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September is the beginning of the “high season” for night photography here on the West Coast of the USA: the nights are getting longer and the night skies are clearing up along the coast. There are also a few night photography shows coming up.

Greta and Manu Schnetzler have a show called “Surreal Night” at the Sports Basement (1590 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA). The reception is Friday, September 5, 6-8pm.

(Photo by Manu Schnetzler)

Also, John Vias will have some of his night photographs included in the “Glimpes of Time” show at the Joyce Gordon Gallery (406 14th St, Oakland, CA) from September 5-29, 2008. The reception is September 5th from 5:30-830pm.

(Photo by John Vias)

There are more night photography shows coming up, including one in Texas! I’ll have more information on that in my next post.

By the way, I’m still working on my review of Troy Paiva’s latest book Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration. If you can’t wait, here’s the synopsis: It’s absolutely stunning, and it’s a must-have for any enthusiast of night photography. If you loved Troy’s first book, you’ll be amazed at the second book. So go buy it, even before you see my in-depth review.

And if that’s enough, you should also buy a copy of Jill Waterman’s Night and Low-Light Photography, which includes some of my color night photography from the past few years.

This has been a busy summer for night photography books. First, Troy Paiva’s long-awaited second book Night Vision comes out. Next, Jill Waterman’s new book Night and Low-Light Photography was released early this month. The subtitle “Professional techniques from experts for artistic and commercial success” sums it up quite well, although they could also add “includes lots of beautiful photographs“.

As the Introduction says,

In Night & Low Light Photography, author Jill Waterman looks at the work of 30 top professionals, examining their real-life projects as well as their tips, techniques, and unique approaches.

The result is a beautiful yet practical compendium covering every aspect of night and low-light photography–digital and film capture in all formats, color and black & white, commercial and fine art. The moon and stars, weather conditions, atmospheric effects, cityscapes, industrial light, night events, night landscapes.

All this and more is presented in a lavishly illustrated, one-volume resource–an indispensable guide for those seeking insight, inspiration and provocation in making pictures at night.

Well, that certainly sounds better than anything I could have written. I’m especially proud to have been included in the thirty photographers whose work and techniques have been included in this great book (shameless self-promotion #1). If you’re familiar with night photography, you’ll probably recognize many of the contributors to this book; which includes Tim Baskerville, Tom Paiva, Lance Keimig, Troy Paiva, Steve Harper and many others. In fact, you can also hear many of those photographers speak about their work in my documentary film on night photography (shameless self-promotion #2).

(Warming Hut, by Andy Frazer)

There is a comprehensive website with more information about this book, including contributors’ portfolios, a featured artist, and blog.

Published by Amphoto Books, the book is 208 high-quality pages of great reading and looking. You can buy your copy right now from Amazon, or many other locations.

The decommissioned US Army base of Fort Ord has been a popular site for Northern California night photographers for the past few years. Fort Ord was also included in Troy Paiva’s recent book Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration. The 3300 acres has been in a mixed state of neglect and redevelopment (with the developers usually winning) ever since I first ventured there two years ago.

(7th Division Light Fighters, by Andy Frazer)

Earlier this week the US Army completed the final transfer of jurisdiction of the land over to the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. This means that redevelopment of the remaining TOADS (Temporary, Obsolete, Abandoned or Derelect Structures) is going to move forward quickly.

(Photo by Basim Jaber)

KQED has a podcast interview with the Lia Mettee-McCutchon, Fearless Leader of the Fort Ord Reuse Authority, discussing the implications of this change of authority (sorry, there’s no detailed list of which buildings will get demolished when).

Coincidentally, just last weekend some Bay Area night photographers (including Joe Reifer and Steve Anderson and Troy Paiva) descended upon Fort Ord during the August full moon.

(Recling, by Joe Reifer)

Here are few other notable NP’s of Fort Ord:

(Observation Tower, by Steve Anderson)

(Cyclops, by Troy Paiva)

Juan Alberto Barria took this dramatic shot in Rosario, Argentina of the Rosario Victoria Bridge.

(Rosario de Noche, by Juan Alberto Barria)

Urban night photographs taken in fog often have an eery, noir look. I imagine the reason we don’t see a lot of foggy night photographs is that few people want to be out shooting in that sort of weather. That’s too bad, because it produces worthwhile photographs. One of the interesting aspects of this photograph is that it appears to have been taken from a boat in the water (it wasn’t). Somehow, this makes it more intriguing to the viewer.

Other NPy News… I’m working on a review of Troy Paiva’s second book Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration. I hope to post it by the end of the week.

