Matt Granz Photography's photostream  

In keeping up on my uploading one nature pic then one urban image, here's something I shot last night while trying to fulfill an assignment for a website developer. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the shot he needs yet, for a variety of reason, so I settled for this consolation shot.

…and I do feel pretty darned consoled.

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There's nothing like the quiet that is experienced in the wilderness when the last light of day is upon you and there is no one else around.

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No this is not Miami, Florida… it's Mare Island, near Vallejo right here in California. I got this effect by light painting this along side Ian (RZ68) who gave the building a heavy dose of purple gelled light while I doused the place with my blue gel.

As well as a light painting example, this is also an image from the night my friends and I were harassed by Mike the security guard. He treated us as potential criminals, and though we did our best to make our case in a friendly manner, he wouldn't hear it. To him we were potential terrorists and thus were told we had to vacate the premises for the greater public safety. In short, he gave us 20 minutes to do our business, and then kept passing by over and over in his little security vehicle, accidentally shining headlights and brake-lights on the objects we were trying to catch images of. At length he successfully drove us away, and it felt so very strange, since we knew that many photographers visit the island at night to do their thing all of the time. If we were young and looked like trouble, it would make sense that he was trying to shoo us away, but we were all well respectably dressed older folk with expensive camera equipment. I would guess that our dim witted Mike doesn't profile.

You might wonder why this is on my mind… it's because another photographer was recently so harassed by this same security guard that he actually felt threatened. I just want to state here and now that photography is not a crime. Thank you very much!

Click on Image to View Large Sized… but Beware… Security Guard Mike Might Get on your Case!

Taken at Rodeo Beach, just around the corner from the stacks. The tide was coming back in, and after shooting this, I realized I was stuck on the cliff… as the sky darkened and the tide continued to rise.

I decided at length to race the oncoming swells. I raised my camera gear high over my head and ran along the shoreline next to the edge of the cliffs. I wound up, up to my waist in crashing Pacific Ocean swells no less than three times.

Lucky for me there was no serious undertow going on...

It was a cold ride home, with the heater on full blast most of the way. I do not recommend that others ever try this.

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This image was gotten in the wee hours of the morning after a night of misadventures along the California coastline, which ended with my car limping back home with engine troubles. This old fort is something Miguel, found on Google Maps, which is located right near the new tunnel construction at Devil's Slide.

Troy, (Lost America) says he used to party here in the 70's. This one's for Troy.

Click on Image or Press "L" to get the full impact of the Colors and textures in Large Size on Black