I snapped this photo on an exceptionally warm day for early March. Temperatures in Washington DC climbed into the high 70s and hints of the coming summer humidity permeated the balmy swamp that is our Nation’s capital. Scott Zaleski, who was visiting from Chicago, and I had been wandering around the FDR memorial. I eventually ended up on the bank of the Tidal Basin. The setting sun cast a warm light on the Washington and Jefferson memorials. When I looked west towards the Potomac, I noticed that passersby were pleasantly silhouetted against the golden sky. I creeped out, zoomed my lens to 200mm and grabbed a few shots of people as they walked (or biked) by the sunset.

This is a picture of a statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Scott pointed out how the end of his finger was worn down and shiny from visitors touching it. I screwed on my Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 and got about as close as I’ll ever likely get to a “sitting” President.

Being at the FDR memorial seemed rather ominous considering the current economic situation facing our nation. The walls of the memorial are etched with famous quotations and evidence of the institutions he founded. While the argument can be made that World War II was ultimately the stimulus that ended the Great Depression, one wonders how successful our current leadership will ultimately be. Even better though, I was touring a monument to one of our most socialist presidents with a captain of the free market system, Mr. Scott “grain trader” Zaleski. His musings on parallels between FDR and fellow-Chicagoan Barack Obama were certainly thoughtful, if not mildly entertaining.

Scott was also verbally composing a list of “people you can’t trust” based on certain stereotypes. Chief on this list is “guys with two first names, like Adam Charles.” He was also working on a theory about people who wear New Balances and ties. Look for more on this soon.

The moon prominently hung in the sky all afternoon. This picture is a tribute to one of my dad’s best shots in recent years.

Should I just forget historical/nature/landscape/party pix/creeper photography and start a Dog Blog? Do you think a dawg blawg could act as a stimulus plan for The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000? If this website doesn’t make any money, is it contributing to our shitty economy?

Anyway, this little yapper was spazzing out near the canal in Georgetown. He had a little friend with him that was dressed equally as ridiculous.

Check out these photos and a few more in a slideshow. Your boss probably won’t walk by for a few minutes… so why not go fullscreen?

This is not Half Yogurt. This is PWRFL Power. The last time I saw Kazutaka Nomura, he was his other alter ego, Half Yogurt. From what I can tell, Half Yogurt is Kaz’s solo electric guitar performance vehicle. Add vocals to that and you get PWRFL Power. Of course, you can read his blog at http://www.halfyogurt.blogspot.com/. There he boldly pronounces that PWRFL POWER is HALF YOGURT. Whatever you call him, or he calls himself, it’s the same brand of inventive guitar finger-picking and quirky lyrics.

Kaz and his audience.
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Kazutaka Nomura is a Seattle based musician. Originally from Japan, Kaz splits his time between the Northwest, New York City and Washington DC. I caught his act earlier this month at the Velvet Lounge in DC. The Velvet Lounge is a tiny bar with a performance space on the second floor. My advice is to grab a PBR tallboy downstairs and bring it up with you—using the 16 ounce version will cut down on trips back and forth between the stage and the bar.

Kazutaka Nomura.
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As a composer, Kaz’s guitar work is fascinating. He opened with a thoughtfully constructed instrumental (solo electric guitar). He cleverly weaved together several themes while spanning a wide dynamic range. By highlighting subtle nuances throughout song, Kaz organically accelerated the urgency of the piece. He created a tension, whispered a hint of relief, but did not resolve the conflict until the finale. The packed room at the Velvet let out a collective sigh, and then warmly applauded. The rest of his set featured more frenzied guitar work, but added Kaz’s simple vocals and odd lyrics. The most entertaining part of the night might have been his goofy banter in between songs. He explained that one song was about “Alex 5,” an old, broken bong. Another song was about how he had hooked up with a girl in New England, and then the next morning went to a diner where her mother worked. While some criticize this deliberate “cutesy-ness,” I think it works for him. Watching a PWRFL Power/Half Yogurt set is like walking into a room at a house party where a guy is playing guitar for five or six people.

Also, last time I saw Kaz (as Half Yogurt), he was not selling any merchandise. To make up for this, he offered to sell his guitar for $700. He said he was not kidding. This time he did have merch for sale, although it wasn’t for “gas money” or the normal reasons bands sell CDs and t-shirts. He told he us he didn’t really care about the money; but he’d like it if you bought the CD and learned the songs. This way we could sing along with him next time.

The light at the Velvet Lounge was SUPER low. Most of these pictures were shot wide open at ISO 3200 (click the EXIF links to see for yourself). I used what has become my standard concert setup: Nikon D300 set to Neutral. Matrix metering or spot/center weighted average metering if the light source is behind the subject. Max ISO set to 1600 or 3200 with a minumum shutter speed of 1/60. Close up shots – Nikon 50mm f/1.8. Wide angle – Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8.

The Velvet Lounge. Washington DC.
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View a slide show of the above images and several others from that night.

Last Saturday I hauled out the Marin, packed up my camera gear, and cruised the streets of Washington DC. I was excited to use my new Lowepro CompuTrekker photo backpack, and I stupidly packed it full of everything I could.

