taking down Christmas decorations and getting set for another eleven months of waiting. If you need one mroe little shot of Christmas cheer, don’t hesitate to take it all in before the displays get stowed away!
They’ve never seen Star Wars, but that doesn’t mean my boys didn’t think that the Stormtrooper was cool. They were quite impressed, and enjoyed the sight as much as I. I forgot to ask that nagging question in the back of my mind, though: just what is an Aluminum Falcon?
I’ve recently started a Google Map of my favorite Christmas displays in order to share them with anyone else who loves taking ’em all in. Enjoy, and check back for updates.
If you know of a display that you feel should be on this map, send me the location either with a comment on this post or by using the “Contact Me” link on the upper right of this page.
If you are reading this on one of the website that syndicates my blog, you’re going to have to come directly to bismarck-mandan.com to do it.
Merry Christmas!
Make sure you check out the capitol building this holiday season! Driving by after dark will not only give you a glimpse of the Christmas trees in the north and south faces’ windows, but the Christmas tree in the Great Hall will be lit and visible through the enormous windows facing the Capitol mall.
Merry Christmas!