Posted on February 5, 2012 by Jon

Winter Wonderland

Nikon D7000, Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3, 28mm, 1/200 sec @ f/8, ISO 100, Panorama

Winter has been hard to find in Minnesota this year, but today I found it, just a few miles south. It was one of those mornings when I had to drive back home to get the camera. Most of the images I captured this morning, like this one, would look little different as black and white. This is a three shot panorama of a scene at Rolling Hills Park in Plymouth, MN. Because of the clouds, there is a small dynamic range. This made it much easier to photograph  than what I would have seen on a sunny day.

Filed in Landscape, Panorama, Snow, Tree | Comment Now
Posted on August 23, 2011 by Jon

City in the Garage, in the City

Nikon D7000, Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, 20mm, 4 exposures @ f/4.5, ISO 100

Every few months, a river of creativity flows through the neighborhood. The headwaters are just across the street, and this month we experienced a flood of ideas from city buildings and parks, to superheros and graffiti-filled walls. I approached the event with tripod in hand. The sun was not kind, vanishing quickly as I attempted a quick multi-exposure. Normally I bracket three as that’s standad with the D7000. This was a rare attempt at four. Look for future photos of this event at this blog or see images of past art shows.

Filed in Art, HDR | Comment Now
Posted on July 15, 2011 by Jon

Book Review – Mastering HD Video with your DSLR

Mastering HD Video with your DSLR

By Helmut Kraus and Uwe Steinmueller, Published 2010

Interest in video with DLSRs continues grow as the technology becomes more accessible, that is cameras with high definition capability and interchangeable lenses. Helmut and Uwe introduce all varieties of gadgets that can further enhance the “out of the box” DSLR experience. Having been an amateur with both video and DSLR for several years, I found the crossover discussion in the book very helpful. There is a foundational discussion on hyperfocal distance. Comparing form factors, the difference between full frame sensors and smaller sensors, is also helpful in translating lenses. As excited as I am to explore the world of DSLR video, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the number of gadgets available to enhance the experience. Be prepared to spend as much, 0r more, on purchasing additional video gear as you did on your DLSR, if you want the best. Knowing you can get into professional looking videos cheaper than through the traditional route is small consolation.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊

Recommendation: A good overview of DSLR video

Filed in Book Review, Video | 1 Comment
Posted on July 12, 2011 by Jon

Huddle straight up

Nikon D7000, Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3, 28mm, 1/160 sec @ f/3.5, ISO 200

Credit goes to my wife for the idea and making the image. This is a huddle from the team I’m coaching this summer. I love the perspective of looking straight up. It’s also fascinating to compare the faces. Though they are all different, they are similar in just as many ways too. I converted the image to B&W because of a reddish orange cast–it was present when the photo was made but it took away from the elements that I like. We’re going to aim to improve on the image later, with a wide angle lens.

Filed in Soccer, Sport | Comment Now
Posted on July 11, 2011 by Jon

Flash, Sparkle, Dance

Nikon D90, 26mm, 5 sec @ f/7.1, ISO 200

 

Painting With Light is the title of a recently published book by Joerg Miedza and JanLeonardo Woellert. It’s also a concept (at least one definition) of creating images through extended shutter settings and moving light sources. I’ve experimented with lots of fireworks images in the past. This year I decided to include a flash in some and was excited to see the effect. This image was handheld, which works fine with a fast moving sparkler.

Filed in Fireworks, Long Exposure | Comment Now
Posted on July 10, 2011 by Jon

Rain delay, but not so bad

Nikon D7000, Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5, 10mm, 2 exposures @ f/4.5, ISO 640

Sometimes what makes a good photo does not make for a good game. The two hour rain delay earlier this month was caused by an amazing weather front that entered the Twin Cities near game time. The clouds were intense so I was able to capture some of the storm’s intensity before the rain started. Because all the action was in the sky, I wanted to devote most of the image to the storm. However, as I post-processed, I wish I had captured a bit more of the surrounding field. This two-image HDR increases the drama, but hopefully in a realistic manner. By the way, the Twins did end up beating the Brewers.

Filed in Baseball, Clouds, Sport | 1 Comment
Posted on July 5, 2011 by Jon

Book Review – Why Photographs Work

Why Photographs Work: 52 Great Images: Who Made Them, What Makes Them Special and Why

By George Barr, Published 2011

I read a lot of photography books and many offer new (to me) techniques or focus on a specific genre. However, Why Photographs Work has opened my eyes to photography in the way that my fine arts elective in college opened my eyes to art in general. Oh what I’ve been missing!  If you want to “learn” to appreciate photographs beyond a first impression, study this book. George Barr is an exceptional observer and brings an honest eye to all fifty-two photos in this book. What’s additionally helpful is that he’s included thoughts from the photographers. Sometimes they complement one another. Other times the interpretations differ. Either way, I find myself appreciating the image more than when I first looked at it. I also enjoyed the biographies and the website links which introduced me to many brilliant photographers. Many of the images are captured by film and large format camera, but there are some digital and even an iPhone image. If you’ve gone to photography school, this may be familiar territory, but if not and you love photography, you will probably enjoy it as much as I did.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦♦

Recommendation: A must read for any serious photographer

Filed in Book Review | Comment Now
Posted on June 24, 2011 by Jon

Line Drive

Nikon D7000, Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3, 28mm, 1/100 sec @ f/9, ISO 800

The subject of this image is obviously placed in the foreground. The two rows of seat help draw the eye in a line from left to right and back again. The background is duotone and repetitive which adds interest. You may also wonder about the relative size of the individuals. The oldest, and tallest kid, is Anders on the far left.

Filed in Sport | Comment Now
Posted on June 22, 2011 by Jon

Cloudy vista

Nikon D7000, Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5, 10mm, 3 exposures @ f/9, ISO 100

When the grey clouds prevail, black and white post-processing does as well. This vista near Lanesboro, Minnesota is great for eagle spotting, but they were too far away this day. Still a nice canopy of trees with an overcast sky allowed me to experiment with HDR and tone curves. Upon reviewing the image, I would have preferred a panorama instead of the wide angle, although I like how the clouds and the trees at the edge enhance the motion in this scene. Now I just need an eagle passing by to complete it.

Filed in Clouds, HDR, Landscape, Lanesboro | Comment Now
Posted on June 20, 2011 by Jon

One megabyte at a time

Nikon D7000, Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3, 28mm, 3 exposures @ f/6.3, ISO 400

As the saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant?” Or in this case, how do you photograph a Lockheed C-130, especially when you don’t have a wide angle lens on hand? It was bright on the tarmac so it was helpful to blend three exposures to capture the wing detail underneath. Thanks to the Minnesota Air National Guard for the tour last week. And thanks to my wife for the blog title.

Filed in Airplane, Exposure Blend, Minneapolis | 2 Comments