Nevada county has a few roadside attractions that are unique and fun to visit:
Grass Valley robot
This Tin Man and Tin Woman in Nevada City play Wizard of Oz music when you push his bellybutton.
Rough and Ready has an entire mini town dedicated to Gold Mining history.
More from Rough and Ready
Clark's in Nevada City
Old Shell station in Penn Valley (Bridgeport)
I always find cemetery shooting to be a challenge. I don't always know what compositions will work best to bring out the details of the old headstones and statues. This week I decided to try shooting with the Fujifilm 80mm macro lens and I think it was a perfect choice. I think this will probably be my goto lens for future cemetery visits. A few samples are below.
I recently purchased a Lee Filters ProGlass 10 Stop filter. This impressive Lee Filter is designed to eliminate pink color casting found in many other 10-stop filters. I am very happy with the results produced by the filter on the Fuji X-T2. I didn't have to spend any time changing white balance in lightroom or tweaking the image to remove unusual pink colors.
South Yuba River in Nevada City.
13 second exposure. f/16. ISO 100. 16mm lens. Mid day sun.
When using the almost totally black 10-stop filter, the Fuji X-T2 is able to accurately calculate exposure time with the normal light meter. I didn't need to spend any time calculating the exposure time before shooting, unlike using the Nikon D810, which requires the use of an exposure conversion chart. I was also able to compose the shot and lock focus, without removing the filter from the camera. Just one more reason why mirrorless is ahead of DSLR cameras.
I had the opportunity to shoot High School Prom photos in Auburn yesterday. After a long search for an ideal location, we settled on The Ridge golf course, which is surrounded by beautiful oak trees.
The biggest challenge for the night, beyond having only about 30 minutes to shoot 7 different kids, was the wind and cold. I think the temp was around 55 degrees. These are a few of the 30+ images I edited.
For one month a year (in April), you can visit the Crystal Hermitage gardens in Nevada City. These impressive gardens feature around 17,000 tulips and flowering trees in a beautiful hillside location, about 25 minutes from downtown Nevada City.
Fujifilm 16mm lens. The building in the background is a small church.
The gardens are visited by 1000's of people and it seems like everyone is taking pictures with either cell phones or full size DSLR cameras. With all of the colors and different types of flowers, you can imagine why it is so popular.
Fujifilm 16mm lens
Fujifilm 16mm lens. Only about 60% of the tulips are flowering when this image was taken.
Fuifilm 16mm
If you are a Macro shooter, these gardens are a great opportunity to get close to some flowers and maybe a few bugs.
Fujifilm 80mm f2.8 Maco lens
Fujifilm 80mm f2.8 Maco lens
Fujifilm 80mm f2.8 Maco lens. In addition to flowers, you will find status and water features.
I had a chance to do some portrait work with the wonderful model Kelsey Jackson. Below are a few of my favorite images. If you ever want to shoot portraits with me, drop me an email.
I recently picked up the Fujifilm 80mm Macro lens and from the moment I held this lens, I knew it was special. First thing you will notice about this lens is the size. It is a pretty large and heavy lens, made of all metal and glass. The only plastic seems to come from the lens hood. Even with the weight, it seems to balance well on the Fuji X-T2, even without a grip. When I really noticed the weight was when it was in my camera bag.
As other people have said, the sharpness of this lens is insane. But even more impressive is how smooth the backgrounds are when using this lens. It is by far the highest quality glass I have used and I expect to be using it for a lot more then just close up macro photography.
The image stabilization made it possible to shoot sharp images like this without a tripod.
Shot handheld, thanks to the outstanding OIS features included with this lens.
Shot in the blacksmith shop at Empire Mine State Park.
Another handheld flower image.
Like all Macro lenses, the depth of field is very shallow, so locating the ideal focus point can be a challenge. Overall I thought the lens focused quickly when used inside and outside. Being able to work without a tripod gives me the freedom to quickly move around the subject.
Empire Mine blacksmith shop
I really like how well this lens gives you a feeling of depth, even when shooting directly at something like this old rusty gear.
I had a chance today to work with a 16 year old professional model Bridget Pelzman. For a a teen model, she really has very talented and made for a wonderful shooting experience. A few of my images from the shoot can be found in today's blog update.
The studio (located in a 2 car garage) using a black backdrop and 3 continues lights.
The outdoor images were shot with natural light in Folsom. I didn't have access to a flash or reflector, which I think would have really been great to help the eyes pop.
I really love getting the chance to do portrait photography. If you are ever interested in shooting portraits with me, shoot me an email.
One of my photo projects has been to capture minimalist architecture. Below is a random collection of images that fit into this category.
