My money’s on the Bulldogs to win
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This billboard is truly 3D
Looking back at the first photo, I think this is a good eye catcher for rolling out a new image. I just hope that when it’s revealed, it doesn’t contain another doggone leaf!
Once more unto the bridge
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.
“Diamond dust” drive continued
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!
Whole lotta ice crystals goin’ on
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!
One week later, a look back: 2010 in pictures
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.
The lights beneath the new Memorial Bridge were modified to address nearby homeowners’ concerns and were turned on, creating an interesting light artifact visible to westbound drivers.
I finally took the time to explore the Antique Mall on Main Avenue in Bismarck. I found some very interesting items, including some photos of the North Dakota state capitol building that were intriguing, to say the least.
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!
2011 from the Bird Woman’s point of view
Always up for a challenge I grabbed a couple of snow shovels I keep in my truck for when the fun gets out of hand. I laid one shovel over each of the spotlights, did my photography, and used the shovels to clear additional snow away from the lights so they could do their thing.
The first Big Dipper of 2011
– What kind of photos are people getting by shooting handheld with a flash? Shots like the one I took above take 30 seconds on a tripod.
– Why do I always attract security? Is it my camera gear? No worries, I passed at least two background checks last year alone.
– Can it be that there are so many people who take pride in our cities and our state like I do? That’s an encouragine one.
It’s a challenge on these long shots like the one above, because I have to time it for a 30 second chunk of time when there aren’t cars driving through my shot! Otherwise I’d have white and red streaks of light along the road as the car travels through the frame. Sometimes that’s a really fun effect, but not one I want in a shot like this. When it’s bitter cold like it was last night, that can be a chilly wait!
As I watched others work their way around from place to place and take their snapshots, I wandered to a few locations of my own around the capitol grounds. I even found a new one that I don’t think anyone’s tried yet. Of course I’ll post them here, once I get the chance to hop into Photoshop and prepare them.
This was the last shot in the series, where I decided to take advantage of the mostly clear skies and capture the Big Dipper, part of the Ursa Major constellation. I had to combine a couple of shots because I needed to expose for the sky separately from the capitol tower itself. I almost gave up on this shot, but then I had an inspiration for making it happen the way I envisioned it. Then I froze for a little while as a few more cars of onlookers came through, finally nabbing what I needed and hopping back into the nice, warm truck.
I call this one the first Big Dipper of 2011, because Friday night was far too cloudy to spot any stars. Once again…Happy New Year!
Happy New Year 2011!
9000
Happy New Year!