NPy (in five words or less)

Dark Night of the Soul

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

("It seems like a character mutation . . .")

Off-Topic (and On, at the same time ...)

  Car No. 578j, Hiroshima (1927)

August 6th marks the 65th anniversary of the first atomic bomb attack over Hiroshima. In Japan, the occasion was marked by solemn memorials by many world leaders, calling for an end to nuclear weapons.

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

(Image of F-Line streetcar, from TimBaskerville.com)

Night Photography - San Francisco Values

It's with great pleasure, not to mention civic pride, that I announce my upcoming "Jury Duty" with the San Francisco Art Commission and Photo Alliance for their exhibit, "Night/Light: Bay Area Photographers Take Aim After Dark." I will be acting as a Juror, along with Aimee Le Duc, Gallery Manager, San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery; and Thom Sempere, Executive Director, PhotoAlliance.

Open to residents of the nine-county SF Bay area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano and Sonoma Counties) the exhibit will " . . . explore what happens after sunset and before sunrise. Nighttime images of interest will range from landscapes to portraits, from photodocumentary essays to fantastical narratives. We’ll be looking for technical proficiency, creative innovation, and a wide variety of subject matter." [from the SFAC prospectus]

To be installed at San Francisco City Hall, Ground Level - the exhibition space can accommodate up to 100 photographs. Exhibition dates are September 16 – January 14, 2010

Sounds like something The Nocturnes can rise up to, no? We encourage you to follow this link for all the details. Only digital submissions will be accepted, along with a cover letter,etc. and mail or hand-delivered by August 14, to the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery.

Why not show San Francisco, the local arts community, and visitors to the City, how it's done!

Night Photography - "South of the Slot"

Announcing the return of our 3-night Workshop at RayKo Photo Center in San Francisco. NPy at locations South of Market (SOMA) including a rare (for most most photograpers, that is) opportunity to photograph the Yerba Buena Gardens complex (pursuing a permit!) after dark! Starts August 12 and continues on the 19th and 26th. You can register online - remember to type in the coupon code EARLY at checkout, to receive $25/off when you sign-up 1-week or more prior to the class start date; or call RayKo at 415.495.3773 for more information, and to register that way.
(Nocturnes Crossing - 100 feet)

What's the White Balance, Kenneth?

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

("You wore a shirt of violent green, uh-huh.")

Night Photography, San Francisco Style

As recently mentioned on Joe Reifer's Blog and Andy Frazer's Blog - BTW, those are their links over to the right there - The Nocturnes are holding another of our popular Full Moon Night Photography Workshops in San Francisco and are extending the registration deadline to Friday July 16, 2010. Plenty of room for this, our last San Francisco Full Moon Workshop of the year! All the details, and a registration form are here.

 (Photo by Andy Frazer)

As Mr. Frazer points out, it's a great 'Shop - "for those of you who would prefer to stay close to the San Francisco Bay Area" - and still catch up with some NPy in great locations. Or, as Mr. Reifer calls it - "Learn the history of night photography & shoot with the Nocturnes . . ."

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

NPy (in five words or less)

"No moon at all . . ."
Nana Mouskouri

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne
("This is nothin' like they told us of")

Dennis Hopper 1936-2010

Dennis Hopper - actor, director, Hollywood upstart and all-around raconteur - died today, after a long bout with prostate cancer. Just this March he appeared in public, to accept his 'star' on Hollywood's Walk of Fame (he had just taken a fall, smashing his eyeglasses, the day before - something I can relate to . . . ) - bandaged and looking frail, he made it there - but it was bittersweet.

 

 Dennis Hopper, as he appeared in Apocalypse Now (1979)

Hopper was also - a painter, sculptor and - not many people know this - a photographer - who published a book of Night Photography titled "Bucharest Nights" in 2005.

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

("This is the way the fucking world ends . . ." - from Apocalyse Now)

Ancient Nocturne

This image, NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).

Milky Way Over Ancient Ghost Panel - Copyright Bret Webster

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne

Warren Bates, Night Photographer

"I'll learn to work the saxophone
I'll play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whisky all night long
And die behind the wheel . . ."
(Deacon Blues by Steely Dan)

A flurry of emails came in late this afternoon - fellow Night Photographer Warren Bates  "died in the place he loved best" - on Route 66, in the great American desert. Ironically, he was killed in his vehicle, hit by an oncoming train. I, like many got to 'know' Warren Bates thru his NPy - in my case, thru The Nocturnes NPy online exhibit, "The Color of Night" in which his "Bagdad Train" (seen below) was a Best of Show award winner. The image, one of our all-time favorites, also appeared in our 1st retrospective: "Best of The Nocturnes Online"

Of the image, the two jurors - Troy Paiva and Larry Thomson - had this say:
Juror one: "The subtle use of added lighting merely helps describe the story rather than become the story itself. I love the double meanings, depth and movement. That little wink of yellow light on the post is just right too..

Juror two: "Wow! I love how this shot portrays the desolation of this place. There's the sign, the light trails and. well, a lot of nothing vanishing off into the distance. Excellent use of motion as the passing light trails imply that Bagdad isn't even a stop along the way anymore . . ."

Read Andy Frazer's blog for more recollections, with a link to the Las Vegas-Review Journal (he worked for them) article about Warren.

That's about all I can say . . .

("Call me Deacon Blues")