North of Tracy, CA

Two weeks ago, I talked about Troy Paiva’s gel-lighting work. Troy’s technique has been a big influence on my night photography, such as this shot that I took at an abandoned hotel just north of Tracy, CA.

(photo: Andy Frazer)

Not only was his technique an influence on this shot, but it was his idea to go out and shoot that old building that particular night last November.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I had a serious case of the heeby-jeebies that night. It’s an old hotel full of ghosts of the people who visited the spa (who I knew were watching me), and it’s surrounded by cattle (which we could hear, but never saw), an underground spring (which we could also hear, but couldn’t see) and huge palm trees that sway and rattle in the wind.

Combine that with crystal clear skies, mild weather, and a full moon. Night photography doesn’t get any better than that.