Canberra gets foggy. Mostly it's morning fog, settling sometime before dawn. When it's extra thick it may not burn off until well after lunch … sometimes it doesn't lift at all and the temperature hovers in the low single figures all day. Those days are cold … that seeping cold that slowly creeps into the bones. Every now and again, if we've had rain, the fog starts in the early evening … you can see it descending … beginning as a glow around the streetlamps. It can be very localised too as I found out again the other night when I decided to get on my bicycle and go fog chasing. I didn't really have an idea or location in mind … just knew I wanted to get pictures – at night – in the fog. So I set off in what I thought was a good direction but soon found no sign of the fog… it was all clear as a bell.
Not to be deterred turn around and head back up the hill toward the mountain which I can see is shrouded in cloud. I'm thinking that perhaps all I might get tonight is exercise. I'm now riding up the dark foggy (that's good!) cycle path toward the institute of sport where I can see a huge glow from the sporting field lighting. Through the eucalypt trees (Canberra has a lot of trees) I can see something that might make a photo. There, in beautiful foggy light, are delicious green sports fields with dark backrounds and bright, stark white goals and nets.
There seems to be noone about. The gates are open so I ride on in like I'm supposed to. Ooops … there's a security guard … oh make that two security guards. They ask me what I'm up to and I explain I'm a photographer (you know … like that should sufficient for any question!) and I'd like, if I may, to take some pictures of the goals. They ask "why?" … it's a fair enough question and it's a national training facility … it's also cold and damp and night time. So I start to explain about how I really like the bright white goal nets against the flat green grass and how the foggy lights bring a terrific misty ambience … I can see their eyes glazing and so I stop and say "you know … fog chasing arty stuff … I have a business card if that helps?" I give them my card as I'm pulling my camera out of the pannier … it's a big camera with a lens that encourages repsect and credibility … they say OK … that's where I took this one…
Now I'm not really into sport and by and large goals and ovals don't do it for me but this just looked fantastic and this picture goes some way toward giving you an idea of how the scene looked to me.
OK, I got a picture so the ride tonight (I've been out for about an hour and a half by this stage) hasn't been a total write-off photo wise and so I say thanks and goodnight to the guards who've been watching with a slightly amused eye as I've trekked around the oval photographing goal nets π
Riding back into the fog it suddenly clears again and I'm near a pond by the road with an intersection on the other side. The pond is still … the reflection near perfect and so I stop and get the tripod out. I take a series of pictures extending the exposure time each subsequent frame and finally settle on about two minutes to produce this one…
It's not the most amazing picture I've ever taken but I like it. I love the reflection and the light stars. Two half-decent pics tonight … it's turning out all right this fog chasing hunch…
Now I'm starting to feel cold and damp and I start to head for home. I can literally see the fog descending betweeen where I am and where I need to go and so I set off. There a patch of road which I've seen at night in the fog when driving without my camera (this actually happens a lot) where the lights arc away and the light from the lamps shines only downward leaving them appearing as if suspended … I head there now and it looks just as I'd remembered it (I love that about my brain – the way it records a scene). I didn't bother with the tripod … I was feeling cold and lazy … and so set the camera on a very high sensitivity which brought in the grain which I think really suits this scene … which scene? Well, the one below of course π
I like this one best … I'm going to print this one up … not often a picture fast-stracks itself to the front of my printing queue.
What about you? Do you ever get a sudden urge to go and take pictures of something or take walks in the rain or wander about in the fog? Do tell π
awesome – I think you only shared the last in G+!
I did! So many things to share … never know quite how much is too much…
Particlarly love the monochrome..
Thanks Helen … me too π
I do love our city. I am on the south side, and I love watching the trees loom out of the fog in the morning. And I am in awe at your foggy genius with these shots. Thank you.
Foggy describes my approach to photography particularly well Sue π
I love the atmosphere fog creates & the lights in the fog photo is just so gorgeous. Love the graininess – makes me think of a still from an old movie. I have been known to spend large amounts of time looking for droplets, or chasing butterflies…
Ahh … the perpetual search for the perfect droplet! I know that search! When I was editing the monochrome image I found the light begin to resemble water sprays … which in a way … I guess they are π
The first, which is the last, takes my emotional and visual breath away. I'm longing to "chase" the fog. You've done a stellar job of capturing the ambinece, and the composition is close to perfection (is there ever perfection?).
Thank you Sally! π
As to perfection? No, I don’t believe there is. I believe we can come (oh so) close though π
OOOOlala!!! What beauties you have shot. I love the fog. When I was young I remember Toronto having more foggy days than it does these days – or perhaps because of where I lived in a valley sort of area, it might have been so but nonetheless – and to me those were the most of mysterious days. I often pretended that my school had disappeared completely (this despite the fact that I like school very much) You have truly captured the very essence of a great fog. Thank you so much!! Mari.
Thanks Marialla … the essence of a great fog – I like that!
yes, I go on lots of walks. 38 miles this week alone π love your pics. the one with the reflections in the lake is my favourite π xxx
I believe you! I’ve seen you walk and believe you could quite lietrally keep on going and going π
xxx
The sense of isolation in all the shots is magnificent, with a lovely sense of forever flowing through them. The celestial domes in the monochrome, well, the light says it all!
Thanks Patti. I hadn’t considered the lights in the monochrome to resemble Celestial Domes … but I think you are right π
I read this first yesterday night sitting in the kitchen with all doors and windows open to let the summer breeze in and suddenly felt chilly reading about your ride through the cold night.
Your encounter with the secutity guards made me smile, I was in a slightly similar situation not that long ago when I tried to make a picture of an interesting looking door handle on the street. Before I could get my snap (I only had an anolgue camera with me), a young couple who obviously was living in that house came along and started to ask what I'm doing and why and if the picture will be shown/seen somewhere etc. It happens and yes, I also know that sudden urge to go out and take pictures of something special, chasing snowflakes for example π
When I saw the last pictures, I found it a bit creepy but mainly because it was actually illustrating a strong feeling I had a few days ago, something I was trying to visualise in a way as I was hoping it would give me some answers. I was wondering what to make of a future that seems all foggy, full of ghost lights and shadows… if you can no longer bear to stay where you are, it's just riding on I guess.
At least the guards were friendly and were conetent to accept that I was harmless while they watched me with that smiling look reserved especially for the lightly deranged!Β π
If a place or vibe creeps you out … ride on! Good advice!
The little deranged…yes, I guess that captures it well π And I got some of these looks again yesterday in the park while I worked on a little installation for a new pictures.
Otherwise it really seems to be time to ride or move on. I'm just a little bit scared of what's waiting for me in the unknown.
I have a great reply to this comment but I haven’t thought of it yet.