Nikon D300, Nikon 18-200mm VR lens, Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens, Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens. Nikon SB-600 flash. Check.

MacBook Pro and Bose headphones. Check.

Manfrotto tripod and ball head. Check.

All kinds of other random photog accessories. Check.

I think I used less gear when I climbed Mount Rainier in 2001. Oh well.

The first stop I made is just down the hill from where I live. Open City is a cool coffeehouse/diner/bar that is always open, and always serves breakfast. After grabbing a quick bite, I unbolted the Marin from outside of Open City and took off down Connecticut.

The photo above was taken in Georgetown. I paused at an intersection to grab a few photos of the Christmas shoppers. I had not originally noticed the Bennetton building, but I turned around and saw that ridiculous limo in front of it. I quickly pressed the shutter and got a shot. When I got home, I discovered the different colors in the windows.

I submitted my photos to the DCist photo pool on flickr, and a few days later the DCist used this shot for an About Tonight post. The interest generated by the DCist propelled “Windows” to the #2 most “interesting” photo (out of the 382) I’ve submitted to flickr. Flickr uses some strange kind of formula to determine a photo’s “interestingness.” In case you are wondering, #1 is “Ramps.” “Windows” replaced “Capitol Hill Obama Party,” which headlined an Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000 post about the 2008 Election.

I packed up all my gear and made my way through Georgetown. I passed this interesting cupcake shop that had a line of 20 people going out the door. Cupcakes? Really? I asked about this place at work, and apparently it’s a big deal here in the District. I did not stop to grab a snack, but check out Georgetown Cupcake for yourself.

It was raining and snowing pretty heavily by now. Considering how ill-equipped I was to handle these conditions, I was fortunate to stumble upon two really nice bike shops in Georgetown. I ducked into Revolution Cycles and picked up this awesome under helmet beanie thing. It gets the wind off my ears while keeping the noggin decently warm, plus it wicks. Revolution did not have much inventory left in gloves, so I hopped over to their next door neighbor, Bicycle Pro Shop, and picked up some excellent Cannondale riding gloves with Primaloft.

Francis Scott Key Memorial. EXIF.

Across the street from the bike shops is the Francis Scott Key Memorial. For this shot, I mounted the D300 and Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens on a tripod. I popped up the built in flash and set it to “Commander” mode to trigger my Nikon SB-600 flash. The SB-600 can be programmed to fire when it receives a signal from the commander module on the camera. I held the SB-600 in my left hand and pressed the shutter with my right hand. I made several shots with the flash coming from different angles.

Georgetown Canal. EXIF.

After monkeying around at the Francis Scott Key Memorial, I again packed up everything and headed down to the Georgetown Canal. I followed a path along the canal until I reached a series of dams and bridges.

Great Blue Heron. EXIF.

It was raining pretty hard by now, and I noticed a Great Blue Heron taking refuge under one of the bridges. It’s pretty surreal to see a bird like this in an urban environment.

It was tough to get a close shot of the bird from where I was, and it was under pretty dark cover beneath the bridge. I put on the 50mm f/1.8, mounted the SB-600 and dialed in f/2.8 in aperture priority mode. I posted a closer crop of this shot on flickr: Great Blue Heron [crop].

Oak Hill Cemetery. EXIF.

The canal path eventually ran into Rock Creek Parkway. I pedaled along “The Rock” until I came across Oak Hill Cemetery. I setup the tripod and made a series of shots with different lenses. To make the shot above, I plugged in 10 seconds on shutter priority. I took the camera out of auto ISO and chose 200. I did the black and white conversion in Photoshop CS4 using Calculations.

I hopped back on the bike to head home. Although I was eager to get out of the wet and warm up, my bike had other plans. Shortly after leaving the cemetery my chain snapped, forcing me to walk the last mile. Oh well. A few days later I walked it over to City Bikes in Adams Morgan. They set me up with a new chain and had me out the door in under 10 minutes.

You can check out the route I travelled using the Google Map below. I’ve marked all the relevant waypoints and photo locations.
View Larger Map

Thanks to The DCist and Black Plastic Bag, two possibilities were ahead of me on Saturday night. Even though I have only lived in DC for a little more than a week, I’ve already found several blogs to monitor. While neither inspires a “Sharat+Brooklyn Vegan” type relationship (my heart still belongs to Line Out), both provide timely information about hip happenings around The District. Shows were going down at The Black Cat and The Red & the Black. Since I saw Starfucker last month at the latter, I chose to attend the former.

The Black Cat. Washington DC.
Nikon D300. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens. EXIF.

I punched the Black Cat’s address into the GPS and attempted to navigate the criss-crossing one-ways and roundabouts of Washington DC. As the Garmin announced I was “arriving at destination,” I noticed cop cars surrounding the block. I counted 10-15 cruisers, a police van and a fistful of DC’s finest. I briefly considered aborting the mission, but I then realized that with all these cops around–it must be safe! I parked the Altima a few blocks away and took a simple setup with me. I slung the D300 and 11-16mm over my shoulder and put the 50mm f/1.8 in my jacket pocket.

