What the heck? Conundrum Solved. Pic added.

[Birdsong]

As long as we are solving mysteries, (see dbl's fun with gadgets and shooting at lightbulbs)can someone please explain where this crazy stop sign came from? I was out at night shooting the steeple for an exercize in an exposure workshop, just using an automatic setting in my camera. I decided to have some fun with zooming as long as the shutter speed was so slow, as one of you did with in the Dec. challenge. Due to just having a monopod and a lack of coordination, it didn't work out very well. But...where the heck did that surreal stop sign come from???? I looked the next morning. The stop sign on that corner of the block was facing its back to me. This must be the sign on the perpendicular street corner from the church? All I did was crop and a small change in the levels. How did it move across the street, or perhaps kitty corner and still stay in focus? Especially since it appears to have left its legs behind?

[MN Shutterbug]

Believe it or not, Birdsong isn't losing it. Seriosuly, this church is just a couple blocks from my house, and the stop sign in this photo is definitely facing the opposite direction. I think it might be an omen.

[eyeguy 54]

Better call ghostbusters!

[Dbl]

Hmmmmm. I am thinking it might be a reflection off of glass (window) toward the end of your exposure? The light reflects off the sign making it very bright and it likely was at the end of your zoom so it is sharp and correctly exposed. I'm just guessing!

[Deitz Dittrich]

but if it was a reflection, wouldnt it be backwards?

[Dbl]

Quote:

The stop sign on that corner of the block was facing its back to me.

The sign already was backwards so it was reversed? Heck I am grasping at straws, there must be some explanation There must be someone out there who understands all this refraction, reflection, whatever the heck it is! I can't help but think the zoom had something to do with it.

[fishinfey8]

Thats crazy...I have no clue about photography but that is wierd/freaky!! Anything else crazy happend to you lately??

[dockothebay]

Quote:

The stop sign on that corner of the block was facing its back to me.

The sign already was backwards so it was reversed? Heck I am grasping at straws, there must be some explanation There must be someone out there who understands all this refraction, reflection, whatever the heck it is! I can't help but think the zoom had something to do with it.

I was counting on you to be the one who understands & could explain it! I think the sign being backwards and a reflection are going to figure into it somehow

[Dbl]

Jackie, you must be mistaking me for someone who has a clue or enough brains to figure this out

[fishinchicks]

Jackie, you must be mistaking me for someone who has a clue or enough brains to figure this out

So you figuring out the whole sound trigger thing was just a momentary flash of brilliance?

I am going to have to drive by the corner where this was taken when I come to town next. The effect is kinda freaky!

[dockothebay]

Originally Posted By: Dbl

Jackie, you must be mistaking me for someone who has a clue or enough brains to figure this out

So you figuring out the whole sound trigger thing was just a momentary flash of brilliance?

exactly!!

[MN Shutterbug]

I'm going to have to walk over there one of these nights and try the same thing. If the stop sign doesn't show up like that for me, I'm going to have to think that it's an omen meant just for Birdsong.

[DonBo]

I wouldn't go anywhere near there...be afraid, be very afraid.

[Birdsong]

I walked the dog past the site today. Mystery solved. I was kitty-corner to the church in a slightly elevated vacant lot. The eerie stop sign is the kitty-corner one at that intersection. Even though I was down on one knee to lean against a car parked for stabilization, the sign takes on prominence due to point of view. I don't think I zoomed much at all in this shot. (That's the lack of coordination part.) I just appear to have moved up and to the right or down and to the left. You can see that motion in the church doors. If you look closely down and to the right of the eerie stop sign you can see the one in front of the church facing its back to us. Down and to the left there is a murky shadow which is about the same size and shape as the eerie stop sign. At some point my flash went (it was in an auto mode)or a car started coming down the street. The light didn't carry far enough to light the red of the sign or the sign post. I still can't quite get my head around the fact that I did not pick up and carry the shadow of the sign--only the glow-in-the-dark lettering? The background appears to be the orange light of the church door especially before I changed the levels. Now that is still kind of creepy.

[Birdsong]

Thats crazy...I have no clue about photography but that is wierd/freaky!! Anything else crazy happend to you lately??

Yes!!! I just saw a shrub walk across my backyard on two legs! Oh never mind. Just X-T in his new 'gilly' suit.

[MN Shutterbug]

Ha Ha. Not yet. I've got to wait for things to green up around here, so I can really blend in.

[polarsusd81]

I was going to say that a car must have turned onto the street pointing in that direction from a distance right at the end of the exposure. The lights wouldn't be strong enough to light the red portion of the sign for exposure from a distance, but bright enough to activate the reflectors. Not sure exactly how far away you were, but the flash might not have enough power to light the reflectors that well from an angle. I have seen similar things in some of my photos in the past, but it would take a while to find just the right ones.

[hondarider550]

That is realy a cool pic but is kinda eeery... I have that problem of stop signs popping out of no where when I am traveling down the road... Oh yea. thats not the same thing.

[leech~~]

Sign from God! Stop taking pictures of my church!!