Troy Paiva, better know to many as Lost America, and Joe Reifer, are offering a workshop on night photography and light painting at the Pearsonville Junkyard October 11th and 12th. This is not a hop-the-fence event. Troy and Joe have secured permission to shoot this junkyard. The workshop will be based in Ridgecrest, CA, about 15 miles from the junkyard.

(”Long on the Roof”, by Troy Paiva)

You can read more about this workshop on Joe Reifer’s blog, or Troy’s FlickrStream. I imagine that Troy will also bring along signed copies of his latest book Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration.

(Appendage, by Stephen Freskos)

Stephen has always been drawn to secretive and old places, and has been visiting abandonments and off-limits places since he was 13 years old. His fascination with graffiti has taken him to roof tops, drains and abandoned buildings all over the states and some foreign
countries.

Stephen says, “I realized how much beautiful and unique stuff I was seeing in these places and finally combined my exploration with my latent photography urges. Now every weekend I’m shooting and going to further and further lengths and occasional legal risks to photograph abandoned places.”

Flickr user AntyDiluvian has posted some shots of the “Darkness, Darkness” exhibit’s new home at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (Boston, MA, USA). Unfortunately, the show is only open to the general public during specific time slots when curated by Lance Keimig (it’s not unfortunate that Lance is the curator, on the contrary, but it is unfortunate that there are only limited time slots for public viewing).

(Photo by AntyDiluvian)

As the photographer explains, “If you’re at the BCEC on business (attending a convention, for example), you can see this exhibit any time between now and August 31, 2008, when it closes. If you’re not here on business, you can only see it on the night of Thursday, August 28, from 5-9 pm.”

For San Francisco Bay fine art photography fans, two of our local night photographers are each having independent shows/signings this Friday night (August 1st).

Joe Reifer will have the reception for his show Toy Camera Dreams with Robert Holmgren at Lucky Ju Ju’s vintage pinball arcade (713 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA) on August 1st from 7-10pm. Although most of us know Joe as a night photographer, this show will feature his daytime toy camera work which, I believe, will consist of 35mm film shot in a 6×6 Holga and cross-processed in some sort of out-of-spec color chemistry. Robert Holmgren’s work, I believe, consists of monochrome Holga photography. Although I’m familiar with both of their work on the internet, I’m looking forward to seeing both sets of work in real prints. The entire show runs from August 1st-30th.

(Oscar, by Joe Reifer)

On the same evening, just across the Oakland Bay Bridge, Troy Paiva will have a book-signing and slide show for his second book Night Vision: The Art of Urban Explorationat 111 Minna Gallery (111 Minna, San Francisco, CA). The book-signing will be from 7-9pm.

(Cover of Troy Paiva’s latest book: Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration)

Here’s the best news. If you noticed that both shows are on the same night at approximately the same time, you’re right. This means you only have to make one excuse to your spouse to get out of the house, and you can hit two receptions and see a total of three great photographers all in one swoop across the San Francisco Bay! What a great way to spend a Friday evening.

I will attend both receptions. If you see me there, please stop by and introduce yourself. I’d really like to know who is reading this out in the blogosphere.

Flavia Sollner is a German-born photographer who works in London, UK and Oslo, Norway. Her portfolio of night photography includes work that is mysterious and seems to include more dark space than lighting. She writes:

(”The Tail of Our Purloined Breath”, by Flavia Sollner)

There’s definitely a difference between Flavia’s work and most of the contemporary night photography that we see in galleries and on the internet today. Most of today’s work seems to focus on heavy, careful lighting, whereas Flavia’s work seems to focus on the lack of lighting across the frame.

OK, that description may not make sense, but it’s the best I can think of right now. What do you think? Can anyone explain this more eloquently?

Found in Jorg Colberg’s Conscientious blog.

There will be a show of night photography from Berkeley, CA at The Lightroom (2263 Fifth St, Berkeley, CA) from July 14 through August 22. This show was organized by Tim Baskerville, founder of The Nocturnes. It includes work by Joe Reifer, Denise Fuson, Sherry Glassman, Mark Jaremko, Charity Vargas and John Vias.

(Fishhouse, by Joe Reifer)

Instead of trying to describe this show in my customary disconnected blather, please jump to the more complete description of this show over at Joe Reifer’s Blog. You can see a preview of the show here. If you can make it, make sure you look for Joe’s photograph of the giant bunny rabbit topiary.

More important, the reception will be Saturday, July 19th from 2-6pm. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make the reception that day.