Posts from the ‘Black & White’ Category
Over the last month or so I have been testing out the Nikon D5000. For me, it is a great back-up camera as well as a light travel companion. If you are looking to upgrade to a digital SLR, or wanting to get started in photography, this camera is a great option. In order to complete the review I thought it would be interesting to hand it off to my wife for a trip up to Alaska. She has the eye of a photographer, but lacks the patience to deal with all the various dials and settings. So I put the camera in program mode, set the auto ISO, and put her in front of grizzlies, glaciers, whales, moose, and mountains. You will see other images from her portfolio in the final review. For now I thought I would share this one. No question about it, she didn’t let this one get away!
A while back I was searching for a reasonable backup camera to travel with over the summer. After quite a bit of deliberation, I decided on the Nikon D5000. I have been putting it through the paces and I am quite pleased. Here is a simple capture from the camera while we were out on a drive over the weekend. I will be writing up a more formalish review of it shortly, as for now, here are a couple things I like about it.
- Same image guts as its big (D90) and bigger (D300s) brother.
- Quiet shutter mode. It helped when shooting some street photos in France. Very stealthy.
- It has video! I made a quick movie while I was in France that I am still editing. Once it is done I will post it along with a more detailed review.
- Super light and compact.
- You can get the same image quality of a D300s, for under $500 (if you are willing to buy refurbished).
- Swivel LCD – Much easier on the back when having to shoot in yoga poses.
To recognize Bike to Work Day, here is a story unrelated to the image.
I was hammering home today on my bike. I mean I was really suffering coming up a local hill here in town. I felt lean, my legs felt great, and I was chasing a Tour title in my head. Suddenly, my dream was interrupted by the sound of a bicycle behind me. I thought to myself, ‘no way…no one could catch me at this speed’. Sure enough, this guy was gaining. To quote the Princess Bride, “Inconceivable”. I began to make excuses. He probably isn’t carrying a pack home from work, or maybe it is a local pro? Just as he catches me, I look over my shoulder, positive I was going to see George Hincapie, decked out in a National Champion jersey. Nope, no Hincapie! I see a guy in jeans and flip-flops. He even has enough breath to tell me I am riding really fast. What the heck was this? I know I’m no pro, but common, I can’t be that slow. Thankfully, upon closer inspection, he was riding an electric bike. My tour dreams are still intact! Anyways, I hope everyone here has the opportunity to participate in their local bike to work days. Once you do it, you will be hooked.
Craft & Vision: If you have ever wanted to start experimenting with the video capabilities of your DSLR (I know I have!) Trevor Meier just published a great new eBook titled Vision in Motion about the issues of motion storytelling. It is full of useful tips regarding composition, capture, and gear.
Craft & Vision Coupon Codes (expire June 27th):
- MOTION4 to receive the eBook for a mere $4.00.
- MOTION20 to receive 20(percent) off of the purchase of 5 or more eBooks.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 17-35 AFS
Gitzo Traveler
Exposure:0.001 sec (1/1000)
Aperture:f/4.0
Focal Length:17 mm
ISO Speed:200
Processing Notes:
Capture – 1 image
Photomatix – HDR/Tonemapping
NIK Silver Efex Pro – BnW conversion (Red filter for day to night trick)
Sized for web
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: What my man Rick calls the ‘Ole day to night trick’ is applying a red filter (either in post, or at the time of capture) to your image which will basically render a blue sky black. I use this technique when I have a big, uninteresting, blue sky. If you have a white or lightish foreground element, it seems to work pretty well.
p.s. This image of a booming metropolis was from the little town of Cisco, UT.
After my run this weekend, I decided to swing by a couple locations I have had on the radar for a while. Surprisingly, this facility is fairly accessible at 7am on a Sunday. I approached it from a variety of angles, however because the sky was as clear as it has been in quite some time, I didn’t have the backdrop of interest I was looking for. I did find a couple of interesting foreground elements to incorporate, but nothing was really working. I thought to myself, what can I do with huge white silos and a blue sky? My decision was simple….Orange Filter! I applied an orange filter in my Silver Efex pro conversion, darkened the sky up, and created the contrast I was looking for to surround these structures.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro
Gitzo Traveler
Exposure: 1/4000 sec
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 14 mm
Exposure Bias: -2 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 images)
Nik Siler Efex Pro – High contrast orange filter
NIk Viveza 2 – Selective boost to structure/brightness in foreground
Sized for web
Nik Sharpener 2.0 – Adaptive 40%
LightAsMagic.com
After a 5 hour drive, 1 hour of which was being stuck in a traffic jam, we finally broke clear of the weather and horrible drivers. I tend to over hydrate while driving, so a quick break was in order. Boy, we couldn’t have picked a more beautiful location. I kicked off my flip-flops (we were in the desert 4 hours earlier), strapped on the boots, and grabbed my D300. Click, Click, Click….then off to the restroom!
