Walking the dog at sunset and the sky opens and momentarily illuminates Boalsburg. An iPhone picture doesn’t sate my visual survey and the little photographer voice tells me I should be riding. The 82 pound dog at the end of the leash says otherwise.
By the time I’m on the road the sun is gone and the light is fading as mist begins to gather along the ground. Luck figures into photography more than I like to admit — F8 and be there kind of stuff…
Riding into the night still provides a thrill. Some say a dangerous one which I keep in mind and make plans to manage. Give me the right night, a camera and keys to a scooter and motorcycle and I’m off to see the stars…
Absolutely lovely photos!
I’ve just recently discovered the joy of riding at dusk (finally got my MC license this summer). There’s magic out there at night…colors fade to shapes, the sky still has a slight glow, and my instrument panel magically lights up….air is cool and damp. Haven’t gone full tilt on nighttime (and have some safety concerns at that), but dusk is best of both worlds.
As fall approaches (all too quickly so it seems)the opportunity for
dusk to dark photography becomes viable. So how do you ensure a black coated Junior doesn’t suddenly disappear at the end of a lead?
As to the obviously now-repaired Vespa, the illuminated red light is perhaps a warning of the future????
Extraordinary 2nd shot, Steve !
Thank you for sharing it.
I absolutely agree with you when you say: “Give me the right night, a camera and keys to a scooter and motorcycle and I’m off to see the stars…” That´s what it is all about.
Cheers,
Vasco
http://respiroscooter.blogspot.pt/
Those are great shots Steve!
Really bright tail light. Is it aftermarket?
Beautiful photos. I think the sky in the first one makes it interesting. As you may have guessed, until I started riding in the winter, I rarely get the opportunity to ride in the dark. And given the additional danger with animals, night riding (or driving) is not high on the list.
Here’s a video I shot on that same road you were on outside of Orviston.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UO-gCqNwDnM&list=TLHZRuhoqsU3A
~Robert~
Dave: Thanks for the kind words about the pictures. Photography still has great attraction for me.
Dusk is great riding — something magical about the world in transition. Night is a different story altogether with many attendant risks too numerous to list here now. Each of us has to make our own informed decisions about riding.
Thanks for commenting!
Bryce Lee: The good thing about Junior is that he stays nearby — otherwise his life would be limited to leash walks and fenced in places. We don’t walk a lot at night in the woods or countryside because there are a lot of pitfalls — skunks, porcupines, deer, ticks, etc…
That red taillight is a reminder of adventure — like a beacon reminding me that I need to pay attention!
VCS (Vasco): Your comment reminded me of how I used to go out, on foot or otherwise, just to look at the stars. Need to do more of that! And I’m always up for a ride on the Vespa.
Charlie6 (Dom): Not having the Rocky Mountains available to me I need to take advantage of those foggy evenings for pictures!
Shad: It appears overly bright because of the long exposure — 15 seconds at F4.0, ISO 200. It’s just the stock Vespa tail light.
RichardM: You are in a whole different ballgame when it comes to riding at night. Alaska presents difference challenges and opportunities.
Poppawheelie (Robert): Gee! Sounds as if you and I are on the exact same page from rejecting the GPS to looking at the leaves in central PA. Everytime I see a video like yours I say to myself , “You need to shoot some video.”. We’ll see.
Steve, simply amazing photos.
It’s not just the quality of the light, it’s the skill of the photographer.
I have taken only one picture that I like as much as that second shot with the mist lighting up the headlight’s beam.
David Masse: Sometimes the good pictures are hidden in the times of day and weather events we aren’t normally engaged with. Get up early, stay up late — that’s the trick!