California's Route 66
26 & 27 January & 09, 10 & 11 February 2024
How I Created These Pictures
Photos from 2016's Route 66 trip Photos from earlier Route 66 trips
Introduction
I made these photos on a photo tour I helped lead with Dave Wyman to California's Route 66, as well as on a scouting trip two weeks before.
Viewing top
Everyone's screens, from iPhones held vertically to computers with squinty 16:9 monitors, have different shapes. I can't make my differently-shaped shots fill everyone's screen at the same time.
On iPhone and iPad, everything changes size and gets bigger when you rotate from vertical to horizontal.
Click or tap any image to make it fit your screen. On Mac Safari, command ⌘ and + or - will change the size of the page or image, and command ⌘ + 0 brings it back to normal.
Turn up your screen brightness for best results.
These are 1,600 pixel-wide images; the originals are much higher resolution. These images will fill your screen horizontally, up to 1,600 pixels wide (3,200 pixels wide on Mac Retina displays). The vertical size will vary with each image.
Enjoy!
26 January 2024, Friday top
26 & 27 January & 09, 10 & 11 February 2024 How I Created These Pictures
I popped up two weeks early to scout locations. I arived in Barstow around 3 PM and went looking around.
Conoco Sign, Tom's Welding, Route 66, Barstow, California, 4:26 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 60mm at f/10, 1/320 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 15.0), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
Tom's Welding, Route 66, Barstow, California, 4:31 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 16mm at f/8, 1/125 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.0), Radiant Photo and Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
Skylum Luminar Neo made it easy to lighten the bottom AUTO STORE area, which was otherwise pretty black. Neo let me make this photo the way I wanted it, and all it took was moving the ENHANCE slider to taste.
The Pink Chair, Route 66, Barstow, California, 5:19 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Canon EOS R10 in square-crop mode, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 18mm at f/6.3, hand held at 1/4 second at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 7.3), Radiant Photo and Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
This is the same as the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 60mm f/3.5.
Ventura Circus, Route 66, Barstow, California, 5:40 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 12mm at f/5.6, handheld at 1/4 second at Auto ISO 2,000 (LV 2.7), Radiant Photo. more tech details. bigger.
I held my R10 upside down, as you can see in my shadow with my left hand pressing the shutter release up!!! I did this to raise the lens a few more inches so I could hold the camera more level for less distortion.
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case roughly equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 40mm f/4.
Ventura Circus, Route 66, Barstow, California, 5:54 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 18mm at f/4, hand held at 1/8 second at Auto ISO 1,600, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 3.0), Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
Moonrise over Barstow, Route 247, Barstow, California, 6:34 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 1× 6.9mm (24mm eq.) camera at f/1.8 hand held at 1/2 second in Night Mode at Auto ISO 6,400 (LV -3.1, that's minus 3.1!), Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
This is the first time in my life that I've seen a moonrise in color. Unlike the sunrise, the moon usually isn't full so it's darker, and even when full, its still usually so dark that our eyes don't see color. This was unusual!
DiNapoli's Firehouse, Route 66, Barstow, California, 7:15 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 18mm at f/4, handheld at 1/15 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 6.3), Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
Night Window at the Route 66 Motel, Route 66, Barstow, California, 8:30 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 1.5× 6.9mm (35mm eq.) camera at f/1.8 hand held at 1/60 at Auto ISO 640 (LV 4.9), Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
Route 66 Motel Sign, Route 66, Barstow, California, 8:34 PM, Friday, 26 January 2024. Square crop from Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 1× 6.9mm (24mm eq.) camera at f/1.8 hand held at 1/40 at Auto ISO 640 (LV 4.3), levels adjustment layer in Photoshop CC 2021. more tech details. bigger.
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 50mm f/4.
27 January 2024, Saturday top
26 & 27 January & 09, 10 & 11 February 2024 How I Created These Pictures
Off to Amboy today:
The Newly Repainted Roy's Sign, Route 66, Amboy, California, 2:37 PM, Saturday, 27 January 2024. 55mm B+W Polarizing filter held over the lens of my Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 5 × 15.7mm (120mm eq.) camera at f/2.8 at 1/736 at Auto ISO 50 (LV 13.5, ignoring filter factor), Snapseed app in phone and Skylum Luminar Neo software in my Mac. more tech details. bigger.
I headed home from Amboy. All the photos above were made in a single 24 hour period!
09 February 2024, Friday top
26 & 27 January & 09, 10 & 11 February 2024 How I Created These Pictures
We met our group and headed out to shoot.
Detour Ahead, Route 66, Barstow, California, 2:57 PM, Friday, 09 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 18mm at f/14 at 1/320 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 16.0), Radiant Photo and Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 40mm f/4.
Tumbleweed and Sand at Last Light, Route 66, Barstow, California, 5:14 PM, Friday, 09 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 32mm at f/11 handheld at 1/10 at Auto ISO 100, -1 stop exposure compensation (LV 10.4), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
10 February 2024, Saturday top
26 & 27 January & 09, 10 & 11 February 2024 How I Created These Pictures
Casa del Desierto and Freight Cars, Route 66, Barstow, California, 7:18 AM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 150mm wide-open at f/6.3, handheld at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.0), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the extraordinary ZEISS TELE-APOTESSAR T✻ 500mm f/8. Of course if I shot this on 6×6 cm I would never have enough depth of field to have gotten it all in focus, which was on the train cars.
