Abandoned Southern California book and book signing-CANCELED!

BOOK EVENT CANCELED:

Well, this is very frustrating. Like the NBA and Disneyland, we too need to close the doors to events. This is the second time my book event has been canceled. Puhhhhh.

There is currently no date for a future event. We live in strange, strange times right now, and most anything that has a decent crowd has been canceled. Thank you so much for your patience.

Since everyone is hoarding toilet paper in preparation for the impending virus, I would encourage all involved to also hoard copies of “Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time”. If people feel they will spend that much time on the throne, they deserve good reading material. I’m here to help. www.kenleephotography.com will get that done.

Please let other people know that it is canceled. I really try my best to let everyone know, but it is so hard to do.

Thanks!

“Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time” @ Valley Relics (Sunday March 22nd is canceled).

 

NEW BOOK: I’m going to start this blog again after taking a hiatus. And what better way than to announce my first book? I have a new book entitled “Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time”. The book features night photography photos of abandoned locations, some of them well known, others rather secret and obscure. The book is published by Fonthill Media/Arcadia Publishing. I am also working on two more books featuring night photography photos of abandoned locations.

BOOK SIGNING EVENT – CANCELED: I will be having a book signing on March 22 2020 at 5 pm at Valley Relics Museum in Los Angeles, CA at 7900 Balboa Blvd. Lake Balboa CA 91406 Hangar C 3 and 4. The entrance is on Stagg Street. Although it begins at 5 pm, I would encourage people to show up early to check out the fascinating museum. Admission is $10. I will also be giving a half hour slide show presentation on some of the locations in the book.

Facebook Event sign-up and tickets

 

BLOG: I am going to begin writing blog posts. However, it’s going to be different this time. I had problems trying to post so many times before, so I am going to slow it down to approximately one time a month. I will write more about night photography in general, including occasionally answering more commonly asked questions about night photography, including star trails, Milky Way, abandoned locations, gear, and other topics, keeping it loose and informal and fun and interesting.

NEW WEBSITE: I have a fresh new look for my website. Check it out! I am super happy with how beautifully it displays the photos and how it seamlessly integrates purchasing prints and various other items. www.kenleephotography.com

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!

MY WEBSITE:
Head on over to the Ken Lee Photography website to purchase books or look at night photography and long exposure photos.  My latest book, “Abandoned Southern California: The Slowing of Time” is available there and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Booktopia, Books A Million, IBS, and Aladin. If you enjoy the book, please leave a nice review.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like)
Instagram

PODCAST:
Behind the Shot video podcast – interview February 2020

ARTICLES:
A Photographer Captures Haunting Nighttime Images of Abandoned Buildings, Planes, and Cars in the American Southwest – Business Insider by Erin McDowell
A Photographer Explores Southern Caoifornia’s Desert Ruins – Los Angeles Magazine article by Chris Nichols

 

Thank you!

-Ken

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Photo: Riding Pine (Milky Way Near Los Angeles, CA)

Riding Pine

Mount Pinos is probably the best place near Los Angeles for viewing the stars because it has relatively low light pollution, clear skies, and is 8,847 feet (2,697 m) in elevation. Mt. Pinos is the highest point in Ventura County, and one of the most popular spots near Los Angeles for star gazing. As a bonus, if you are in a hurry, you can easily drive up to near the summit, just about 1.4 miles away. My girlfriend and I did just that. There were many people in the parking lot near the summit, many with RVs, telescopes, lawn chairs, cameras, and an occasional acoustic guitar. We walked along the trail to a couple of meadows near Chula Vista Campground and took these photos. That night was a new moon, and so many people wanted to see the Milky Way, as it is more prominent in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer.

In this photo, we are looking just about straight up at the sky, so this is not the densest part of the Milky Way.

Mt. Pinos, called “Iwihinmu” by the Chumash, was considered to be the center of the world (“Liyikshup”), an area where everything was in balance, and was the center of their ancestral home.

