On the Fly

While riding my bike back into town after doing errands, I saw that the sky ahead of me in the east was potentially interesting. Being ten minutes before sunset and knowing that every minute counted, I stopped at my house long enough to grab a camera and back pack, hopped back on my bike, and raced eastward as fast as my legs could go, not even sure of where I'd end up. I missed the peak color, but was not disappointed. Again, it's as much about the hunt - the fresh air and exercise - as it is about capturing that prize winning photo, but I'm pretty happy with this one and am glad for this little end of the day gift.

He is Risen, Alleluia!

It's been my tradition the past few years, whenever the weather is favorable, that is, to greet the rising sun on Easter morning down at Edgartown Lighthouse beach. 

The forecast for today was favorable, so starting yesterday I began checking my photographer's ephemeris to ascertain the best location, and yesterday being also sunny and pleasant, I walked over to the lighthouse to scout out the best angle. I spent last night packing my gear and setting everything up so that when I got up at 5am all I had to do was grab a quick cup of coffee, throw on some clothes, and head out. My plan was to pack my bike cart into the back of my van and use it to wheel the cameras, lenses, tripods, and accessories down to the beach, as it's a good five-minute walk from North Water Street down to the lighthouse. 

My planning paid off and I spent a delightful couple of hours down there, taking in the sunrise, the bird sounds, a gentle wind, and an occasional fellow sun-rise seeker. Last year I was completely alone, which really surprised me to tell you the truth because last year really was crystalline and perfect. This year there were maybe 8-10 other folks wandering around. 

I was worried that it would be freezing cold, but it really wasn't bad. Even with a favorable forecast you never know what you're going to get around here. From my house (a mile away) the sky looked crystal clear, but when I arrived at the lighthouse there was a layer of cloud on the horizon. I had my doubts but everything turned out great. I got there in time, I did not freeze, all of my equipment worked - no small feat - the clouds dissipated, and I got what I wanted. 

It wasn't the same as last year - no two years are the same due in part to the fact that Easter is a moveable date, so the sun never rises in the same spot, and yes, Vineyard weather is very fickle. Happy Easter!

 

Misty Moisty Morning

Gleanings from an early morning bike ride: familiar scenes, different mood.

Easter Sunrise 2020

It's not uncommon for me to wake up at 2:00 or 3:00 AM and stay awake for awhile, then drift off again for a couple of hours. I don't even bother to call it insomnia - it's just my sleep pattern. And if you go onto Facebook between those hours you'll see plenty of others awake, too.

But today, when I woke up at 3:00 and then found myself still awake at 4:30, and realizing we were heading into a clear dawn, I decided to officially declare myself up for the day, grab a cup of coffee and pack my gear for Easter Sunrise 2020.

After considering various destinations via TPE (The Photographer's Ephemeris), I decided to stick to my tried and true Edgartown Lighthouse.

The morning was perfectly still - not a breath of wind, and I had the place to myself, all except for one other human being who I feared might end up wandering into my shot but who was just taking a walk and headed off down the beach to the left a ways. I was surprised to find myself alone down there. Somehow I thought this would be a hot spot for Easter morning photos.

These photos are a combination of EOS R with the 24-70, Lumix LX100II, and 5DMKII with the 70-200. I was happy with the performances of all of them. The only thing I might have done differently would have been to throw the big Sigma 150-600 into a back pack, but, one: I didn't feel like hiking down to the beach with the extra weight; two: I figured the focal length would be too long for the amount of space I knew I'd be working in - which was mostly true. But yeah, I probably should have packed it. L-a-z-y!



North Water Street. It would have been just like me to have gotten distracted by this and missed the sunrise, but I managed to take one shot and keep on moving (my destination is not far from here), my eyes on the prize.







Looking towards Chappaquiddick.







I figured the sun would be coming up very close to the Cape Pogue gut, and I wasn't too far off. That would have been the case if I had set myself up at the town wharf, I believe.









This lucky gull is flying off with its breakfast - most likely a (unlucky) scallop. He will circle around and drop it onto the concrete base surrounding the lighthouse where it will break open and he'll feast on the innards. I wonder what gull was the first to figure out that survival trick.

A glance backwards towards my little town. Happy Easter, everyone.

November Supermoon, 2016

I just barely made it to today's Supermoon event down at the lighthouse (touted as historic, and the largest-appearing moon since 1948 - who could resist?); almost missing the main reason I recently spent a small fortune on my new monster lens. That's what I get for trying to cram too many things into one afternoon (note to self: realistically, you can only do one thing at a time, dummy).

It all turned out for the best, however. If I had had time to arrive earlier and assemble with the crowd down beneath the lighthouse, I would have missed the largeness of the moon; my 600mm lens being way too long to fit the lighthouse and the moon into one frame, necessitating my having to back off on the zoom, and what I would have ended up with (and did, when I finally found my way over to the lighthouse after getting my emergency and impromptu shot from the causeway) would not have been much different than many of my other moon/lighthouse shots in the past. Distance and landscape and context were my friends in this case.

This is not exactly what I expected, or had planned on, but it will suffice as a learning experience.

Now, what time does this thing set?

Early Morning Wanderings

For reasons unknown to me, I've switched back (after a hiatus of at least two years, the onset of which I also never understood) to an early schedule - early to bed, early to rise - my routine for most of the past forty years, which has afforded the opportunity to get up and out of the house to catch the early morning light (and, have you ever noticed that everybody you meet on the street in the early morning hours - strangers and friends, alike - are quite forthcoming with a "hello" or some form of cheery greeting; not so much as the day progresses).

Summer Sky - August 4, 2013

I heard it before I saw it: thunder in the distance that called me out into the summer evening with my camera. Just lucky this time, and very glad to live five-minutes-by-bike to the lighthouse.

Spring Snow

I half thought, as I pulled on my boots this morning, "What new snow photo - after a winter of many snows - could I possibly find out there today?" But I did find a few. I even met the Vineyard Colors guy today. I've seen VC's lovely photos and we've ducked each other's early morning shadow upon occasion, so it was a pleasure to meet him face to face and chat with the fellow (he is half of a husband-wife team).

Ironically, Mr. Colors dresses in all black.

I also wear all black, for a few reasons - among them: as a photographer and a performer, the uniform is black. When I was commuting every week between Edgartown and Brookline, I found it difficult to sync the colors from my two closets. Black is a blank slate and goes with everything, including my surroundings - I'm so in the habit of wearing black that people who wear colors seem a bit garish to me. Wearing black - even jeans and a tee shirt - gives the illusion that I am dressed up, especially if I throw on a string of pearls and a little lipstick. Nothing but black makes laundry day a snap. But the real, and most important reason I wear black almost every day: I never have to spend even one minute wondering what I'm going to put on in the morning - who has time - or the brain power, so early in the morning - to make such decisions? Besides, I amuse myself in thinking that because Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein also wore the same thing every day (also predominantly black, which I only learned later) that I somehow share in their genius.

Oh yeah - I switch to all white in the summer.

Okay, now for today's photos.