Northern Lights 9.11.15

Good morning! I've shared this story on Instagram... But, in our house my husband is the one that typically makes the dash out the door in the middle of the night and it's usually to check livestock. From time to time, he joins me on night time adventures to photograph falling stars and attempts to view the aurora borealis. I've been seeing images from other photographers in South Dakota of the northern lights this week. Areas of our state are well suited for viewing this phenomenon and I always admire the photographs created. I've only been out one other time with a little luck. Last night I happened to be awake around 2a.m. to check on my toddler. The dog also needed to be let out. I often pause to marvel at the clear night sky filled with stars while I wait for her at the door. Occasionally I also check the Aurora Borealis forecast page. Here's another page from Alasksa, and one more for comparison. Last night it indicated that there was a magnetic storm! While I did want to sleep some more... the photographer in me was more curious to watch the sky. So, I scrambled to put grab the essentials. My camera, tripod, a fresh card, battery and also let hubby know that I didn't run away.



Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I was able to see streaks on the horizon that aren't typically there. My camera was able to record a range of color that I wasn't able to perceive.





It was a peaceful morning and I was serenaded by a nearby owl. I was glad that hubby came out to keep me company for a bit, unfortunately the visible streaks had subsided. Still, it was another of many late night/early morning photo excursions to add to our pool of memories. Also, even though I was at home... I do get a little creeped out by myself. Such a strange combination of serenity and, "What's that noise?"



I need to scout out some other easily accessible locations and perhaps another spot in our yard. I would imagine that you all will grow tired of seeing this view down my driveway. Though, I don't imagine that I will ever grow weary of the view out our door.

Minneapolis/St. Paul Street Photography

When packing for a work trip to the Twin Cities, I wanted to travel lightly. I love my big DSLR, but it's cumbersome to walk around ALL day with. That's why I tend to go everywhere with my Canon M in my bag. It's small and can be manually controlled and with care, I can get sharp images. I often use the lens it shipped with, a 22mm or I use my Lensbaby Composer (love it). With an adapter, I can use any of my canon mount lenses. Including lenses that have sat on my shelf for over a decade. Enter my Tamron 70-300 lens. It's not my favorite, but lately it's been seeing some action. It isn't without some lens aberrations. I don't mind the added character from time to time. There are folks that hack their lenses to add abnormalities on purpose, or use cameras with light leaks and inferior lenses (Also, check out lomography.com). My Tamron is a good enough lens to throw in one's bag when you want to travel light. The setup, including my iphone, allows me to explore photography for fun.



^ The Canon M and Tamron 70-300 is a truly obnoxious looking combo. I'm fine with that. ^

As I walked to Union Depot in Saint Paul, I spotted window washers working high above the street. I found a spot where I could frame them above with leaves on a tree below. I pulled my camera from my bag, turned it on and saw a blinking message of doom, "Change Battery Pack". I had charged it before leaving, but the camera power button must have been bumped on at some point. Boogers. There's nothing worse than travelling slim than to realize that you can't use the items that you did bring anyway. What do I do? Go back to the hotel to charge my battery? I thought that Union Depot, being an Amtrak terminal, would likely have charging stations. I was right. Which brings me to my iphone, the device that I had available to make images while my camera was dead. On to the train station. I was disappointed that it wasn't the bustling hub that I imagined. The next departure was a couple hours out.



There were a few folks sleeping on seats, others simply lounging. An Iphone is not well suited for candid images of strangers. But, you make due with what you have. I really like this image.



I needed to make my way across town to meet with friends, I didn't have time to get a full charge. I used the Metro Rail to make the trip. I only made a couple stops, one to get donuts. And one quick stop at the capitol building. It was closed to the public. That's probably just as well, I would've been WAY late meeting my friends. I was able to get a good view of the Cathedral of Saint Paul.



The next time that I visit, I hope to explore more of Saint Paul. Once I met up with my friends, I didn't do much photography. They were gals that I haven't seen in years and it was great to 'just' visit with them. After lunch, I had to part ways with them. I was thankful for the public library as a spot to sit, check email and finish charging my camera and cell phone. While waiting for another friend to finish work, I spent some time wandering around the Nicollet Mall area. On a previous visit, the Peavey Plaza outside of the Minnesota Orchestra Hall has been great for people watching. This visit didn't disappoint. There are a few pianos available for passersby to use. I love this image of father and son taking time to fill a bit of the afternoon exploring music.



Eventually I needed to stick close to the Nicollet platform of the lightrail where I was to meet another friend. So, I photographed passersby. I love that bicyclists roam freely amid cars in this city and that the two CAN share the same streets and traffic laws.









I hadn't yet been to Target Field. It's gorgeous! I hope to visit again soon!


I was grateful to my friend Kari and her husband Brian for giving me a ride back across town to my hotel. I probably would've been tempted to photograph the Cathedral of Saint Paul at night on my way back. Traipsing by myself at night in an unfamiliar city is not a practice that I make a habit of, though. I had already put my camera away for the walk to our meeting point, so it was back to my iPhone. I love the long exposure app. If you haven't downloaded one of many offered, you should. If I have a pole or some other perch to brace my phone, I can hold the shot steady enough during a one second exposure. This is an image of the train passing below the Minneapolis skyline:



I was in the cities for some work training and was grateful for a free day between two sessions to visit wonderful friends and explore a city I don't get to visit often. What a joy to have great company and new landscapes.