Another Bit on the Bus

Last night Como Observatory had an "Artist and Photographers Event" where they allow use of tripods after the normal visiting hours.

I captured some of the exquisite roses and lilies in the "Sunken Garden", but then I wandered about and found the bonsai room was open - and empty! That was a treat, and I like to share the treats...

This weekend Minnesota Street Rod Association holds its annual "Back to the fifties" event. Hundreds of classic American cars congregate in St. Paul at the Minnesota State Fair grounds or cruise along Snelling and University avenues. I love watching those big cars, built in the era we soared to the Moon - most look like spaceships, either very round or sharply angular - but supremely elegant and stately.

The hotel where the guests meet and spend the weekend is a mile down the road from the office so yesterday at lunch I grabbed the camera and swung by the parking lot.

Last night we ventured to shoot the Full Moon over Minneapolis. It rained all day and by early afternoon it stopped, but the clouds were still hanging over the city, only to scatter in the evening. I went ahead and scouted a couple of locations, but wasn't really happy with the view of the city lines.

We parked downtown and moved about on foot. The moon wasn't too high in the sky, so I only managed to take a shot as she was lingering above the Minneapolis City Hall.

Don't these shrubs seem like giant green cupcakes?

Some shots from the peony patch at the Arboretum. Reviewing the flowers this morning I felt the scent radiating from the monitor, and for a moment I was back among the flowers.

Enjoy!

after visiting the peony patch at the Arboretum. Still a few joggers and couples, but the city was settling in for the night.

This angle looked almost like a painting, and I had to have a shot:

Tonight I ventured with some friends at night in St. Paul . The evening started as a meetup to shoot the St. Paul cathedral at night, but we started way to early and from too much of a distance. We milled about the Mounds Park, then we took a break for refreshments and we started shooting when the sun finally set.

After the cathedral, with the last energy reserves we went downtown St. Paul, to shoot the Ordway and Rice Park. The statue in the middle of the water fountain provided some challenges - the environment was lit acceptably, but the statue was in complete darkness. I had the flashes with me, but I could not position them close enough - so I resorted to a trick: the camera was positioned on the tripod, with the aperture at 9.0 and 10 seconds exposure time. I started the exposure with the cable release, then went in a quarter circle around the fountain, shooting the flash by pressing the test button - 5 full flashes, equally spaced. The result is pretty neat.

The monster is coming! Daaaaaaaad...

We visited the Arboretum on Saturday and this was the first picture that I took - I really liked the contrast of colors.

This is a another take from the same angle as Evening upon Minneapolis shots from last fall.