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Focal Length: 70 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (3 images @ 1ev)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Nik Sliver Efex Pro – BW Conversion and Vingette
Nik Color Efex Pro – Glamour Glow selective to water
Sized for web
LightAsMagic.com
Underprepared.
The Book Cliffs are located just on the outskirts of Grand Junction CO. They face the Colorado National Monument. That puts the town of Grand Junction smack-dab in the middle of both, making it a landscape photographers dream destination.
I would like to get back there soon to spend an entire weekend working with these incredible mountains. This image was from a photo-walk sandwiched between a 5 hour mountain bike ride in the desert and some margaritas with the A-team.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 AFS VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Exposure: 0.001 sec (1/1000)
Aperture: f/5.0
Focal Length: 165 mm
ISO Speed:200
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 Image)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Nik Define 2.0 (Noise Reduction)
Nik Silver Efex Pro (B+W Conversion)
Sized for web
LightAsMagic.com
Lately I have had a bit of full frame/big glass envy. I have my kit, and I’m very happy with it. But there always seems to be something I would like to add or upgrade. At least for me, this desire (rationalized as an artistic need) is that fact that I don’t ever want to let an image get away. I want to be prepared, with the best possible toolset, for when ‘that’ image presents itself. It is when I find images like this, shot with a sub $150 camera, that I remind myself that its not about the gear, it’s about being there. There is no question that great gear will help, but it won’t help you if you aren’t out chasing it.
Capture Notes:
Panasonic TZ4
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 Image)
Nik Silver Efex Pro (High Structure Red Filter)
LightAsMagic.com
I went to shoot light and wine glasses, but the jazz was captivating. I had been introduced to Randy’s guitar playing before, so I knew the image was in ‘his hands’. I decided to shoot a really slow shutter, trying to capture the fulcrum of his finger in focus as the rest of his hand shook like a bird. His vibrato is stellar. I didn’t quite get it, but I got close. Close enough for Jazz. I will say I am looking (listening) forward to the next shoot.
If you are in the Denver area, you can catch Randy’s playing over a glass of wine here on Sunday nights.
http://www.indulgewinebar.com/
Or, you can visit his web site here:
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 35mm 1.8 DX AFS
Exposure: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Aperture: f/2.0
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 image)
Aperture 3 (High Contrast Grade 5 B&W Preset)
Export for web
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: As a photographer, you get opportunities to engage people in a different way. One thing to live by, and this is a lesson I learned from an early mentor, is if you make an image of someone, and you promise them a look, make sure you get them a print or an email. It will make their day and it’s generally a nice thing to do.
Red Rocks Amphitheater has been the home of many a great concert. There is something magical that both the crowd and the band experience. It’s feels weird, I ride or run by this place several times a week, and I have seen countless shows here, so I kind of have the misplaced sense of ownership. However, I have never been backstage. I have no idea what lies behind those brick walls. Some day I would like to find out…. actually, maybe I should leave the mystery alone?
If you are interested in the tool I used for the black & white conversion, I have added an overview of the Complete NIK software suite. If you are considering their tools, feel free to check it out..
www.lightasmagic.com/reviews/nik-collection/
You can use the Coupon Code LIGHTASMAGIC to save yourself 15% on any of their tools.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 VR II
Nikon CPII (polarizer)
Gitzo Traveler
Exposure: 0.002 sec (1/500)
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 125 mm
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 image)
NIK Silver Efex Pro (High Contrast Yellow Filter + Silver Toning)
Photoshop (Resize for web)
LightAsMagic.com
We had front row seats on the roof of our hotel in Cozumel for this one! Most of the time I leave sunsets in color, in all their glory. However, because of the smaller clouds dancing in the foreground I decided the contrasts would make a nice black and white composition.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 VR AFS
Singh-Ray 3stop Reverse GND
Gitzo Traveler
Exposure: 0.033 sec (1/30)
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 300 mm
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 image)
NIK Silver EFX Pro (B+W Conversion)
NIK Viveza 2 (enhance the glow of the sun on the sea)
Photoshop (resized for web)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: It might seem counter intuitive to shoot sunsets with a long focal length, but it is a great way to get up and close and personal with a setting sun. I always carry a 70-300 with me while traveling.
Any Tori Amos fans out there? Why is this question relevant to a photography and travel site? Because, whether you are in the darkroom or on an airplane, it is nice to have your music with you. That being said, if you haven’t noticed the new Darkroom page I have added, I listed out some tunes that are in heavy rotation while I am processing images. Feel free to check out the playlist.
