Sperryville Junction

A lucky coincidence saw Sylvie and I in Washington at the same time and, even better, headed to Virginia for a weekend amid the peak fall colors. Sperryville is a hamlet at the foot of the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia that mixes the modern with the historic in an ever-changing amalgam. A new rib joint lies across from an Internet cafe in the old town church. The corner store in this photo has been around for decades selling essentials to the local farm folk and city weekenders - hence the Perrier next to the beef jerky. The colors in Fall are almost Hollywood ridiculous - it was still before 9am so the sky was fairly thin here but the early morning sun brought out the colors in the trio of stores and the remarkable tree that dominates Main Street. It about hurts the eyes it's so violently vibrant. Shot with a 24-105mm f/4 at ISO 200, f/6.3 and 1/80 sec on a 5D Mk II.

A welcome return to seasons

Back in Washington DC briefly to attend a photography workshop (Joe McNally on lighting), I went for a wander around Glover Park just to soak up the colors and enjoy being back in the north where you don't need to consult a calendar to spot the change in seasons. It was wonderful to have the time to walk around with a craned neck (drawing the occasional odd look from residents a little more inured to the spectacle) and I was concentrating on trying to capture the beautiful contrast between the hard blue of a fall sky, the thin layer of cloud, and the violent oranges and reds of the trees. Loved every second and was lucky to have taken the chance when I did as the weather turned decidedly more grim afterward.

A little East in the West

Having a bit of a soft spot for Eastern mysticism (and food, landscapes etc etc) my eye was naturally drawn to this statue at a friend's home recently here in Mexico City. The single candle, warm reflected light, and sharp silhouette of the statue seemed to evoke a easy tranquility. I do love a good silhouette too so was very happy to train the camera on this scene and aim for an exposure to really wipe out all detail in the statue. My trusty 50mm at f2.8 and 1/200th sec at ISO400 did the trick nicely - the glow of the shot reminds me of the warmth I soon enjoyed during the rib-fest that followed. Thanks again Steve & Michelle, for dinner and the op.

Red, Yellow, Blue

Awakened by our friendly local traffic police this morning at the stroke of seven - the sound of their whistles caved in my slumber like a Vegas casino implosion. Outrageous. Three of them blasting away to an audience comprising five very unhappy-looking bus commuters standing across from, some pigeons that promptly sought sanctuary elsewhere, and a grand total of six actual vehicles. Six. At 7am. With three police. Each with whistles, florescent green caps, and a desperate desire to look - and worse, sound - busy. Welcome to Hell. So, up and staggering around early - I was about to lock myself in the storage room, where the tottering towers of packing boxes and bubble wrap muffle most noise - when I spied flowers from the weekend. I suddenly became determined that the rattle of rowdy rebels (thank you, Life of Brian) would not crash my karma. And so, a red backdrop, yellow flower, blue vase and a 36mm Extension Tube on a 100mm macro lens later and we have some bright pics to improve the mood.

Vegas Faces

Martini time at the Wynn in Vegas. The much-coveted seats at the outside bar by the fountain afford more than an opportunity to drop wodges of cash on cocktails and nibblies. The hotel also puts on a light show through the evening, with a range of projections onto a screen that towers over the reflecting pool, accompanied by some thumping dance and trance music. It's quite colorful, very creative and, remarkably, free (if you don't include the arm and a leg you drop on the drinks). I thought the most eye-catching performance comprised a series of projections onto a huge blank head that surfaces from below the water, outlined by deep reds and blues or tinted whites on the screen behind it. I thought it would be fun to try to capture some of the displays with the 5D Mk II, and they seemed to turn out remarkably well given no tripod or bracing was involved. Shot with a 50mm, at 1/50 sec and f/3.2 with an ISO of 3200.

Late Night Playa del Carmen

Sylvie and I were dining at the Tides hotel in Playa del Carmen Friday night when the combination of the dim lighting favored by this enviro-friendly resort and a Riedel wine decanter had me reaching for the 5D Mk II. I had seen this kind of decanter before and wondered how to get a nice shot given the usual challenge of shooting glass or crystal but the large candle on our table provided the perfect combination of backdrop and diffused light to bring out shadows in the graceful curves. So I set the ISO to 2500 (one of the things I love about the Mark II is its low-light capability) and shot a few frames at f/2.5 and 1/40 sec using a 50mm f/1.8. I'm quite chuffed with the resulting warmth and simple lines of the shot.

What is missed

A simple bowl of fruit salad but I loved the shot when reviewing recent pictures of Boston because it throbs with freshness. The colors are wonderful, especially set against the gleaming white of the kitchen and the burnished brown of the wicker basket in the background. Sylvie and I were agog at the sight of this breakfast treat prepared by Irene, Sylvie's aunt, as we simply can't get the same plump and fresh blueberries and melons in this part of the world. Still, the photo will at least continue to inspire us to keep looking for produce to rival the Boston fare.

Taken with a Canon 5D Mk II, with a 5omm at 1/40 sec and f/2.5.