I have always loved shooting rusty things and Empire Mine State Park is the motherload for rusty history. Add some snow and everything changes. I went out early on Sunday morning to try and see if I could capture the snow mixed in with the gold mining equipment, before the snow melted.
The park was closed when I first arrived, but i was able to shoot this over the fence from the parking lot. The sky was pretty dark still at this time of the morning.
When I returned 2 hours later, much of the snow had already melted.
Shooting in the snow is new to me, and the biggest challenge has been to keep the white balance as close as possible, without the snow turning blue or the highlights being blown out.
When you think about Nevada City, you have to think about the outdoors and the unique camping experience offered by the Inn Town Campground. Located only 5 minutes from downtown Nevada City, the campsite offers you an outdoor experience that includes glamping, RV camping or you can just pitch a tent for a few days.
The office and front desk, complete with gift shop. Inside you will also find a common area with couches, a fireplace and a full kitchen. You will also find a new swimming pool to stay cool.
When you get into the campground, you will immediately see a collection of buildings and tents that you can call home for a weekend.
Across from the tents are bathroom and shower facilities.
Once you go inside a glamping tent, you will be impressed with the care and detail put into each unique overnight visit. You can't get closer to a hotel experience while still enjoying the fresh air of being in a forest.
Open the back flap and you can relax on a private balcony with a view.
Each tent has a unique custom headboard, lights, power and fan to keep you cool on hot nights. Don't forget the comfy bed.
The Inn Town Campground offers 17 different glamping tents with different decorations and features that will make you want to try them all. Different bed configurations are available for the entire family.
A lot of detail has been put into each room, from the wood floors to the chairs.
You will be impressed with how clean and new the tents feel.
The campground offers a place for your own RV or you can bring the family and spend time in a Retro RV with beds and its own bathroom.
The new retro RV available for the entire family.
Near the Airstream (used as a campground business office), you will find the remains of a historic Chinese Cemetery from the gold mining era. Don't worry, the ghosts are long gone.
Next to the campground is the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum, which is a great place to visit with the family.
If you like old shacks and cabins, then check out the Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park in Nevada City, California. The park is the location of an 1800's gold mining town and what is left is a mini ghost town.
My first trip to this park was last year in the middle of summer. When I decided to make my 2nd trip to the Malakoff Diggins park, I didn't realize it would be 1 to 2 feet deep in snow, but that really made for some interesting images.
If you visit the park, you will find an old cemetery, historic church, lake, hiking locations and you can take guided tours of some old general stores.
It took a really long time for winter to finally happen in Northern California. Between storms and bad driving conditions, I managed to find time for a few photos before the rain returned to melt the snow. These are my favorites.
The biggest challenge about winter in Nevada City is how fast the snow melts. I want to shoot the snow in 3 or 4 different locations, but I seem to run out of time before the snow is gone.
Broad Street, Nevada City
Broad Street, Nevada City
Deer Creek in Nevada City
Nevada City
Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley
Empire Mine State Park, Grass Valley
The National Hotel in Nevada City is the oldest continuously operating hotel in California. It was recently purchased with a plan for total renovation. When you see the pictures below, you will understand why it will cost upwards of $2 million to re-open the hotel.
The hotel offers some of the best views in Nevada City and the public balcony is a great feature.
The hallways remind you of The Shining.
These rooms were available for rent only a few weeks ago, and the bedding looks about 20 years old.
Everything in the hotel rooms is currently for sale, $25 for the bed
I always like a sink next to my head.
One of the bigger rooms.
I joined a very cold winter photowalk to Smith Vineyard in Grass Valley. It was nice to finally get a chance to visit this beautiful property after driving past it almost every day.
A little red barn in the trees. Fuji X-T2, 23mm at f2.0
Fujifilm XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS at 18mm
Fujifilm XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS at 18mm at f3.2
Fujifilm XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS at f3.2
This was my favorite image of the day. Fujifilm XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS at f4.0
Fujifilm XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS at f8.0
XF35mmF2 R WR at f2.0
XF16mmF1.4 R WR at f1.6
XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS at f4.0
In Nevada City, you can find a unique suspension bridge that hangs over Deer Creek. It's a pretty easy and short walk from downtown Nevada City.
The creek that runs under the bridge is always changing, and today seemed like a good day to get some updated long exposures. Because of fallen trees and giant rocks, it is a little tricky reaching the ideal shooting spot, but I did manage a location I am happy with.
Yesterday I returned to the Empire Mine State Park in Grass Valley, California to test out my new Fuji 18-55mm lens. I wanted to see what a Nikon D810 image (shot last year) looks like vs a Fuji X-T2 image from the same location.