We headed out to Newberry Springs along Route 66:
Motel Henning, Route 66, Newberry Springs, California, 12:16 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM with 55mm B+W Polarizing filter at 50mm at f/7.1 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 12.6), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
Motel Henning and Jet Aeroplane, Route 66, Newberry Springs, California, 12:18 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM with 55mm B+W Polarizing filter at 18mm at f/7.2 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.6), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
I selected and copied the jet plane and its contrail to a new layer and then enlarged that layer to make the plane much more visible (in Photoshop CC 2021: select the new layer with the plane, then click Edit > Transform > Scale and use your mouse to drag the selection box to a larger size).
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 60mm f/3.5.
Bagdad Cafe, Route 66, Newberry Springs, California, 12:26 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 1× 6.9mm (24mm eq.) camera at f/1.8 at 1/5,348 at Auto ISO 80 (LV 14.4), Snapseed app in phone to enhance color and curves adjustment layer masks in Photoshop CC 2021 for burning and dodging. more tech details. bigger.
Andrea and Traveling Minstrels, Bagdad Cafe, Route 66, Newberry Springs, California, 12:46 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 0.5× 2.2mm (13mm eq.) camera at f/2.2 at 1/1,395 at Auto ISO 50 (LV 13.7), Snapseed app in phone to lighten faces and the Bagdad Cafe sign and rotate it so the sign was level. more tech details. bigger.
As shot the people were way too cold (too blue), so in Photoshop I selected the blue sky and made it an adjustment layer mask. I inverted that mask so I could adjust the rest of the image except for the sky. I selected Image > Adjustments > Photo Filter… > Warming Filter (85) and selected its strength to taste. There probably was a smarter way to do this that left the filter strength as an editable adjustment, but tough, I got this done in less time than it took to write about it here.
Roy's Motel Key, Route 66, Amboy, California, 4:05 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 81mm at f/6.3, handheld at 1/20 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 9¾), as shot. more tech details. bigger.
Moonset Over Fueling Station, Route 66, Yermo, California, 6:09 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 150mm at f/7.1, handheld at 1/15 at Auto ISO 6400 (LV 3.6), Radiant Photo and Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the extraordinary ZEISS TELE-APOTESSAR T✻ 500mm f/8. Of course if I shot this on 6×6 cm I would never have enough depth of field to have gotten it all in focus and would have needed a tripod.
Not bad: handheld at 1/15 at 240mm equivalent zoom? Hint: I made many exposures and picked the one without camera shake.
Peggy Sue's Diner, Route 66, Yermo, California, 7:41 PM, Saturday, 10 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 11mm wide open at f/5, handheld at a half-second at Auto ISO 500 (LV 3.3), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
I cropped this to the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 40mm f/4.
11 February 2024, Sunday top
26 & 27 January & 09, 10 & 11 February 2024 How I Created These Pictures
Casa del Desierto, Route 66, Barstow, California, 7:53 AM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Canon EOS R10 in square-crop mode, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 10mm at f/22, handheld at 1/25 at Auto ISO 100, -0.3 stops exposure compensation (LV 13.6), split-toned print. more tech details. bigger.
I deliberately had the sun shine directly into the lens and used Av exposure mode to select f/22 for the huge sunstar.
This is the same as the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 40mm f/4.
Casa del Desierto, Route 66, Barstow, California, 7:59 AM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Canon EOS R10 in square-crop mode, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 18mm at f/10 at 1/160 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 14.0), Radiant Photo and Skylum Luminar Neo software, split-toned print. more tech details. bigger.
This is the same as the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 60mm f/3.5.
Santa Fe locomotive, Route 66, Barstow, California, 8:30 AM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Canon EOS R10 in Square-Crop Mode, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 15mm at f/10 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100, -0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 14¼), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
This is the same as the powerful 6×6 cm square format of HASSELBLAD, in this case equivalent to the ZEISS DISTAGON T✻ 50mm f/4.
Pipes, Route 66, Barstow, California, 9:51 AM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 18-150mm IS STM at 18mm at f/10 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.6), split-toned print. more tech details. bigger.
123 Crooks Avenue, Barstow, California, 10:14 AM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 10mm at f/10 at 1/640 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 16.0), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
Elmer's Bottle Tree Farm, Route 66, Oro Grande, California, 12:18 PM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Canon EOS R10, Canon RF-S 10-18mm IS STM at 10mm at f/10 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 100, Canon 320EX flash, (LV 14.0), Radiant Photo software. more tech details. bigger.
I used my Canon 320EX flash to lighten the bottles that are in shadow. I used my 320EX rather than my R10's built-in to get a little faster recycling and the ability to point it as needed to balance its distribution of light as I wanted it.
Lawn Decorations Dealer with Cacti and Tank Sculptures, Route 66, Victorville, California, 1:29 PM, Sunday, 11 February 2024. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, 2× 6.9mm (48mm eq.) camera at f/1.8 at 1/3,096 at Auto ISO 64 (LV 13.9), Skylum Luminar Neo software. more tech details. bigger.
Whew! That's it; thanks for reading!
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