Mark Supik Co.

Got this incredible invite from my neighbors, Mark and Nancy, to visit their wood turning business. They do architectural wood work and beer taphandles, mostly for emerging breweries.  Mark started the day off with a tour, noting that only one machine in the shop was purchased new — at least one is a centagenarian. I don't have the whole scoop but in the boiler room out back is the studio of an artist who is a friend of Mark's from MICA. I spent a combined two hours in both spaces today, in what was some pretty intense heat. I had long since forgottten that a lot folks work in places that aren't air conditioned. I haven't done it since a summer job when I was 18.

So there were a lot snaps taken, both spaces are pretty dark so I bracketed a bunch of them and the processing includes some that were treated with mild HDR, some with exposure blending and some I just used the best exposed of the bunch. I started out handholding the 45 TS-E, 35 f/1.4, 135 F/2.0, 85 f/1.2 and 70-200 f/2.8 IS. I finished off in both spaces with the 45 TS-E on the tripod.  All were taken with the 5D Mk II. I had the X100 with me but I just stuck with the 5D.

I have processed about most of the snaps and there only a few more to go, there is a large number of them so, only two are posted here, one each from the shop and the boiler room studio and the rest are in galleries. Clicking on the link or the "anchor" snap will take you to the gallery. I plan to add more over the next few days as I get time to do more post processing. (In the galleries click on the first thumbnail to get a full size image — use the symbols to navigate back < and forward >.)

Mark and Nancy also own the incredible Chey truck that has made several appearances on these pages. Their web site is here.

For the shop snaps click here or the snap for the gallery.

For the boiler room studio snaps click here or the snap for the gallery.

Last snap of the day

See the Denver to KC photo dash described in the prior posts below.  It all came to a pretty abrupt end right here.  The stop was for roadwork but it also foretold the end of the US 24 snapfest. I drove thru the edge of this a few miles ahead but really got nailed once on I70 between Manhattan and Topeka. I can't remember ever being in a storm like this — the temperature drop was stunning as well, from just under a hundred to just under seventy. Finally, it caught up with me again about an hour after I checked into the Marriott at the KC airport.  

I did pass up a couple of very nice opportunities just down the road from here in Clay Center but I wanted to get to KC ASAP.  Rather than continue the B&W streak this one is in color. Living color, cropped to 16x9 which is rather unusual for me.  

Canon 5D Mk II, EF24-70 f/2.8 L @ 70mm, F/8.0, ISO 100, 1/2500.

The US 24 inaugural west to east photo dash

This a place holder for the main post for the trip from Denver International Airport to Kansas City International Airport.  The "transit stages" were along I70 from DEN to Colby, KS and from Manhattan, KS to MCI.  The snaps are from just east Colby to just west of Clay Center along US 24, mostly through the Solomon River Valley from Hoxie to Glasco.

US 24 is an fabulous road, in superb condition. It is like half of a two lane interstate, with traffic flow in both directions.  Note the word flow 'cause there sure ain't no traffic.  Posted at a non-enforced 65  — driven at 85. A hoot all by itself, although something further up the Hertz prestige curve would have been a nice addition. That wasn't to be, this trip was done on the cheap, on points, the car and the hotel both gratis and the part of the world limited the food spending to under $50 ($30 of that at the KC Airport Marriott).  Tolls on the Kansas pike were $2.50. So as usual the biggest cost of taking digital photos was gas, the Dodge Journey managed just over 20mpg at what was mostly 85mph but zooming the 640 miles ate up about $125 worth of gas — worth every bit of it. The detritus level in north central Kansas is high and it is very photographically accessible.

My detritus observation will be exemplified out over the next day or so as I get the snaps processed and posted. When I remembered, I grabbed the GPS coordinates, although, even forgetful use, killed the iPhone by the time I got to Manhattan — need to remember bring a DC charger. 

The snaps will probably wind up in a gallery but just to get things started here are a few, that will likely get moved as this post evolves.

Just east of Colby — happy harbinger of stuff to come.

Main Street, Hoxie.

Around 5th and 6th Streets in Moreland.

 

 

 

 

 

A couple of high key snaps from hot and dusty 4th Street in Penokee. 

 

US 24 in Hill City.

Main Street in Bogue.

 

 

 

 

On US 24 in Stockton.

On US 24 at Hobart Street in Glen Elder.

Multitasking in Glen Elder

At one time gasoline in Glen Elder

Cawker City

A "city" on US 24 in the middle of Kansas — 1999 population 595.  Home to the "World's Largest Ball of Twine". Missed that but found this, among others.  Lots more to post from todays traverse of Kansas from west to east — mostly on US 24.

 

 

So more from Cawker City, the home of Detritus Motors.

First one way...

then the other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One more.

and then some more...

 

 

The trains they don't run no mo...

Union Station Denver — Sunday morning.

