Photowalking

[olivermoss]

I hate it when people have their nose holes sticking out of their mask. I don't think 'already dead' or 'doesn't breathe anymore' is a good enough excuse!

I did two photo-walks recently. Not terribly productive, but am hopeful for the possible rain this weekend and maybe getting some good rainy pics.

One night when I was fiddling with camera menus, I started hearing a live jazz cover of Someone To Watch Over Me get louder and louder. I don't know if this is a thing other places, but here bicyclists having incredibly hi-def sound systems on their bikes is a big thing. These were great speakers. The combo of hi-def sound, being a live recording, and a sad, yearning voice drawing nearer was really creepy. It's not what I want when standing in the complete darkness trying to get a shot as low-ISO as I can manage.

I need to do longer walks so I can find more things to shoot. We've been really lucky on air quality here, but it can also tank fast, which is one reason I've been sticking closer to home on my walks.

But the cat-like-shape detectors in my brain are working well. Spotted this fuzzy in the shadows from across the street:













I was walking in the dark, because Portland hates street lights, and realized there were people like shapes next to me. These ones:





I took a lot of pictures, because it was hard to get a clear shot of the shapes, especially in the darkness. Still not sure how well they read to someone who doesn't already know they are ... depressed faceless human figures. But, I did my best.

I really need to give up and start carrying a tripod. Handheld low-ISO shooting in complete darkness is ... not easy. I had a small diffuse light source I carried for a bit, but it died. The problem of ordering tech gadgets off of Amazon these days, most are meant to last about as long as chewing gum.

Comments

[ihavenoarms]

cute cat

[dine]

you do have excellent cat-like-shape detectors! it's just not a day until a cat stares at you judgingly

[olivermoss]

I didn't realize how judgingly until I went to edit the pictures! That cat wanted me to keep walking

[mistressofmuses]

That skeleton needs to be setting a better example of proper mask-wearing!

I love the paintings on the boxes. The moth (or maybe cicada?) is fantastic.

To me, the humanoid figures read pretty clearly. Especially the one in the front in the top picture, and the one in the back in the second picture. Those would quite possibly have creeped me out badly if I hadn't been expecting them in the dark.
(Much like your experience with the mobile music. I think the bike-mounted music is less of a thing here, but it is occasionally a thing, and I can imagine that being creepy as fuck.)

I don't think I realized you didn't have a tripod for most of these walks! O_O My hands are so shaky, I could never hope to capture low-light anything with just a handheld!

[olivermoss]

Oh yeah, I am shooting handheld in rough lighting conditions. Between the lack of street lights, all the shady trees, etc, once I've been out for a bit I literally cannot see the sidewalk I am on. The cat picture was lightened a lot. I could only see the outline of one year from where I was shooting. I feel weird setting up tripods to shoot in the dark, in a neighborhood, etc. I should start shooting sooner, but sunset here is already 7:15. Tonight by 7:30 it was pitch dark. I think we lose light sooner due to being in a valley?

I hate the look of flashes. I haven't even had one on any of my camera bodies for ... 8 years? more?

The figures did creep me out for a second. I was halfway past that yard before my brain registered the shapes. The music was really weird, it was just so high def it sounded like someone singing. I don't scare easily, I swear, but recent walks have been spoopy.

[mistressofmuses]

I knew that it had to be pretty pitch black for a lot of these walks, but I didn't realize that you didn't use a tripod. Though I can understand that feeling weird, especially when you're looking into someone's yard.
I do hate how early sunset is already getting. :( Before long it'll set while I'm still at work. I bet it does get darker for you even earlier in a valley.

Agreed on flashes - I very rarely see flash photography that doesn't look off in some way.

Those are definitely some things that make for some spoopy times! I don't tend to think of myself as someone easily scared either, but both of those things might have managed it, ha. (Maybe not the figures, once I'd identified them and calmed my heartrate down, but the music? Very spoop.)

[olivermoss]

I don't normally get spooked out on walks, even when it's 3 AM, but I had a few weird ones in a row. The music really made me feel like I'd walked into a horror film.

[sperrywink]

Kitty!

And the human-shapes came out well, I think. Very creepy.

[olivermoss]

Thanks!