Title: Riding Pine (7845)
Photo: Ken Lee Photography
Info: Nikon D610, AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens at 14mm, 20 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 4000. 2015-07-17 22:45. Light painting with Protomachines LED2 flashlight.
Location: Mt. Pinos, California, USA
~~~~~
Riding Pine.

Mount Pinos es probablemente el mejor lugar cerca de Los Angeles para ver las estrellas ya que tiene relativamente poca polucion de luz, cielos claros, y es 8,847 feet (2,697 m) de altura. Mt. Pinos es el punto más alto en el condado de Ventura, y uno de los lugares más populares cerca de Los Angeles para observar las estrellas. Y tambien, si usted está en un apuro, puede conducir fácilmente hasta cerca de la cumbre, a tan sólo unos 1,4 kilómetros de distancia. Mi novia y yo hicimos precisamente eso. Había mucha gente en la playa de estacionamiento cerca de la cumbre, muchos con RVs, telescopios, sillas de jardín, cámaras y una guitarra acústica ocasional. Caminamos por el sendero a un par de prados y tomamos estas fotos. Esa noche era luna nueva, y entonces mucha gente quería ver la Vía Láctea, ya que es más prominente en el hemisferio norte durante el verano.

Monte Pinos, llamados “Iwihinmu” por el Chumash, fue considerado como el centro del mundo (“Liyikshup”), una zona donde todo estaba en equilibrio, y fue el centro de hogar ancestral para ellos.

Título: Riding Pine (7845)
Foto: Ken Lee Photography
Info: Nikon D610, AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED en 14 mm, 20 segundos, f/2.8, ISO 4000 2015-07-17 22:45. Pintura de luz con Protomachines LED2 flashlight.
Ubicación: Mt. Pinos, California, EE.UU.

#stars #astrophotography #mtpinos #pinos #astronomy #milkyway #nature #night #pinetrees #venturacounty #mountain #nightsky #kenlee #stargazing #vialactea #lightpainting #nightskyphotography #longexposure #nikon #lospadres #nationalforest

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!
You can see more of these photos here  on my Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like), on 500px, or my Ken Lee Google+ Page. We discuss long exposure, night sky, star trails, and coastal long exposure photography, as well as lots of other things, so I hope you can join us!

And you can go to the Ken Lee Photography website, which has more photos from Ken Lee.  Thank you very much for visiting!

Photos: Pinos Envy (Milky Way)

This photo shows why so many stargazers and astronomers come up when there’s no moon out, especially during the summer when it’s not super cold. This is a photo from our campsite in McGill Campground that I took Friday night (2015-07-17) at Mt. Pinos, near Frazier Park in California, and is a photo from our two day camping trip at Mt. Pinos.

Make that ONE day. The thread of thunder and rain made us retreat to our friends’ home in nearby Frazier Park.

Later, Frazier Park was pummeled with really heavy rain, causing a mudslide that blocked the road, hemming us in for the evening. I took Milky Way shots after the others had gone to sleep. We stayed at our friends’ house overnight, so it was all good.

Friday was gorgeous, and we had fun hanging out amongst the towering pines. Friday night was beautiful and clear. Saturday, the clouds began rolling in from the coast, and by mid-morning, we had decided to pack it up and head down the hill.

Lots of fun, and always a pleasure hanging out with our friends among the beautiful pines and fresh mountain air.

Mount Pinos is probably the best place near Los Angeles for viewing the stars because it has relatively low light pollution, clear skies, and is 8,847 feet (2,697 m) in elevation. Mt. Pinos is the highest point in Ventura County, and one of the most popular spots near Los Angeles for star gazing. As a bonus, if you are in a hurry, you can easily drive up to near the summit, just about 1.4 miles away. My girlfriend and I did just that. There were many people in the parking lot near the summit, many with RVs, telescopes, lawn chairs, cameras, and an occasional acoustic guitar. We walked along the trail to a couple of meadows near Chula Vista Campground and took these photos. That night was a new moon, and so many people wanted to see the Milky Way, as it is more prominent in the Northern Hemisphere during the summer.

In this photo, we are looking just about straight up at the sky, so this is not the densest part of the Milky Way.

Mt. Pinos, called “Iwihinmu” by the Chumash, was considered to be the center of the world (“Liyikshup”), an area where everything was in balance, and was the center of their ancestral home.

Title inspired by Elson Trinidad’s pun!

Title: Pinos Envy (7856)
Photo: Ken Lee Photography
Info: Nikon D610, AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lens at 14mm, 20 seconds, f/2.8, ISO 4000. 2015-07-17 23:02.
Location: Mt. Pinos, California, USA
~~~~~
Mount Pinos es probablemente el mejor lugar cerca de Los Angeles para ver las estrellas ya que tiene relativamente poca polucion de luz, cielos claros, y es 8,847 feet (2,697 m) de altura. Mt. Pinos es el punto más alto en el condado de Ventura, y uno de los lugares más populares cerca de Los Angeles para observar las estrellas. Y tambien, si usted está en un apuro, puede conducir fácilmente hasta cerca de la cumbre, a tan sólo unos 1,4 kilómetros de distancia. Mi novia y yo hicimos precisamente eso. Había mucha gente en la playa de estacionamiento cerca de la cumbre, muchos con RVs, telescopios, sillas de jardín, cámaras y una guitarra acústica ocasional. Caminamos por el sendero a un par de prados y tomamos estas fotos. Esa noche era luna nueva, y entonces mucha gente quería ver la Vía Láctea, ya que es más prominente en el hemisferio norte durante el verano.

