You meet the strangest characters in this Bayou - at least that's what they said:

And then the sun sets

White Sands National Monument, White Sands, NM

One of the downsides to touring the West at this time of year is missing all the gorgeous colors associated with an East Coast autumn.

But I discovered today on a trip across the high desert in Utah that the Western Plains are more than just granite cliffs and sandstone canyons. 

They are also Aspens and Cottonwoods and Purple Sage to name but a few of flora here that foliate with the season. 

There aren't as many as we have on the East Coast but they are just as captivating to the eye and their scarcity imbues them with a certain noble and individual character not mirrored by the vast displays along the Eastern Seaboard.

I still miss the autumn I have become accustomed to over my lifetime but I feel blessed and grateful to be allowed a brief glimpse of that same natural process here in Utah.

Fuel in the City of Los Angeles tends to be more expensive than in other parts of the country and has some odd fluctuations associated with it: The price per gallon can vary as much as $.60 in a 2-3 block area of any part of the town. In fact from one corner of the street to the other. I suppose there is a jurisdictional reason for this but I have no idea what it might be. It seems to have very little impact on the level of trade any of the fueling stations experience. 

The ARCO stations invariably offer the lowest price per gallon in all categories and also have a unique payment procedure: they accept only cash or debit cards at the ATM's that are planted at every pump. These ATM's only receive; they do not dispense funds.

The ARCO station pictured here, on the corner of Olympic and S Robertson, is unique in another manner: It changes color.

About every 10 minutes.

It's an amazing sight at night in a town that does not lack for amazing sights. I thought about providing a video this week so that you could watch this chameleon-like display but decided instead on a couple of photographs. 

Enjoy!

Our road warriors are not the only ones who have been busy shooting these past few months. Summer 2011 has been nearly non-stop for the Greensboro-based crew. One of its more interesting projects was a shoot for Wake Forest University as it readied it's facilities for the new school year.

There was a time when prospective students had to literally visit the grounds of universities in which they had an interest in attending to get a feel for what student life there might be like. Applicants still visit but they now rely heavily upon the information they obtain from the institutions' web sites to plan their visit itineraries. Wake has excellent facilities for its student body and wanted to make certain they were properly presented to those researching its offerrings. They called upon The House of NyghtFalcon for design and imaging services. 

Lighting is always a challenge on interior shots. Our lighting methods are designed to  truly display the textures, colors and appeal of the rooms we're depicting. These are a few examples of our approach in support of the Wake Forest project. This is a beautiful campus and we think our work captures its appeal. It was a very satisfying project for us and for our client. We thought we should share.

No matter. We are aware of the impact our work can and does have upon the intended audience and the degree to which it will contribute, or not, to our client's success. The time allotted is the time allotted. We subject the work to detailed scrutiny and we always find a way to apply our standards because we know they will be of substantial benefit to our customers. It's why we're called upon.

Venice Beach is known for its character and its characters, a well deserved reputation on both counts. We had the opportunity to take this area in the other day and captured a few images that are representative. It's a difficult task. This is an extremely nuanced corner of Los Angeles which on any give day can almost defy description. One thing it does not lack, however, is color. Here's an example.

More from the West Coast Tour

Credit Richard @ NyghtFalcon

Particulars: ISO 100 f/8 1/80s 17mm