The Lights of Main Street

Despite my early morning photos, I do not exactly wake up giddy and full of life, and I sometimes have to force myself to go out. But I know that for the most part, the best photos are taken then. While sunset is good too, there are often other commitments at that time, whereas I am on my own in the mornings with no distractions.

I also know that if I force myself to go out and do something tangible that I feel better about myself. I don't have to nail the best photo ever. In fact, I don't even have to get a photo although I would almost always click the shutter anyway.

I pretty much don't sleep past 5 anyway, and with the sun rising later and later, I still usually have time for a somewhat leisurely coffee before I head out.

The problem is where to go.

On this morning, I simply decided to go downtown to take pictures of the lights. We have Christmas-style lights up all year on our main street, Bridge Street.

But my first photo of the days was the spiders that live in the car mirror. I wrote about this here not long ago. I didn't know there were two of them, however, and they were both out in the dark on this morning, I suppose feasting on the night's catch.

I had my little flashlight handy and was able to get a poor photo.

Had I used my brain, I would have swept both them and the web away right then and there, but I didn't think of it at the time. I did think of it on the next morning, but it was a little later, and neither of them were out feasting.

Onto the downtown photos. This is the Masonic temple (second floor). Unfortunately, is was garbage pickup day, which is a bit unsightly but kind of obscured by the low light. On the left, the worker is watering a hanging planter. I often encounter someone doing this when I go out early. In the summer, it is always a part-time college student
.

I hadn't gone with the intention of taking light trails, but that is what I ended up doing after taking the above photo.

This one ↑ turned out pretty well and is a composite of only two photos. Below, I got carried away with layers and went over the top. This is fine as it is for my amusement and also benefit in terms of learning what will work and what won't work.

This one ↓ is of the pet store next to the temple. It can be seen partially in the above photo too. I kind of like how the hint of the passing car can be seen.

There weren't too many more lights just in that spot, so I got in the car and drove up the street, not quite knowing what I would shoot next.

I parked near the bridge and townhall, and decided to shoot the lights from a distance on the other side of the bridge.

But first, when I passed the corner of townhall, I saw that there was some nice colour in the sky.

So I took this ↑ photo and continued toward my goal.

Once again, I confess to going rather overboard with the light trails. But I had fun.

It was then that I turned around . . . to be continued