Day 191, Reflections, Pyramid Skylights, National Gallery of Art West

Day 191, Reflections, Pyramid Skylights, National Gallery of Art West Terrace, by I.M. Pei, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

Last of the Washington DC stuff, I promise, well not double dog dare level promise or anything, but that is it for now. Outside of the National Gallery there are these pyramids that have a reflective coating. It is probably to cut the sun and heat, but the result is that they are highly reflective, almost mirror like, and it seemed something different to try to shoot. I wanted to get the reflection of the reflections but make it look like it belonged. I lined up the trees to be in continuation and shot. I like the results. I really like the shot in the out takes of the of my me as a reflection.

Anyway, Thanks for looking.

EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture:	f/7.1
Focal Length:	19 mm
ISO Speed:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV

Day 115, Self Portrait, Downtown Riverside

IMG_7294.jpg, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

Today you get a few self portraits along with my new pic today. It seems that I like to take pictures of myself. So I have a few of the self portraits that I have done over the past few years to follow up on this one from a walk in downtown Riverside during my jury service. This by the way was my last day of Jury service. I was the last alternate, so I got cut free, mostly, while the jury deliberates. I have to stay within an hour of the courthouse until they call me and tell me that it is over.

Included in this post are pics from Orlando Universal City Walk, the lower narrows in Zion National Park, in front of Bethesda Bridge in Central Park New York, me and my bike in the tunnel of trees on Kauai, and lastly, my wife and I from on the steps of the Lincoln Monument looking out onto the National Mall.  These are all true self portraits that I set up the shot and then got into using a timer.  

Thanks for looking.

EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture:	f/6.3
Focal Length:	31 mm
ISO Speed:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV

Day 114, Tree Reflection in Rain Puddle

IMG_7719.jpg, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

So I love my camera. It is not the best in the world, but it is good, and it is what I could afford at the time. Now I am much more focused on good glass, which I really can't afford. So I am out for a walk during the jury duty thing, and it starts to rain. I hid in a doorway, not wanting to get my gear wet, and then I saw something that I have thought about shooting, but have never gotten around to, reflections in rain puddles. It was just right there, and I was not going to go anywhere until it stopped.

Thanks for looking.

EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture:	f/10
Focal Length:	35 mm
ISO Speed:	800
Exposure Bias:	0 EV

Day 110, Reflection From Across the Street.

IMG_7298.jpg, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

This was really cool to see, although it is not as strong on the picture, but this is the reflection from the building across the street onto the walls of this building. It just made the whole block glow. It was really cool to see.

Thanks for looking.

EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Aperture:	f/9
Focal Length:	31 mm
ISO Speed:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV

Day 94, Fox Theater Reflected, Riverside, CA

Day 94, Fox Theater Reflected, Riverside, CA, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

Now under renovation, the Fox Theater was in its heyday quite a place. In fact, when they showed the first public showing for Gone With The Wind, it was here in 1939. It has been the object of a long fought battle about its restoration. The city finally used eminent domain to force the sale from then owner H.J. Zivnak.

Now the city is turning it into a 1600 seat performing arts center. In January of last year the city gave a $30 million contract for its renovation. The contract is supposed to be completed in 21 months. That would put completion sometime around Oct or Nov of this year. The Architect, when he showed plans to the City Council had a vision of returning the Fox to its Original Style.

Any historical artifacts are rumored to have been removed and disposed of. There was an article in 2005 that thieves had broken in to the building and stolen the handmade 1920s era spanish tiles and three spanish style chandeliers. When the reconstruction began, the builders tore a huge hole in the wall where the screen was and tore out everything.

The Nederlander Organization, which owns the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles has been reported to be interested in putting Broadway-style shows at a refurbished Fox.

Here are reflections of the Fox from some of the Buildings that are in the downtown area. I will try to get some better pics of the building under construction.