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro
Gitzo Traveler
Singh- Ray 3Stop RGND
Exposure: 2
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 16 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes
Capture (1image)
Nikon NX2 (Raw conversion)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
NIK Silver Efx Pro (BnW conversion)
Photoshop (Size for web)
LightAsMagic.com
You all know I missed its rise yesterday, so I to set my alarm to see if it was still there in the morning. Sure enough it was! The image has its flaws, but I hadn’t had my coffee yet.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 ED AF
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Note:
Capture (9 images)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
NIK SilverFX Pro
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: Something I discovered this morning is that the Moon’s orbit is faster than you think. I bumped up my ISO to 400 so I could increase my shudder speed to get 9 images shot as fast as possible.
Had I had my wits about me, I would have been posting an incredible image of a full moon rising above the Denver skyline. It was an amazing moonrise and the image was ready for the making. Missed it! Ah well, thanks to Ptolemy I will be ready next time. I noticed the moon sets tomorrow morning at 7:17am. Check back to see if I woke up in time!
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VRII
Gitzo Traveler / Markins Q3T Ballhead
Processing Notes:
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Bleach Bypass)
Nik Viveza 2 (CP Contrast/Structure Boost)
Photoshop (Resize)
Flickr
Reminder: Just a reminder, the Illuminate Workshops evening photo walk is next week (Feb 6th). I’m not affiliated with them, but I do like to support the local photography community. It is a great group of folks who photograph the town red! To find out more, just visit their website.
A cold day of training reminded me of a tree I had been meaning to make an image of and I thought the storm behind it might do well for the backdrop. Nature’s studio cooperated. Sure, a bit dramatic, but after 5 hours of riding in the cold I felt dramatic!
Nikon D300
Nikkor 35mm 1.8
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Note:
Capture (7 images)
Photomatix (HDR Tonemapping)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Bleach Bypass)
Nik Define 2.0 (Manual selectively applied to sky)
Photoshop (Crop Re-size)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Vignette)
Nik Sharpener (Display adaptive selectively applied to tree and foreground)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: I’m not sure if this necessarily falls under the category of a tip, but I had a friend of mine ask if I would write a bit more about my process. I wasn’t sure where to start, so I figured I would start with a concept I have decided to call ‘Creative Scheduling’. We are all busy doing everything but making art. That is one of life’s common denominators. My personal way of dealing with this is to schedule the creative process. It sounds crazy, but hopefully I can try to shed some light on it. I break my photography time into 4 broad categories.
- Photo Walks: These are times that I have set aside to grab my gear and throw myself into an environment. Just like meeting friends for dinner, or going to the doctor, the appointment is on the calendar.
- Photography of Opportunity: This is just a matter of being prepared. Put together a kit that your are comfortable taking with you wherever you go. It could be a small PointnShoot or an SLR with a select set of lenses. Just make sure it is portable enough that you like to have it around. That way, when the images show themselves, you are ready for them. Here is what I take.
- Travel: It is basically a blend of the above. When I am traveling I will conduct some forward recon on the net and schedule a couple of ‘Photo Walks’ during my vacation. The prior planning makes me very efficient when on location which still allows me plenty of time to hang out and relax with my family and friends. On vacation, I always have a Photography of Opportunity kit at the ready.
- Pre-Visioned: These are images that I have stumbled upon when I (or the image) wasn’t ready. These are things I see when I am out and about running, riding, or just too busy to stop. I will make note of these images and save them for later. In my mind’s eye I will try to imagine the ideal conditions for my vision. Then, when it fits into my schedule and the conditions are right, I will go make it happen.
Why use this post to describe my ‘Creative Scheduling’ process? Because it is an example of Pre-Visioning an image for later. I found this lone tree on a road I commonly ride and I knew that a southern storm would make the perfect backdrop for it. The storm arrived the same day I had to run an errand to the quarry. I grabbed my gear and stopped to make the image. Two minutes later I was back on the road, image in hand, and off to get some flagstone.
Driving up the coast from Half Moon Bay to photograph the Golden Gate Bridge I had visions of fog rolling over the bridge, leaving only its towers exposed. The fog was thick and I knew once we got to the summit of the Marin Headlands we would punch through. Below us would be an isolated pillar towering above a sea of rolling silky white. We never got out of the fog, so I had to duck into an abandoned bunker built during WWII to find a composition of interest.
When life gives you fog, make images underground!
Nikon D300
Nikkor 17-35 AFS
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Notes:
Capture (5 Images)
Photmatix (HDR/Tone-mapping)
Photoshop (Crop to 20×16)
Nik SilverFX (Boost Contrast/Structure, Apply Vignette, Burn top and bottom edge)
Nik Viveza (CP brighten the tunnel a bit)
Photoshop (Resize)
Nik Sharpen (Display 30% adaptive applied to trees)
LightAsMagic.com
