November Nocturne Closing Thoughts

TheRubySusan

Top Veteran
Location
Henry, IL
Name
Ruby
First, I'd like to thank Bill (I still have to look up people's names, Lightmancer!) for suggesting this challenge. It was a challenge indeed, and even if I stretched its boundaries and outright cheated a few times, I learned a lot from it.

Second, thanks to everyone who participated, regularly or as the spirit moved them! The thread was a treat every day, and between my handful of shots I was pleased with and the inspiration of the fine work others posted, I'll never again automatically put my camera away at sundown!

I'd be happy to see a nocturne or maybe a topsy-turvy day (an hour before sunrise, through the night, to an hour after dawn) challenge reappear. But in in a month when it's not so darn cold, and the sun sets when you're doing the washing-up (which you can put off) and not preparing and eating dinner!
 
I think in honor of November Nocturnes, it would be appropriate to listen to a piano 'Nocturne' by the composer who, in my limited understanding of some classical music, has a number of very well known (and appreciated) Nocturnes....Frederic Chopin. So with no further ado, cheers & thanks to Lightmancer aka Bill....and happy Nocturnal Nocturning to all.
 
It was definitely a learning experience for me and the most photo-fun I've had in a while. I used my opportunities in town to take a set of shots, and figured out what makes my cameras work in very low light, e.g., underexposing. It really helped me when I went to Disney this year, especially since my EM5 was in the shop and I finally had to figure out the EOS M. This was a great example of composition by exposure, where you could use the darkness and light to make things appear and disappear. That had never really dawned on me before, so I'm pleased to have acquired a new perspective.
 
I was on vacation for the last week+, but I took a few good night shots and I'm gonna dump 'em here.

View from our friends' place, 15 floors up in downtown St Louis:
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STL Botanical Gardens Christmas Lights at night:
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Downtown STL
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Downtown STL
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Downtown Indianapolis
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Downtown Indianapolis
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Oh, oh, oh! I feel like the gerbil looking at the ferris wheel! I LOVE Saint Louis, I LOVE its botanical garden (Shaw's Garden to us old timers!) , and I've NEVER seen either lit up like this - I've almost always made day trips from Carbondale! KillRamsey, thank you so much for sharing these beautiful photos!
 
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