Since I arrived a little early, I had a chance to check out the venue. The main stage is directly upstairs from the box office at The Black Cat. It is a good size room with a low ceiling, flanked by bars on either side. A few concert goers mingled in a lounge area with tables and chairs at the back of the hall.

Michael Nau leading Cotton Jones.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8. EXIF.

That’s not Steve Zissou with a guitar; it’s Michael Nau of Cotton Jones. They were the first band on the bill and possibly my favorite of the three.

The five piece ensemble is lead by Michael Nau, whose earnest vocals are complimented by organist Whitney McGraw’s delicate singing. Without getting into a musical taxonomy discussion, I’d call Cotton Jones indie-alt-country-folk. While I enjoyed their entire set, the last tune resonated with me hours after the last band left the stage. Click “Man Climbs out of the Sewer” to hear this beautiful song.

Whitney McGraw of Cotton Jones.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8. EXIF.

The Cassettes.
Nikon D300. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens. EXIF.

Up next were Washington DC’s The Cassettes. These guys were pure energy. The show opened with all the stage lights shutting off and scenes from an old Western projected on a backdrop. The four piece band took the stage and launched into their own brand of frantic rock.

Shelby Cinca of The Cassettes.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens. EXIF.

Shelby Cinca leads the band on guitar and vocals. Stephen J. Perron Guidry supplies backing vocals, accordion, synth and other instruments. On drums is Saadat Awan and Arthur Harrison plays theremin. Nearly every song The Cassettes played featured theremin–an early electronic instrument that adjusts pitch and volume by sensing where the musician’s hands are in proximity to two antennas.

Arthur Harrison of The Cassettes plays the theremin.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens. EXIF.

Before closing the show, Shelby announced that the last tune was about a Navajo warrior who came back from the past, or from the future, took a look around at the United States of America and decided things needed to be reset. He realized he needed to hit the “reset button.” He dedicated the song to that Navajo warrior and “Barack Obama–because I like that guy.” Best way to get cheap applause among 18-35 year olds: name drop Barry Obama. The hipster sprinkled audience at The Black Cat obliged Shelby and let out a yelp when they heard the President-Elect’s name. As the cheer died down, The Cassettes ripped into “Countach,” the final song of their set. True to the bygone era of 1980s excess that the title implies, The Cassettes had coordinated images of Lamgorghini Countachs to be projected behind them while they played.

Jesse Elliot of These United States.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens. EXIF.

Shortly after The Cassettes wrapped up, headliner These United States situated themselves on stage at The Black Cat. Band leader Jesse Elliot looks like a gritty cross between Robin Pecknold of Seattle’s Fleet Foxes and my buddy Andy Fitts of Aqueduct and The Banyans. Sonically, These United States are twangier than most music I come across in Seattle. Similar to Cotton Jones and My Morning Jacket, These United States display some obvious (and appreciated) country influences.

J Tom Hnatow of These United States on pedal steel.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens. EXIF.

I noticed a pedal steel guitar on stage when I first arrived earlier in the evening. Since I did not know much about the bands, I wondered when I’d get to hear it. Cotton Jones took and left the stage without touching the pedal steel; likewise for The Cassettes. With These United States, finally someone took a seat behind the Derby. J Tom Hnatow gracefully glided along on the pedal steel, but also played bass and a Fender Telecaster at times.

Whiskey Shot.
Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens. EXIF.

Jesse Elliott is as charismatic a band leader as they come. He regularly engaged the audience in goofy banter in between songs and at one point asked if anyone had “whiskey they were not currently using.” The guy behind me yelled up to the stage, “this is whiskey and water–here you go!” Jesse took the glass and thanked him. After the next song, that same guy bought whiskey shots for everyone in the band. Jesse and company raised a toast before continuing to inspire the toe-tappers and ho-down dancers in attendance that night.

Normally, I shoot the D300 in Matrix Meter mode. Matrix gives great results 98% of the time, but it was severely underexposing my subject when I shot directly against stage lights. In the frame above, I used the Center Weighted Average meter. Unlike Matrix, Center Weighted Average does not try rescue overly bright parts of the background (stage lights). Click the “EXIF” links below each picture to see the settings I used on that particular shot.

These United States.
Nikon D300. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens. EXIF.

At one point in the set, the drummer played a tune on harmonica. The rest of the band gathered around while continue to accompany him.

Nikon D300. Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens. EXIF.

These United States announced this was their last show of 2008; however, I’m looking forward to catching them again once 2009 is upon us.

To see more photos of Cotton Jones, The Cassettes, and These United States, check out the slideshow below.

Several weeks ago I was in Washington DC on a house hunting trip. Coincidentally, Portland electro-pop-rockers, Starfucker, were also in town. Starfucker, one of the best band names ever, is touring the country right now in support of their self-titled debut record, Starfucker. Fortunately for everyone, Starfucker’s music is just as (if not more) fun than saying the name of their band (Starfucker).

The Red & The Black. Washington DC.

Lots of Gear.