slow summer day on Sunset Beach

20130716-Vancouver_SunsetBeach_DSC9449, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I didn't think the time lapse would work (but it did) so I tried a more traditional slow exposure shot (5 minutes) stacking 2 ND filters (10-stop and 8-stop). I've been wanting to do this on recognizable Vancouver figures but never got around to it. Will have to make a point of doing it when the clouds are out.

slow summer day on Sunset Beach

20130716-Vancouver_SunsetBeach_DSC9444 a video by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

My first real attempt at time lapse photography. The D800 makes it real easy as it makes a mov (video) file out of it automatically. Not bad for a first try. Photo taken every 10 seconds for 20 minutes.

technique for exposure

upload, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I used to flip-flop between matrix, center and spot metering as the situation changed and found it not to be not as consistent as I would want. So based on a tip on the web, I went to matrix-metering 99% of the time. Matrix-metering is what we pay for when we buy a camera so it works quite well. Of course it will still have problems when there is back lighting or dark or white areas. So the trick is to shoot with matrix setting first, check the LCD and adjust the exposure compensation until satisfied.

Queen E Sunset

20130705-Vancouver_QueenESunset_DSC9393, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I wanted to start taking landscape photos from the top of Queen E since it is a high point in the city and close by. It meant using a long lens and I used my longest lens (80-400) which is supposed to be sharp up to 300mm. The end results required about 100mm in which case the 80-200mm would have been sufficient and a better quality lens. It was a comedy of errors..I started by using my daily settings instead of using my landscape mode. Which resulted in blurry images as it didn't have that lag after pressing. I eventually switched to my landscape mode at which point it got a little sharper. But the VR mode could have caused some blur and the focusing at the buildings instead of 100 yards in front of where I was meant the DOF was incorrect. Sigh...at least it was a cloudless night and the result couldn't have been any good anyway. Good chance to practice.