Sunsets from the E. Bay...

Go right through the GG Bridge in the winter from Berkeley.  You just have to move along with the sun's ever changing azimuth angle.  This sunset was from the Berkeley Pier yesterday, as in the day the Giants won the WS!

Here's a page I made a few years back dedicated to this beautiful sight.
http://telek.smugmug.com/Photo-Phun/SUNSET-CALCULATOR/2189188_CKqkJ

And a map, some guy made.
http://www.acme.com/jef/ggs/

Sierra Club Work Party (Oct 16-17, 2010)

We gave back a little this weekend... Kimbo and I cruised up to Clair Tappan on Friday night, worked on stocking wood at Peter Grubb Hut on Sat & Sun.  Learned how to use the chainsaw, met some great folks, and stayed at the Hutchinson Lodge... we also got to check out Clair Tappan, which was at max capacity due to the Scottish Fiddler's from SF.

Tutorial: How to take a Time-Lapse on your Canon

This is for the folks that have asked me how I make my Time-Lapse vids.

I'll dedicate this one to the one and only Messy, since his time-lapse (of the dragonfly... or is it a mayfly... below) was what really inspired me to try it.



Anyway, I almost got a Nikon because the canon doesn't have this mode... or so I thought.  Then I found CHDK.  It's a hack for your Canon to add a few more features to your camera, including the "ultra-intravalometer" a script that allows you to make these cool time-lapse.

So here's the steps:

1. If you have a canon camera, make sure there is a CHDK is supported for your model.  Go to http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK and look for your model under "Supported Models" on the right hand column.
2. Make sure you have a SD card that is 4 Gb or smaller.  
3. Download CardTricks
4. Open the application and select the CARD's LETTER by clicking on the picture of a SD card. 
5. Click the Format as FAT button, read and accepted the notice.
6. Click the Make Bootable button, read and accepted the notice.
7. click the Download CHDK button and pick your camera model ZIP file.
8. Click the CHDK Card button and point to the ZIP file you downloaded.
9. Then go to: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/Scripts:_Ultra_Intervalometer, and open your notepad, and make a bas file (EDIT: See comment below... much better script)
10. Open explorer, and put the bas file into the folder "scripts" under "CHDK"
11. Protect the card (by moving the tab on the side).  Place the card in your camera. 
12. Press the printer button to load your script (you'll have to play around here... but I usually have it set to take a pic every 1-5 seconds or so... depends what you are taking a pic of... set it to take infinite pics)
13. Lower the resolution (you won't need the highest resolution for these vids anyway, but it also quickens the processing time on your camera... I put it on M2, which is 4 MP and 2272 x 1704... and FULL HD = 1920×1080) 
14. Turn flash off
15. Turn display off (if you can)
16. Put it on Manual Focus (I set it on Infinity)
17. Adjust the exposure (often on sunsets, I'll put it at -1 or so)
18. Use a tripod, and UR good to go.  

Once you have the pics, most folks use QuickTime Pro to merge the footage.  Just put the images in one folder, "open Image Sequence", export at 30 fps, high res, etc, and you are good to go.  


Also, check out http://forum.timescapes.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1871 if you really get into it. 


Here are some cool tools as well:

• TWIXTOR (a plug in that makes the transitions smoother between shots.  Also good for slowing down normal movie footage)
• I haven't fooled around with this... but star trails for when you are shooting at night. Makes a cool trailing effect (http://timelapseblog.com/2010/03/29/star-trails-photoshop-action/)

What did I do last weekend?

I went canyoneering...

"WTF is that?"... you might ask.

Well, it's hard to explain, so here's a vid from our trip last weekend.

Kirby Party

Had another amazing weekend!  This time not requiring much driving.  Lou-Doo and I went out to Kirby Cove on Thursday for a chill night battling the raccoons.  On friday, we caught the flood tide to Angel Island, hiked around for a while, then caught the ebb tide back, just in time to party for the rest of the weekend.  Alia, Kevin, & Grahm all celebrated their b-day's and the SF weather gods granted them some great weather.

Angel Island Kayaking from Kirby Cove

Fog rolling in through the GG Bridge, as seen from Angel Island...


Caught some nice sunsets as well....

HAMMER time! Shasta Circumnavigation. (Aug 31 - Sept 3)

...far better than climbing [Mt. Shasta] is going around its warm fertile base, enjoying its bounties like a bee circling around a bank of flowers... As you sweep around so grand a centre the mountain itself seems to turn... One glacier after another comes into view, and the outlines of the mountain are ever changing. 

   - John Muir

Not sure if I agree with John Muir on that quote.  But he didn't have plastic telemark boots nor Black Diamond skis to shred the Shasta corn.  Louie and I completed a "Hike Around Mountain Moving Effortlessly Round" on Mt. Shasta.  Although there is no trail around Mt. Shasta, there is a bit of info on the Seltzers and Sanger book, as well as the "Backpacking California" book.  Unfortunately I couldn't find the book... fortunately we had a map, a good attitude, and gatorade bottle full of whiskey.  I'm guesstimating that the route was approximately 25+ miles X-country with 5 miles or so trail/pavement, and I'd give it a minimum of 3 full days (8+ hours) of hiking to complete.

Here's some quick info:

• Going around Shastina is all scree... hiking boots and gaiters recommended... also hiking poles... also keeping your backpack ultralight helps.
• Although there are no trails, finding a campsite was quite easy, provided you are just a group of 2, or aren't too picky (despite what we had read).  There are also a few semi-established camps, so to lower your impact we suggest camping at those sites if you can find them.  
• There are bears, mountain lions, etc... but we didn't see any.  These bears aren't used to people like they are in the Sierras and usually run away from you, rather than towards you.  
• Water isn't an issue except for the first day going around Shastina.  We did melt some water on the morning of day 2, until we got to a small stream.  If you start out earlier, I don't think this will be a problem.
• Mud Creek Canyon is daunting... and there is no easy way through it (I recommend going high, where it's more sand-duney... and jumping)... here is a view of Mud Creek Canyon after we crossed the creek and got to the top of the other side.  I'd say that from the rim to the creek is at least 1500 feet.  All scree, kicking down huge bouders the whole time.  Go up high until you get to the black streaky slope... that area looked nice and sandy.  

• Since you will be off trail, you will not see many folks.  We didn't see anyone else from the time we left Horse Camp, until we got to Panther meadow.  

Highlights:

• The numerous waterfalls you can encounter on the trip...

• Seeing the various glaciers on Shasta (Here is a view of the Whitney Glacier... the longest glacier in the lower 48).  

• Finding this bear claw mark... 

• The sunsets... 

More pics here...  

Trinity Alps (Aug 27 - 29, 2010)

Kimbo and I went up to the Trinity Alps with Mingus last weekend.  We hiked in 6 or 7 miles, then hiked in 3 more in the morning to Morris Meadow for a 20 mile round trip on the Stewart Fork trail.  I finally got some good water droplet photos at Morris Meadow... it seems like you need to have a really bright background, no wind, and some good luck with your  focus on your camera.  What an amazing hike!  

More Pics here: http://telek.smugmug.com/Weekend-Trips/2010/Trinity-Alps-Stewart-Fork-Aug