Bob Crum

Health is still a tad precarious. Loyal readers will recall I'm experiencing the effects of a nefarious bug (disease) that invaded my lungs. On top of asthma and COPD, it makes breathing difficult.

I had to go to Ventura last Saturday for a refreshing breathing treatment. Afterward, feeling a little better, I sashayed over to nearby Channel Islands Harbor. Well, actually I drove. The reason? View the Channel Island Christmas boat parade for the first time. After all, as y'all know, I relish a challenge. Boats fitted with Christmas lights in the dark of night! Challenge indeed! Remember my previous discussion about excess noise when respectable exposure requires an extremely high ISO? Yesireebob, déjà vu all over again.

After driving around for 20 minutes without finding a parking space within 150 yards of the waterfront, I was about to give up and return home. I haven't sufficiently recovered such that I can walk long distances. Then, by happenstance, I came upon a short spur where two porta johns sat about 10 feet apart. An ideal spot being close to the waterfront. However, not enough room for my F-350 to park between them. So, I slowly backed to one of the johns and cautiously started pushing it further back to make room for me to park. I should have first made sure that no one was in it. As I was pushing it, I heard a scream. The door swung open and I saw a lady fleeing the scene! Oops! Before I could apologize, she continued screaming running through the parking lot disappearing into the night. Her porta john ghost story probably went virile. Anyway, after recomposing myself, I parked my truck now that I made enough room.

I don't know how many parade spectators heard the scream, but I grabbed my camera and nonchalantly mosied down to the sidewalk below bordering the waterfront. After a short walk I found a small opening in the crowd and took my position thinking this boat parade better be good!

Naturally it was nighttime, but I didn't expect a nightmare. Adjust either aperture or shutter speed to compensate for bright lights and the boat was either dark or the highlights blown. OK, why not try the “P” (Program) mode and let the camera figure it out? HA! Except for the parking lot lights behind me, it was darker than black. Thus the camera slowed the shutter speed down to 3 seconds to increase the exposure. WHOA! Think blur! Back to manual mode.

A few boats were brightly lit. Others not so much. Because of the enormous differences, I quickly realized that aperture priority mode might be best. Because depth of field was not important, I opened the aperture to the widest setting. As usual, put ISO on auto knowing it would soar to 16000. Anyway, now I only needed to adjust the shutter speed to compensate for the lights, or lack thereof, on each individual boat. I could do this fast enough as the boats approached and passed by. It usually took only two test shots before nailing the best shutter speed. Thank goodness for slow boats!

The photo of the week is one of the boats with bright lights in the boat parade. Santa is on board but standing next to a very bright X. Look closely and you'll see him.

Next, the Ventura Harbor Parade of Lights and fireworks Dec. 14 & 15, 6:30 p.m., 1583 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura. Fireworks at 8 p.m. Remember: auto ISO, aperture priority, shutter speed between 1/60th and 1/320th. Happy photoing.
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