Sign over the door says Amtrak has moved to a cinder block building a fews blocks away.  5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 200, f/3.2, 1/3200, -1ev.

Everybody got baggage.  5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 1600, f/8.0, 1/60.

 5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 1600, f/8.0, 1/80.

Be needin' to send a Telegram.  5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 1600, f/8.0, 1/60.

and use a pay phone too.  5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 1600, f/8.0, 1/60.

Where have all the passengers gone, long time passing.  5D Mk II, TSE-45, tilted, ISO 1600, f/2.8, 1/800.

A sharp canopy.  5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/1000, -1.67ev.

Two flat tires seems apropos given the trains don't run no mo. 5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/1000.

Looking down Wynkoop Street, toward Coors Field.  Done with the station — off to the alleys. 5D Mk II, TSE-45, shifted, ISO 200, f/8.0, 1/200.

On the fly...

decision. Decided to forgo the buildings that normally show up here after a neighborhood camera walk and add some cars to the truck in the last post.  Usually, I don't like snaps with cars in them but today it is all about selective focus with the 45 TS-E and I like the results.  So here they are:

45 TS-E, Canon 5D Mk II, ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/320, tilted.

45 TS-E, Canon 5D Mk II, ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/2500, tilted.

45 TS-E, Canon 5D Mk II, ISO 200, f/2.8, 1/500, tilted.

More practice

with the 45 TS-E.  The idea here was selective focus, specifically, to get the diagonal row of houses in focus and everything else out of focus.  This can't be done without a camera with movements or a lens that tilts. Worked quite well, the crazy sky with the light shafts is a plus.  

45 TS-E, on the 5D Mk II, ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/5000 (-1 EC), MLU, tilted as needed, no shift.

Tilt-Shift Practice

After flying in from the Hub in the storm a few shots in its wake, in preparation for some neighborhood shooting in 80203 on Sunday.  

This one is close but not quite right as the foreground is out of focus still but looks pretty good.  45 TS-E on the 5D Mk II at f/4.0 1/320, ISO 100, MLU, atop the Gitzo.

and a couple where tilt was used to force out-of-focus.  At the time tilt was set perpendicular to shift, since been changed to parallel.

45 TS-E on the 5D Mk II at f/2.8 1/800, ISO 100, MLU, atop the Gitzo.

45 TS-E on the 5D Mk II at f/4.0 1/125, ISO 100, MLU, atop the Gitzo.

Last one as darkness fell, almost there needed some tilt to get the railing in focus.

45 TS-E on the 5D Mk II at f/8.0 1/50, ISO 2000, MLU, atop the Gitzo.

July 4th 2006

After the storm, Leadville, CO.  Altitude, two miles high.  Attitude, well that is another story. Geographically, 40 miles from Vail, 60 miles from Aspen, nevertheless nowhere close to either.

Canon 5D, 24-70mm f/2.8L, f/8.0, 45mm, ISO 400, 1/160.

This one from before the storm. Canon 5D, 24-70mm f/2.8L, f/20.0, 54mm, ISO 100, 1/40.  Diffraction, what diffraction.  Who knows why it was f/20.0.  Obviously on the Gitzo.

Sauvie Island

Oregon.  In January, in 2005, in the rain — what else in Oregon west of the Cascades in winter. Strawberry fields with "whips" to hold the bushes, I think I recall Tim telling me.  Canon 10D, 70-200 f/2.8 IS, ISO 200, f/4.0 at 105mm.  The island lies at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette.

Dodge Truck, Canon 10D, 70-200 f/2.8 IS, ISO 200, f/2.8 at 95mm, 1/125.

Canon 10D, 70-200 f/2.8 IS, ISO 200, f/4.5 at 200mm, 1/125.

Canon 10D, 70-200 f/2.8 IS, ISO 200, f/8.0 at 70mm, 1/30.

More Nebraska

Just west of Mullen (known for two great golf courses) in the Nebraska Sand Hills.  BNSF coal train heading empty to the Powder Ridge Basin in Wyoming.  Not the same route but inspiration by John McPhee's Coal Train, in Uncommon Carriers. Canon 5D, 17-40mm f/4L, ISO 320, f/8.0, 1/400, 40mm. 

And just a little further west on NE Route 2. Still the 5D and the 17-40.  This time at 36mm, ISO 50, f/22, with a shutter speed of 1/3 of a second.  There may have been a polarizer mounted to help get the effect. These days it would have been the Singh-Ray Vari-ND, to reduce the light, slow the shutter speed and get the blades smoothed out.

Rehoboth, DE

Seems like you can't hail from DC, MD, VA without having a shot of this groin on your web site or blog.  Here is mine. Taken at the end of March 2009, just prior to the 5D Mk II arrival.  24-70 2.8L at f/8.0, ISO 800, 64mm at 1/3200.  Guess I wanted to make sure to stop the action.