Out takes;

Thanks for looking.
EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture:	f/10
Focal Length:	55 mm
ISO Speed:	400
Exposure Bias:	0/3 EV

Day 89, Riverside County Court, Riverside, CA

Day 89, Riverside County Court, Riverside, CA, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

As you know I have been on Jury Duty. I am actually on a Jury. Which means I can not discuss the trial. It will have to suffice to say that it is a serious matter, and emotionally it is difficult to sit through. But I can walk around a little during lunch and take some pictures.

The down town area has the "new" court house and the "old" court house. I guess it would be better said, the Hall of Justice (opened in 1991) and the Court House (originally opened in 1903 and restored in 1998). It feels a little like the Super Friends should be operating out of here just based on the name alone. But Superman and Aqua-man don't spend any time here while Wonder Woman monitors the giant computer tracking system of crime.

I love this shot. The old court house is reflected in the windows of the newer Hall of Justice. The chairs that you can see in that window are on the causeway that is part of the jury lounge. You can see clearly in the reflection the statues that adorn the old court house along with some of the palm trees. More from down town to come.

Thanks for looking.
EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture:	f/7.1
Focal Length:	55 mm
ISO Speed:	400
Exposure Bias:	0/3 EV

Day 82, Business Signs, El Paseo Drive, Palm Desert, CA

Day 82, Business Signs, El Paseo Drive, Palm Desert, CA, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

I like this shot. I wish that I had done it a little differently. The bright numbers in the shadow caught my eye, but I wish that I had lined it up to get the reflection fully in all the numbers.  I am starting to build some ideas of shots that will become standards for me.  I think that looking for the reflections in shadows could produce some interesting shots in the future.   Initially, I was just shooting what caught my eye on El Paseo.  I had thought that the signs offered something visually.  But when I got home, this one made me wish I had been paying better attention.  

Signs in general have held some interest for me.  The idea of public displays for the express purpose of calling attention to your business or organization seems to invite examination. How do you get a message and what message do you want to portray?  All wrapped up in a logo or design style.  In the end it was not the sign that I liked best, but the light in a shadow.  That alone for the photo only interested me, but I will shoot more signs just because that seems interesting.

Out Takes:

Thanks for looking.
EXIF Data,

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture:	f/10
Focal Length:	125 mm
ISO Speed:	320
Exposure Bias:	0/3 EV

Day 27, Storage Locker Door

Day 27, Storage Locker Door, originally uploaded by solostandfound.

How about a little break from the Christmas Lights. I needed to shoot something, and was really busy this week. As I was finishiing up for the day, I had to drop some stuff off to my Storage Locker. By the way, Attic Mini Storage, where I have a unit for work, is a great place.  The people there have really taken good care of me.  I need them to sign for deliveries and be able to dump when there is a marketing change.  They always are so helpful.  

This week I have been kind of stressed out since it has been one of those busy weeks where I am driving so much, that I can't get any of the Admin stuff done for my job. That means, nights and probably some stuff on Saturday. Where that is a bit of a pain, I like what I do and I have been with my company long enough that I get 4 weeks of vacation a year.  That means that I have used the days well to combine with the holidays coming and I will be off for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Years.  Everything has give and takes, I like that one.

So, I am so busy, and everything that I had shot ahead is getting used and I have nothing new. What to do? Relax, It will come to me. It did. As I was unloading gear to my storage unit for work, I noticed that the sun was going down and the reflection on the unit doors had an interesting hue. I ran the aperture to f/11 and shot about 8 shots. I straitened and cropped this, and pushed the saturation a little bit, but that is it.

Tonight I am shooting portraits for my church congregations Christmas party. I have the suspicion that I will post from that tomorrow.  I also want to shoot some decorations and I bought some shells on eBay to play with as well.  If you are going to do a 365 project, you will be looking ahead a lot, and you want to have ideas to shoot for when you get busy and can't spend hours on it.

As always, the EXIF data is below, and thanks for looking.

_____________________________

Camera:	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Exposure:	0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture:	f/11
Focal Length:	24 mm
ISO Speed:	800
Exposure Bias:	0/3 EV