Monte Pinos, llamados “Iwihinmu” por el Chumash, fue considerado como el centro del mundo (“Liyikshup”), una zona donde todo estaba en equilibrio, y fue el centro de hogar ancestral para ellos.

Título inspirado en un juego de palabras de Elson Trinidad! 😀

Título: Pinos Envy (7856)
Foto: Ken Lee Photography
Info: Nikon D610, AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED en 14 mm, 20 segundos, f/2.8, ISO 4000 2015-07-17 23:02.
Ubicación: Mt. Pinos, California, EE.UU.

#stars #astrophotography #mtpinos #pinos #astronomy #milkyway #nature #night #pinetrees #venturacounty #mountain #nightsky #kenlee #stargazing #vialactea #lightpainting #nightskyphotography #longexposure #nikon

VISIT ME, VISIT ME!
You can see more of these photos here  on my Ken Lee Photography Facebook Page (poke your head in, say hi, and “like” the page if you would, uh, like), on 500px, or my Ken Lee Google+ Page. We discuss long exposure, night sky, star trails, and coastal long exposure photography, as well as lots of other things, so I hope you can join us!

And you can go to the Ken Lee Photography website, which has more photos from Ken Lee.  Thank you very much for visiting!

Photo: Sunrise on the Spire – The Amazing Secret Coastline of Los Angeles

Please click on the photo to view it larger and more clearly!  Thanks!

This holiday week, if you’re in Southern California, think about how lucky you are with the weather.  And if you’re visiting, enjoy a visit to the coast!!

Title: Sunrise on the Spire I
Info: Nikon D7000, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 with B+W 1.8 ND filter. ISO 100, 10 second exposure, f/11.
Photography: Ken Lee
Location: Los Angeles, California USA

Equipment:  Nikon D7000, Tokina AT-X 116

 

Photo: The Amazing Wild Coast of….Los Angeles

Please click on the photo to view it larger and more clearly!  Thanks!

A beautiful warm day in late October. Lisa and I went to the most beautiful beach in Los Angeles.

These are long exposure photos. This one is a ten-second long exposure. The challenge to me is to try and keep the tripod still when the ocean water is ebbing and flowing, pulling on the tripod, pulling the soft wet sand away from the tripod and wrapping seaweed around the tripod legs! I always jam the tripod in as hard as possible, and this certainly helps, although of course not always!

And the other challenge is to try and keep the water from splashing on the lens or the camera. I destroyed my Nikon D90 at Bowling Ball Beach by having water splash on it, frying the circuit board.

Title: Sunset on the Secret Coast
Info: Nikon D7000, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 with B+W 1.8 ND filter. ISO 100, 1.6 second exposure, f/11.
Photography: Ken Lee
Location: Los Angeles, California, USA.

Equipment:  Nikon D7000, Tokina AT-X 116

 

Day of the Dead 2012! – iDia de los Muertos 2012!

Please click on the photo to view it larger and more clearly!  Thanks!

Seeing as, according to the Mayan calendar, the world is going to end next month, we should get in our commemoration of our loved ones who have passed on while we can.

This was taken at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery during Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on 27 October 2012.  You can see more photos from this on my Virtual Photo Album.  Act quickly, though, there’s only a few weeks until the end of the world!

If you are into photography and wish to know how to create this antique look with sloppy borders, it’s really not difficult.  Have a look at my blog to learn how.

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is about gathering families and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Although this usually corresponds with the Catholic holiday All Saints’ Day on November 1 and 2, Hollywood Forever held it beforehand. Traditions include building private altars honoring the deceased, using sugar skulls and the favorite foods, beverages, and affects of the departed.

Historians trace the origins to indigenous observances 2500-3000 years ago ago as well as to an Aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl.

Equipment:  Nikon D7000, Tokina AT-X 116

 

Featured Photo: My Eyes Have Seen You, Let Them Photograph Your Soul

“Jim Morrison” with Break On Through, an amazing Doors tribute band, 17 December 2011. Nikon D90 with a 50mm Nikkor f1.8 lens, 1/100, f/2, 1250 ISO.

Break On Through to the Faster Side
There’s nothing like a nice fast lens.  I like shooting concert photos with natural light most of the time, and a fast lens always helps.  I’m using the Nikkor 50mm f/1.4, which at $300, is a pretty good bargain.  There’s another 50mm lens, the f/1.8, for scarcely more than $100, which is a steal.  Dark light?  With a big aperture, I can still shoot at 1/100 and “freeze” the action without getting too much noise (grain).

I like to wander.  I took the above photo of “Jim Morrison”, singer of the Doors tribute band Break On Through”, while standing next to the drummer on stage.  I really like the look of someone who is backlit.