The Mad Scientist

I'm still working on making my night bikey shots like my drivey shots.

The problem I'm having is getting the camera stable enough. My carbon-fiber tripod, strapped to my rear rack flexes too much (I'm guessing the zip-ties attaching it aren't of much help either...).

When I was in Junior High School, I won the "Most Likely to be a Scientist" Award from the Science Department. I guess they were as close as could be expected - I mean, I doubt they have a "Most Likely to be a Mad Scientist Creating Arty-Farty Digital Imagery on a bike with a tripod zip-tied to the back." or "Most Likely to be a Mad Scientist Creating Arty-Farty Digital Imagery in a bike with a tripod jammed into the backseat."

I love coming up with an idea (or usually half and idea based upon some silly inspiration I had while out riding... or driving to work night after night...) and then playing around with it (experimenting, if you will) until I find the right formula (f-stop, shutter speed, ISO, camera angle, etc.) and then playing yet more.

So I guess, in a way, those science teachers were right.

Now I just need to figure out a way to mount the camera to the bike the way I was able to mount it to the car. If it's securely attached, the bike will remain in focus better than it has.

Stay tuned...

under the moon and stars

under the moon and stars
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I like to take pictures at night.

Sometimes I go months without taking pictures at night.

Last night I looked out, saw the moon and the wet roads, and told Nikki that I'd be back in a few hours.

Showers were moving through the area, but so were amazing clear patches of sky. I drove over to a hill in Beaverton that I once drove over and thought "this would be a cool place to take pictures..."

I'm going to have to get out more at night.

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I have some more photos on my Facebook page.