Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Britannica Award Winner

The 2013 Witness to Nature winner was announced. Looks like I missed the grand prize, and the chance at $1,000 but was listed as a Britannica Award Winner. I believe these winners get a small prize check plus publication in Encyclopedia Britannica Online. This was the photo chosen, from the Salt Flats at Death Valley.

Badwater salt flats sunset death valley



http://www.ohio-distinctive.com/britannica/photo_contest/winners/#wtn_BritannicaAward_BrandonYoshizawa_BadwaterSaltFlatsatSunset


I guess the award can go towards my yearly site fee. I'll try again next year. Makes me want to go back to Death Valley for some night shots in the dunes. Maybe a detour next time I'm in Mammoth.

In other news I'll be in the next issue of Nikon's N-photo magazine in the "photo story" section. I did a small blurb on panoramic images with 4 past pics from my archives that should be on a full page spread. I'll link it here when it goes out for sale next month.

Brandon Yoshizawa
B.A.Y | photography
www.bay-photography.com


Monday, March 24, 2014

Food and fotos - Los Angeles

Food and fotos...probably what my blog should be called as that's all I post about. Anyway, we headed into LA on Saturday to check out Tsujita from the recommendation of my parents. My dad said it was the best Tsukemen he's had and it was featured on David Chang's The Mind of a Chef.

Got there at 10:45 before they opened, and by 10:50 people started lining up. I got the Tsukemen, and J got the ramen. Ramen was average, we've had better but the Tsukemen was awesome.







There are a few other places on that same block we need to try, PUA and Seoul Sausage so we'll be going back out that way soon. Bachi burger is also opening up down the street, so we'll probably check that out when it opens.

We went to Blockheads after lunch for some shaved ice cream. We split a strawberry/original. Still haven't tried the shave at Boiling Point, and I don't know if we ever will. Last time we went, they said they have been out for a few months. Don't know if I want to sit through that crappy service again either.



In an effort to re-shoot some of my previous photos with better light, I went back into LA for some photos at blue hour. I ended up settling on the 3rd street bridge overlooking the 110 freeway where the on/off ramp leads up towards the city.

Had to get lucky and hoped cars took the ramps as my shutter was open. Got this one around the peak of blue hour, single exposure.
Blue hour downtown Los Angeles from the 3rd street 110 freeway overpass

The blue turns to black pretty quick, so I had to come back Sunday night as I wanted to take others from the 4th street bridge.

When I came back Sunday, there was already someone lined up where I wanted to shoot, but luckily he moved around to different locations so I jumped in and setup for blue hour. I like this perspective through the gap that shows the cars below. I had a light at my back so the shadow was inevitable.

4th street 110 overlook Downtown Los Angeles

Another from across the street looking a bit left of the first location 4th street bridge Downtown Los Angeles

And a final shot showing where I stood for my first shot, which I included the railing I shot over. You can see the sky already lost all of its color by this time, but the streaking clouds still made it a bit interesting.



All single exposures, so hard to manage the dynamic range from the darks to the building lights but they managed to come out pretty good.

We'll be in Anza Borrego this weekend...hopefully get to see some dark skies to add to my Milky Way shot collection.

Brandon Yoshizawa
B.A.Y | photography
www.bay-photography.com

Friday, March 7, 2014

More from Los Angeles

I was out and about again during the recent storm trying to get some good clear shots of Los Angeles. Went back to the Hollywood Hills behind the Griffith Observatory to get some shots of the observatory and the LA skyline. This is not the best location for sunset as I am looking out SE, so unless the sky is bursting with color it's a much better sunrise location. However, I wanted to get a few blue hour shots so I hung around for about 30 mins after sunset to get these:

Griffith Observatory car trails and Los Angeles

Los Angeles blue hour and Griffith Observatory

I also spent some time at Kenneth Hahn park trying to get a view of the San Gabriel's and the skyline. Weather didn't cooperate very much and I never got a clear view. One morning that I went for sunrise, there was some real nice light and I snapped this as soon as the sun came up and beamed over the city.



Still looking for some good vantage points of Los Angeles. I'll probably explore Elysian park next and possibly retake a shot with the 110 freeway leading into downtown.

Brandon Yoshizawa
B.A.Y | photography
www.bay-photography.com