Mirth and Merriment
Location: North tip of Lake Berryessa, California
Created: 04/13/2013
Camera: EOS Canon 7D
Lens: EF 24-105 f4L IS USM
Aperture: f/7.1 ; 1/30 sec ; HDR +/- 4 EV; ISO 100
Paper: Fuji Crystal Archive Gloss Paper
Hired to cover an Ironman “HITS” full Triathlon in Napa Valley, and after about 12 hours of shooting the race, I was given a short meal break, before the next 5 hours towards final completion of the race. I drove back about a short mile, to this spot I had scouted the night, while arriving to the location. It was mid-span on a ¼ mile bridge, over the peninsula of the lake. I parked my vehicle on the far end of a bridge, in a small turnout directly in front of a California State Park locked gate, marked with numerous “No Parking” signs (a key ploy, us photographers use often). I walked the 2 or 3 minutes to the center of the span, and set up my tripod and camera. About the time the sunset really got going, a park ranger walked up to me and benevolently asks me, if that was my truck parked at the end of the bridge. I politely said yes, and respectfully pleaded if I could stay just 20 more minutes, I could soon move it. His reply was, “ that’s fine, because when I pulled in behind you, I accidently locked my keys in my ranger vehicle, and we are both not going anywhere until another ranger brings us a spare set of keys”… To say the least, he said he was not going to write me a ticket, and go ahead and stay as long as I liked.
The lens flare gave a transcendent feeling to the shot, which lays tribute to those hearty runners that had competed in the grueling, extraordinary Triathlon race. (2.4 mi swim | 112 mi bike | 26.2 mi run)
