On November 22, 2009, a bunch of us joined Mark Comon from Paul's Photo on a full day Amtrak trip to photograph the San Juan Capistrano Mission and the USS Midway.

We gathered at Union Station in downtown L. A. at 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning and while waiting for the track location, shot here and there in the station.  It's a beautiful Art Deco train station and great photographic territory.

We boarded the train at 8:30 and sat in the upper level of the business car.  I've ridden Amtrak's Metroliner between Washington, DC and New York many times and rode the train from New York to Providence numerous times when Jennifer was going to Johnson & Wales, but I had never taken a train from Los Angeles.  It was nice just sitting and watching the scenery go by.

We arrived at the San Juan Capistrano station at 10:00 and proceeded to the mission.  Sue and I had been to the mission in September (for the first time in about 50 years) and it was nice to go again.  It's really beautiful, well preserved and full of California history.

The chapel is especially pretty.

The grounds are good infra red territory and I had my IR-modified D200 with me.

While shooting down low at the fountain at the front, one of the koi came by to visit.

We had lunch at El Adobe de Capistrano (great place--we had eaten there in September and loved it) and then boarded the train to San Diego.  We walked directly to the USS Midway.

There are numerous aircraft on the deck and it made for great detail stuff.  If you like airplanes (I do) it's a great way to spend some time.  Gotta take Christopher here...

The Midway closes at 5:00 so we did some dusk light stuff and had dinner on the pier.

After dinner we walked back over to the Santa Fe station, boarded the 8:30 train to L. A. and arrived back at Union Station at 11:00 p.m.  Long but very fun day.  Good show, Mark!

Oh, yeah--if you want to see all my photos from the trip, they're here.