Shot with a Fuji X-T2 with the Fujifilm 18-55mm lens. Handheld with a high ISO. Edited in Silver Efex Pro. f2.8, ISO 5000, 1/60th. (testing the OIS).
Shot with the Nikon D810 with the Nikon 24-70mm lens. Tripod. Edited with Silver Efex Pro. f18, ISO 400. 15 second exposure.
While the composition and editing are a little different, I think this is an interesting comparison of these systems. I prefer the high contrast found in the Fuji image. Which image do you prefer?
When shooting landscapes, I usually prefer moody weather. Clouds, mist, fog and even rain. Winter is trying to end early and we have been experiencing bright cloudless sun for weeks. When we finally had an overcast day, I decided to return to Buttermilk Bend trail in the South Yuba River State Park to capture the green hillsides along the South Yuba River.
This trail is really great for a light hike. Mostly flat and you don't need to do any climbing.
One of my favorite parts of the trail is this set of stairs that take you to the main trail.
I have been on this trail three times now, and I only found these cool bridges by accident.
The bridge crosses some really nice streams, but they are totally dry because of the short winter.
As spring reaches the peak, the trails should be filled with wildflowers. Something to make a return worth while.
After moving to Grass Valley in 2016, I soon discovered a really special hiking trail about 10 minutes outside of downtown Nevada City called Independence trail. This happens to be the nation’s first identified handicapped-accessible wilderness trail. The trail is broken down into two different trails, East and West.
This boardwalk is found in the East trail (Go Left from main entrance). If you walk far enough, you will reach the South Yuba River.
The trails are a combination of wooden boardwalks like the one above and dirt trails. All of the trails are mostly flat, although they can get muddy during the winter. The trail also has an ok sized parking lot and bathrooms. I have heard of cars being broken into, so hide your stuff.
This tunnel under a giant rock can be found along the east trail.
If you go West (right turn from entrance), you can walk just over a mile to one of the coolest boardwalks I have crossed.
A waterfall runs under this section of boardwalk
The real prize on this hike is the not just the handful of small waterfalls, but the impressive switchback ramp designed to allow wheelchairs to reach the water below. Unfortunately age has damaged the ramps and it is closed. The current plan is to get an engineering study completed and make major repairs. The restoration costs are around $750,000.
At the far side of the ramp is a really cool looking waterfall that I have been unable to visit because of the closure.
A unique closed sign. Probably true, although I have seen people cross into the closed area.
This weekend I attended an indoor action photography workshop featuring martial arts, acrobats and aerial artists. The workshop was attended by about 20 other photographers, shooting with Canon, Nikon and even a few Sony systems. I was the only photographer with a Fuji and the only one using just prime lenses.
Going into this workshop, I knew I had a few challenges to overcome. First, I had never been to this location, so I didn't know anything about the lighting or layout. The second big challenge was my available glass. I wanted to stick with my Fuji system, and that would mean I would basically have a choice between my 23mm and 35mm lenses. Not ideal when you are photographing people who are 20 feet above your head.
I also brought a Godex speedlight with a huge umbrella. Other photographers brought full size strobes and big softboxes. In the end, with the mixture of natural light and the unusual locations of the models, I decided against trying to use the flash. It's hard to position a bulky umbrella when someone is spinning above your head and I am constantly moving around the subject.
The skylights brought in great natural light, but shooting into them isn't ideal.
Overall, I was really impressed with how the Fuji X-T2 performed. For the first time, I had a chance to try some of the focus tracking modes in the camera, but in the end, I really prefer just using a single focus point. I found the focus tracking just kept missing the face and head. Maybe with more practice, I can find a focus mode that works best for moving subject, that I can be happy with. Either way, I found the camera focused really fast in this mixed natural light environment.
I did most of my shooting between continuous high and low burst rates. It is pretty amazing how fast the shutter is, making it super easy to freeze a subject and pick the exposure I liked the most.
Fog machine was used and filled the warehouse with a little too much smoke. Shutter speed was 1/1000th.
Overall I am pretty happy with the images I captured, but for future events with unpredictable movements of the subjects, I would prefer a zoom lens like the 18-55mm (or 16-55mm) offered by Fuji. The prime lenses are great for street work and portraits, but maybe not so much for action work. I probably would have been happy with a 56mm f1.2 lens to help capture details and blow out the background.
Even shooting at f2.0 and 2.8, it was almost impossible to blow out the background when using these wide angle prime lenses.
A video of the workshop highlights can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUWJuwGIrOY