Photographic Journey

back alley

2012-02-02T23:42:00.001-08:00

back alley, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Must be the 3rd of 4th week since I decided to study Fred Herzog's work. Some have been quite nice like this back alley that I stumbled on when I made a turn early to avoid traffic. But I still need variety in approach and composition. It is a challenge and worthwhile.

Columbia Park

2011-11-02T09:09:00.001-07:00

not, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

As a desparation move I started to shoot at Columbia Park which is a few blocks away from the house. Not much choice really as I only had time to go here to catch the sunrise after dropping off Ashley at Magee. If I dropped off Alyssa at UBC I couldn't make it. Not the best scenenery but good enough to catch some sunrises...

Columbia Park HDR Panorama

2011-10-19T10:43:00.001-07:00

Columbia_Park_Panorama, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I tried 2 processes here. One was to stitch a panorama together and the other was to do an HDR to capture the dynamic range of light. I did this handheld which is quite amazing as I would have thought a tripod was needed but since I used a high enough shutter speed I was able to get sharp photos which the software can then stitch together. The HDR process was quite interesting as I had to learn some features in the camera that I had not used before. Initially I just manually changed the EV compensation. I tried the bracketing function in the camera which allowed one to set the number of shots and the EV compensation required. To minimize the framing changes I used burst mode to fire the camera. I then discovered that the camera had interval timer function which allowed one to fire a series of shots after specified intervals. SInce I only used one interval it was not really necessary to use this (doh). However if I had wanted to used time lapse photography this would have come in handy. I would have find a way to set the exposure (I was using manual) to use this technique. Interesting learning experience...not please with the HDR result though. It is possible to get 'decent' HDR results that don't look too over-processed but I have to find out how. Back to the drawing board.

fall morning

2011-10-13T09:11:00.001-07:00

fall morning 2, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

This image shows how important early morning or for that matter late afternoon light is to an image. Even a simple hohum image looks terrific because of the morning sun. Have to get out there more often.

100 Portraits

2011-10-11T09:45:00.001-07:00

7/100 - Furqan, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Another project that I can't seem to keep going with any regularity. I suppose it's the fear of approaching strangers to photograph them. I will keep trying...

back alley (HDR)

2011-10-11T09:38:00.001-07:00

back alley, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Have to keep trying and playing and understanding how to use this. There are times I want to make it transparent but as this photo is a bit on the so-so side a more pronounced HDR effect I thought was called for.

G+

2011-10-11T09:36:00.001-07:00

fall, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I've been playing around with Google +. I don't like the interface, seems to be designed by techies as half the time you can't seem to do what you really want. But the content (photography) has inspired me to go out into different directions.

Columbia Park (GND Filter)

2011-10-11T09:31:00.001-07:00

Columbia Park, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

What a world of difference the use of a GND filter makes. Instead of a white sky or a black field we get both. Not the best shot but it does show the possibilities...

Bolsa Chica shoot with Ben

2011-08-14T10:42:00.001-07:00

Bolsa Chica egret, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Every shoot is a learning experience although the first requirement is actually a long lens. It seems like a 600mm and a 1.5X crop would be needed to get close to the birds. So how do you shoot these birds? A high shutter speed would be needed which you can do with a higher ISO so shooting at 1/200 or higher would be preferable. Surprisingly a narrow DOF is all that is needed as you can get a foot of DOF with a long lens ... more than enough to keep the bird sharp. The contrast between the white colour of the bird and the dark background is a bit of a problem. Minimizing the background would help. Rapid firing is also a good approach as the chance of momement is high. One can certainly get at least a good shot if duplicate shots are taken.

canada day 2011

2011-07-13T00:19:00.001-07:00

canadaday 2011, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Everyone was wearing red and I thought this would be a good chance to do selective desaturation which I did. Could be better but too lazy to fix.

China Creek Park

2011-06-30T20:54:00.001-07:00

China Creek Park, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

This wasn't quite as blue. It seems the GNDs are responsible for the shifting the colour tone...I wonder how I avoid that?

The city from Spanish Banks

2011-06-30T15:13:00.001-07:00

The city from Spanish Banks, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

This image raises a lot more questions than it answers. I took this shot away from the sun during sunset...doh...I've always shot in the direction of the sun. Having the clouds of course will bring out the light more than it normally will. My puzzle is the blue tone of this image. I used a colour intensifier and LB Neutral polarizer and a Soft GND and I am surprised by the dominance of the blue which isn't there with the naked eye. Is it the result of the filters or the natural colour of the light in the sky during this time in combination with the clouds. I will have to do some more test with the filters...

The Stawamus Chief

2011-06-30T10:20:00.001-07:00

2, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

The Chief was one of the reasons for driving up to Squamish...the other was Shannon Falls but the parking lot was full so we never got to stop at the waterfalls. We drove around the city and I stumbled on this view of the Chief. Had to fix a little of the vignetting caused by the filters. Don't know how to make this better except maybe to go around the golden hours.

Porteau Cove

2011-06-30T10:13:00.001-07:00

4, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

The first turnoff just before the actual Porteau Cove was this little parking lot and along the road was this little waterfalls/water runoff. Hard to position and I was so excited so I took what I can. Nice but could be nicer.

up to Squamish

2011-06-30T10:11:00.001-07:00

3, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I had been wanting to drive up to Squamish as I had been up there for different reasons but not able to stop for some photos. On a nice sunny Sunday Ashley and i drove up and it was real nice although frustrating at the same time as a lot of photo views was on the highway. We stopped at Lions Bay and I discovered this little beach with a view. One wonders how many of these little hidden spots exist along the way.

And again to kits beach..

2011-06-30T10:08:00.001-07:00

And again to kits beach.., a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

A third time at Kits beach and again the sun hid behind the clouds. There was a little bit more peering through and I was able to bring out the colours with photoshop.

Kitsilano Sunset again

2011-06-30T10:06:00.001-07:00

Kitsilano Sunset, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

And again the sun hid behind the clouds. I had to increase the red in curves to get the more saturated effect.

Kits Blue

2011-06-30T10:05:00.001-07:00

1, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Again the sun hid behind the clouds and I got a lot of blue on this sunset shot. Interesting effect in this image is the subtle way the light comes across the middle even though the sun is hidden behind the clouds. There is just enough light slipping through the breaks in the clouds to make the effect.

Siwash Rock

2011-06-23T09:01:00.001-07:00

1, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Guess I like this one the best. At least I got some sidelighting but what I really wanted to do was get on the rocks to the side and get the Siwash Rock on "white" water. No such luck. No rocks to get into from where the light was more balanced and where the rocks were to stand on would be against the light and result in a silhoutte...which it did with the images I tried.

3rd Beach rocks

2011-06-23T08:59:00.001-07:00

4, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Well not this image. Too far away from sunset made for lousy lighting. Technicall Ok but otherwise not very good.

3rd Beach

2011-06-23T08:57:00.001-07:00

5, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Still can't figure this one out. I guess it's just because I shot too early in the day (outside the 2 hours before sunset) and also shot into the sun. Not a good result except the composition was nice. Had to climb up some rocks to get the vantage point.

sunset of our lives

2011-06-12T21:00:00.001-07:00

1, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

A beautiful sunset in one of my favorite spots to shoot..Kitsilano Beach. In the sunset of our lives...one of my cousins passed away 2 days ago.

Whytecliff Park light

2011-06-12T20:18:00.001-07:00

Whytecliff Park, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

A tough shoot at Whytecliff Park., Even with filters it was hard to balance the light. The direction of the light also gave me fits. This was my favorite from the shoot primarily because I got caught up to half the knee by incoming waves. The neutral density filters was not a problem but the graduated neutral density filters was a problem as the scene was not a regular line and needed to use the soft GNDs. I had light leaking into the image because of the long exposure but that was remedied by closing the viewfinder. There was also flare so I used my hat to provide cover on the lens. Have to study the images again and learn how to cope with the light.

lady on the rock

2011-06-08T08:39:00.001-07:00

Kitsilano Sunset, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

I wanted to go back and try the sunsets at the old places I used to go to..Kitsilano, Jericho, Sunset Beach and try out the new techniques that I have started to get comfortable with. This image was a bit of a lucky one. A few days ago I decided to try the reverse GND and warm polarizer at work and it came in handy on this day. I was lucky the lady climbed to the top and at the same time I wanted to try and block the sun with the rock and the lady and it worked.

Stanley Park seawall

2011-06-07T09:04:00.001-07:00

3, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Never thought this would come to much but I suppose it was just overcast enough to get some colours although it was sunny most of the time. Low tide and all the rocks appeared. Intended to go to Siwash Rock but never made it as I just kept shooting here. Used the whole works - colour intensifier. circular polarizer, graduated neutral density filter (hard), 5-stop neutral density filter and the 4-8 Variable Neutral Density filter.

Queen E Sunset

2011-05-30T22:14:00.001-07:00

2, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Didn't really feel like it but sure glad I dragged myself out to take this photo. I wanted to try and capture some sunset photos since it's been such a long time since I've done so. I was quite pleased with the result although the location wasn't all that good. The combination of the colour intensifier, circular polarizer and reverse grad worked to put life in the image.

impatient tourist

2011-05-30T22:11:00.001-07:00

lady in waiting, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Stumbled on this little area and I knew I had to take a shot so I grabbed my wife and unwilling as she was I managed to take this capture which I dearly love.

2011-05-14T10:12:00.001-07:00

1, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Cloudless day so I took this morning as a day to experiment. I first tried shooting without the intensifier and polarizer so I could see if the blues would be less and to get a wider shot as each filter adds to unwanted vignette. Tried it for a little while and then added the intensifier and polarizer to get a slower shutter speed. Eventually I just went with the 5-stop and 10-stop NDs to get the slow shutter speed. Wasn't that successful as I was unable to get the right shutter speed. Seems like the two needed at least 4 minutes to expose properly. Need to try this again...

brisk morning

2011-05-11T09:26:00.001-07:00

2, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Interesting result with the slow shutter speed blurring the clouds that were moving on this windy day. Love the effect...

workflow

2011-05-04T13:20:00.001-07:00

2, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Finally remembered all the steps in this morning's shoot. Set the manual focus by determining dof for the focal length, checked the diff exposures so I can use the correct GND filter, attached the trigger release to eliminate shake, closed the viewfinder to eliminate stray light, checked the focal length to make sure there is no vignetting and finally made sure my finger was not in the shot(!).

dof and focus and sharpness

2011-05-02T11:30:00.001-07:00

dof, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Macros have the additional problem of sharpness as it has very narrow depth of field. One has to be aware of the dof and when it is sufficient it will be nice and sharp like this image. If not, focus stacking may be necessary.

focus stacking

2011-05-02T11:28:00.001-07:00

2, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

A camera/lens only has so much depth of field specially when working up close as with a macro lens. To get more dof requires "focus stacking" whereby one takes different photos with different focus points and then blends them all with software.

3

2011-04-29T20:19:00.001-07:00

3, a photo by SlowManLuis2011 on Flickr.

Wanted to blur the clouds so I needed to add 2 ND filters to get a 2-3minute shutter speed. It kind of worked although it is a little darker than I want. However the big problem is the white streak across the image which I believe is caused by light leaking through the viewfinder. So I closed that and it seems to be the source of the problem. Have to see if the dark image is caused by the filter.

Mountain View in the dark

2011-02-08T12:30:00.001-08:00

Mountain View
Originally uploaded by SlowManLuis2011

Early morning shot at the cemetary. There was a crew shooting a Smallville episode for TV. I liked the smoke they were using to provide some mood I guess. The morning was fairly sunny and bright and I thought a darker mood would be better. So I underexposed by 2 EV's and got this dark mood.

breakfast for one

2011-02-08T12:28:00.001-08:00

breakfast
Originally uploaded by SlowManLuis2011

Something clicked with this photo. Tried to overexpose the shot and thought it came out quite well. Nice and bright for a food shot...

holiday lighting

2010-12-24T01:18:00.001-08:00

holidays
Originally uploaded by Luis P Reyes

My initial attempts didn't adjust for tungsten and I didn't really like the orangy tone so I added an orange gel and set the WB to tungsten to get a more natural tone. My color tone is just about right but the walls are a bit more blueish than I would like. I maybe should have done the white balance for fluorescent...

bright sky over UBC

2010-12-06T11:55:00.001-08:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

No foreground to use and wasn't able to use a tripod and the only filter I was able to use was the polarizer. I brought out the blue sky by applying curves to the blue layer and I like the effect.

blue sky

2010-12-06T11:53:00.001-08:00

5
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

No tripod or filters for this one...just a quick one. So I was unable to bring out the detail in the trees. So I used both a polarizer and an intensifier to bring out the blue. Unfortunately I couldn't get a ninety degree angle on the scene to maximize the effect of the polarizer.

False Creek panorama

2010-12-06T11:51:00.001-08:00

False Creek Panorama 2010-12-03
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

My third attempt at creating a panorama. Discovered that shooting vertical images was a better way to create the panorama which I did. Not sure as I think as long as it fills the frame that it would work and might technically create a better image as there would be less images to stitch together. The clouds have been really interesting lately which helped this image (I went back in the afternoon and gave up as the cloudless sky made for an extremely boring photo)as well as the reflection.

Science World blues

2010-12-06T11:47:00.001-08:00

2
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Used a polarizer and a soft GND for this image. I was able to get more width (less vignetting) from the added filters. Just enough blue as I didn't use the colour intensifier which would have given it more of a bluer tone.

panorama image

2010-11-28T08:16:00.001-08:00

False Creek Panorama
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Don't seem to remember to try doing panoramas as much as I have liked the ones I've seen. My brother Ben does it now and then and they look really nice. So here is my first try...I can't remember how many but I stitched this from about 6-8 diferent images.

dof

2010-11-21T20:31:00.001-08:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Another experiment and this time with dof. It was a bright day but I wanted to use the 50mm f1.4 lens set at f1.4. This made for a very high shutter speed that I didn't want to use to I used the 10-stop ND to cut the light and the shutter speed to around 1/8s. A 5-stop ND would have been better as the shutter speed would have been around 1/250s which would eliminate blur due to movement. It would also allow one to see better through the lens and get a better composition.

snow

2010-11-21T20:25:00.001-08:00

5
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It snowed the day before and I guess you can say the Winter shooting season has started. Hopefully I will be able to go out when it is not so gloomy,

and again...

2010-11-21T20:23:00.001-08:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Got off from work to discover that it was just about sunset...a great time to be shooting and as Science World was close by I stopped to play around again. I finally realized/remembered that there was big difference in exposure between the sky and water so a GND was needed. This balanced out the light but I couldn't make the sky more dramatic by using a greater GND than necessary as it also darkened the Science World building as well and the result was not pleasing. Post processing using photoshop was a better approach for the desired effect.

unprepared

2010-11-21T20:18:00.001-08:00

23
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Decided to explore the Olympic Village...quite an impressive housing area. Great views and interesting architecture designs made for an interesting shoot. Unfortunately I brought the wrong camera which I couldn't attach to the tripod. I also forgot that I had my camera bag in the car with spare batteries and what have you. No filters to balance out the exposures...dumb.

cold day at the beach

2010-11-21T20:12:00.001-08:00

5
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

The wind was quite strong and I figured that the waves would be strong although it turned out not to be as strong as I was hoping for. But it was nice enough to practice my techniques. Used the polarizer, 5 stop ND and GND to even out the exposure.

Granville St at twilight

2010-11-21T20:08:00.001-08:00

Granville St
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I don't do much night photos in the ciry centre...don't know why except that I guess I stay home most nights. The different colour temperatures of the lights make an interesting image.

the armchair

2010-11-21T20:06:00.001-08:00

armchair
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Recently stumbled into another photographer with an interesting way of cropping and I am trying to emulate the style which in some way I am already doing but I want to be more conscious of it. Another design approach is to use dark and light areas of the image to create some balance. In a way this image uses it although I wasn't conscious that I was doing it. The wide bright area and green area provide a frame for the armchair which I think makes for a more interesting composition.

Science World

2010-11-21T19:51:00.001-08:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

They say that the best photos are taken where one lives and this is proof of it. I can drop by this location at just about anytime to take advantage of the light and weather conditions. And if I mess it up I can come back again and redo it. I stopped using a colour intensifier on this location and stayed with the polarizer. And the GNDs to balance the light.

rainbow over Stanley Park from close by

2010-11-21T19:48:00.001-08:00

rainbow over Stanley Park
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Amazing how there are locations that exist within the city where it doesn't look like it's in the city...or images to be captured by selective cropping. Stumbled on this location while just driving by and my wife pointing out the rainbow. Stopped the car and composed this shot. The polarizer enhanced the colour of the rainbow. 10 minutes and the moment was gone.

VCC park

2010-11-21T19:42:00.001-08:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

This park is just across from VCC on Broadway. Light was fabulous and the fall colours stood out. But the light difference was so large it was impossible to capture and the scene doesn't allow for the use of filters. So a HDR image was the only alternative...generated from 3-5 differently exposed images.

Yaletown and Granville Island

2010-11-21T19:39:00.001-08:00

Yaletown
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Nothing really different here except the use of the colour intensifier and polarizer to saturate the image...simple but effective.

Spanish Banks sunset

2010-11-21T19:37:00.001-08:00

5
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Quickly drove to Spanish Banks after dropping off Alyssa at UBC. Trying to catch the sunset...ooops it's hidden by the bend. Oh well get to try the GNDs and NDs...

Autumn 2010

2010-11-21T19:31:00.001-08:00

3
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Autumn colours abound and the use of the colour intensifier and polarizer just make the colours pop. A GND to hold back the sky and it's good to go.

Queen E filter fun

2010-10-23T10:33:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Went up to the top of Queen E Park which I find isn't really situated nicely for landscape photos....as nice as the park is. I used Soft and Hard GNDs with a circular polarizer and discovered how much more dramatic the skies can be when filters are used.

ominous clouds

2010-10-22T09:32:00.001-07:00

Science World
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It finally dawned on me why they say the best locations to shoot is where you live. I have been dropping by this location on the way or after work to play around and have gotten nice results. But today when I had all but given up I noticed how dramatic the clouds were so I took as many as I could and am quite pleased with the results. I didn't use the colour intensifier this time and just used the circular polarizer to get the effect I wanted. It allowed me to shoot at a fairly wide angle (20mm) and I also was careful to avoid the deep dark shadows that results from using a polarizer with a wide angle.

2010-10-21T10:31:00.001-07:00

fall colours
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

There are a different ways of looking (capturing) autumn aside from the tack sharp, immaculately composed image. There is the out of focus or the technique of a long exposure combined with rotating the camera. Forgot the fast zoom...ooops.

2010-10-20T20:54:00.001-07:00

water blur
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Long exposures isn't necessarily achieved by taking the longest shutter speed. A shorter shutter speed can result in a more effective result as the water will have more detail. So waves and waterfalls can be done this way.

2010-10-20T20:45:00.001-07:00

food court...not
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Found a useful feature of a GPS...a parks collection and I found one with a waterfall. So instead of hanging around the food court at the mall I went to the park for a couple of hours and took photos. I thought they came out quite good until I got a critique. It appears the shutter speed was too slow and a shorter shutter speed would allow more detail. So back to experimentation...hope to come back soon.

2010-10-13T22:27:00.001-07:00

Science World in tungsten
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I kept the white balance on daylight for some reason I still don't know why which is why the orange of the lights is emphasized. With no post processing one can change the color of an image by changing the white balance setting. A setting of tungsten removes the orange tone and turns it to more of a bluish tone.

2010-10-13T22:02:00.001-07:00

sunset from SW Marine Drive
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Bumped into a photographer with $10k worth of equipment and the wrong graduated ND filter. I sure hope I'm not in the same category...more money than sense.

2010-10-13T22:00:00.001-07:00

Science World during the golden hour
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Used a circular polarizer with the idea of cutting out glare. Might have done that but using a wide angle creates light and dark spots in the image. Maybe using the colour intensifier could have been better...with reflections which help the image the blue colour would also be enhance. And maybe even not using a filter...this was during the golden hour when the light was best.

2010-10-13T20:15:00.001-07:00

hidden
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

What started out as quite a gloomy day turned to quite a sunny day. The pattern lately and if it starts out sunny it always turns cloudy. Stumbled on this little pond while roaming around the Rose Garden in Stanley Park...as always saving parking fees by going to the beach or park and hanging out around there. Sure beats paying $10 for parking downtown. There was a big difference in exposure between the center of the photo and the sides as there was a little slope where the water flowed. I had given up on providing detail in the center when it hit me later that a reflector or flash could have provided the necessary light to bring out some detail.

2010-10-13T20:12:00.001-07:00

Serve
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I used the D700 in volleyball...usually get dark, blurry photos as the lighting inside a gym is abysmal. But letting the ISO run and using the 80-400 lens produced some interesting results. At least at the 640X480 size. Now if I can just improve on the composition. Hard to time the great action shots and watch the game at the same time.

2010-10-13T20:08:00.001-07:00

doorway to the D700
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It would seem a Nikon is a Nikon and I have progressed from a D100 to a D70 to a D200 but the D700 has got me a bit perplexed. Seems settings have to be adjusted depending on the subject...flipping between settings is no fun.

2010-09-11T21:46:00.001-07:00

Sunset Beach midday
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Not the best timing for shooting here. The tide was high so the rocks were hidden. It was a bright, sunny day which made for flat lighting and of course I was here in the middle of the day (doh). Had to try and avoid the many ships in the harbour and the buildings/tents across the water at Vanier Park. Liked the way the cloud was a little blurry with the 20 second exposure. The colour and texture of the water was also kind of interesting. I keep promising to try different shutter speeds to see what difference it makes to the image but I keep forgetting. Will have to keep it in mind at the next shoot.

2010-09-10T22:39:00.001-07:00

Kitsilano twilight
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Arrived at Kitsilano Beach just after the sun had gone down. I wanted to experiment with longer exposures and the results I think are not bad. They are a bit darker than I expected and I could have done longer exposures (2 1/2 minutes was the longest) to brighten the images but I am not sure they would look better. I wish I had a little bit more time to try a few more shots but my wife and dinner beckoned.

2010-09-05T22:11:00.001-07:00

clouds in the sky
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I have been shooting for around 10 years and have some shots with clouds in them but I have only now realized just how important they are to landscape photos. So now that I've noticed them, I immediately think of trying to position myself in such a way as to get them into the photo. The polarizer also helps in providing contrast for the clouds.

Spanish Banks morning

2010-09-05T12:49:00.001-07:00

Spanish Banks
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It was late in the morning so the light wasn't that great. I think mostly because the sun was coming from the back and made the light more frontal. But one can still learn from just experimenting. Best light for the west would be sunset, that way the sky would be lit by an orange colour or at least have some clouds. The sun was coming from the right so there is at least some shadow. The lack of foreground to attract the eye is alleviated somewhat with a low shot which is something to remember. There is always the ground/floor to provide some foreground when no big rocks, trees etc are available to provide interest for the eyes.

Blue skies and white clouds

2010-09-05T11:42:00.001-07:00

4
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

This is what makes the colour intensifier and circular polarizer so effective. It was a beautiful day and the colours just popped when I used the 2 filters. No post processing required...just the way I like it.

2010-08-28T19:48:00.001-07:00

Sunset Beach
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

First time to shoot back in Vancouver. Too early in the afternoon but the rocks were showing because of the low tide. Not bad and the only thing I forgot was the remote trigger. I even tried removing the GND before the shutter closed which allowed a lower than 2 stop exposure for the GND. It really helps to read other photographer's blogs to sometimes get ideas that one would not ordinarily come up with.

2010-08-20T10:47:00.001-07:00

little beach
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

While everyone else went to the mall and Disneyland, I headed for Little Corona del Mar again and stayed there for 5 hours from 12 noon to 5pm. My intention was to stay for the sunset but after 5 hours under the hot sun I had little energy left and I noticed that I was starting to make more and more mistakes. And besides I missed everyone. This had to be one of my most successful shoots as I remembered to do all the little things that I needed to do. My major mistake was that I had to set the vari-ND to the minimum setting to be able to see through the viewfinder and that was even minimal and I kept forgetting to adjust the setting back to the darkest setting and so over-exposed a few shots. Shooting during sunset hours as they say is the way to go and I realize that now as the photos lacked the warm colours of sunrise/sunset. But I am quite happy with the results.

Point Vicente Shoot

2010-08-18T19:00:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I wanted to revisit this location to see the effects of using filters. I found the use of the colour intensifier and circular polarizer to be quite effective. The NDs were not as effective. I used the vari-ND (6 stops) and 5 stop ND and I still could not get an effective blur at 30 seconds and F22. Coming at a different time where the light was not so strong would be needed. On the other hand I performed the process in the best way possible as I was able to use the 17-35mm at the widest, used a leveler and a remote trigger. This was on top of the other filters.

Huntington Beach Pier Shoot

2010-08-18T00:08:00.001-07:00

Huntington Beach Pier
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Ok still trying to learn the tools as much as possible. Tried to combine the filters - colour intensifier, circular polarizer, Vari-ND and 5 stop ND. As result I believe using the polarizer will cause colour shifts which are not predictable. Having 4 filters also cause unwanted vignettes so I had to eliminate 1. I tried to go without the 5 stop ND but still got the shifts in colour so I went with the 5-stop ND in the end. This gave me the slow shutter speed that I wanted to blur the water. I now realized that clicking the shutter by hand limits my longest shutter speed to 30 seconds so I believe a remote shutter should be used. This will eliminate camera shake as well as better control of the shutter speed. I can just keep changing the shutter speed (using my watch) until I get the correct exposure.

Little Corona del Mar

2010-08-16T07:14:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

A good location to shoot but a bit busy. Lots of people wandering around including other photographers. A good learning experience as seeing the light was an important part of getting a good composition.

2010-08-12T01:09:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It really is tough to get away from the shoot-thru umbrella and the Lumiquest Softbox III while easy to use is not as soft as I would like. It takes away 2 stops of light as well as creating harder shadows. Have to work a little harder on the technique.

Fail #3

2010-08-05T18:59:00.001-07:00

Fail
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

The easiest problem to fix...don't shoot at the sun doh. Hide behind a cloud, bush or shoot away from the sun. Doh...

Fail #2

2010-08-05T18:58:00.001-07:00

Fail
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Guessing about this one...the light was blown out on the right and I think it was because of the haze. The haze messed up the exposure...

Fail #1

2010-08-05T18:56:00.001-07:00

Fail
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Not a good day for shooting...ran into lots of exposure problems. This was in a canyon...lots of contrast...tried to use a GND and was semi-successful. Still a bit too much shadow. Could have tried HDR technique but didn't think of it.

sunset blahs

2010-08-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

sunset
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

No clouds, so-so foreground. Nice and cool sunset made it worthwhile. Just not much of an image.

2010-08-02T11:45:00.001-07:00

Nothern California Highway
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

While driving down the highway along Nothern California I was so impressed with the beautiful views...but nowhere to stop. I felt inspired and thought of Ansell Adams and wished I could stop and take photos. There was just this one viewpoint that had a view of Mt Shasta but not a very good one. So I took what I could from the parking lot.

Otter Rock

2010-08-02T07:56:00.001-07:00

Otter Rock
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I was surprised to find a few images I liked from shooting at Otter Rock. We were as usual at the most convenient point in the park high up and looking down at the rocks and beach area. I came to the realization that an even more important part of photography is time and legs. The outstanding photos can only be taken if you have time to spend and study the location and even more importantly to be able to "leg" it to the not so convenient areas. At Otter Creek it would have meant walking down to the beach and rocks which would have taken another 2-3 hours that I did not have. I don't even know if the "better" areas are reachable.

2010-07-31T09:39:00.001-07:00

3
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It still comes down to exposure. So there is the fog and that will make the image darker. And a portion of the image is darker because of the relative exposures of the different areas of the image. This also makes the image darker than one would like. No light or little light resulting in very little colour...maybe better as b&w.

2010-07-31T09:21:00.001-07:00

Cape Kiwanda
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Slow down you move too fast...hard to get away from old habits. The run-and-gun method used to work but as your standards get higher, the method of preparation becomes more important. Yes there were people in the photos which could not be avoided but the images could have been better and there could have actually been more of them as opposed to a lot of so-so shots with exposure, sharpness or composition problems that I could have avoided by taking time to do things the right way. First is to determine the relative exposures in the image by aiming the camera using spot metering to determine the difference in exposures and to determine if ND/GND filters are necessary. Then compose the shot by looking through the lens without the ND filters. Determine the hyperfocal length in order to set the camera focus manually or at least set the focus while the ND filters are not on. Then set the exposure on manual and set the exposure accordingly. Add the NDs and then shoot. Adjust as necessary.

where did the sun go?

2010-07-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

where did the sun go?
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Went from lots of sushine around the Portland area to the gloomy fog on the Oregon Coast. This is our 3rd time around and it seems that when I really want to shoot the fog is so think and makes for black and white images...even if taken in colour. I wonder what the locals do? I guess they keep one ear on the weather report and head down to the beach areas as soon as they see that the sun will appear.

Wahkeena Falls

2010-07-29T09:46:00.001-07:00

3
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

This was dowstream from the main falls. Never made it to the bottom as we were getting tired. The photos I took here were probably closer to the way I wanted to see it. Shooting waterfalls is not easy as looking at the LCD does not really look like what it actually does on the 'puter. There are so many variables to shooting the water - the speed of the water, the angle, the colour of the rocks and underwater surface and the light. At least this time I remembered to shoot at different speeds but what looks 'good' on the LCD isn't necessarily what is good. Lots of experimentation still to do.

Northern Falls

2010-07-28T10:12:00.001-07:00

2
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Make a trip to Silver Lake Falls near Silverton but arrived quite late as we did not expect it to be so far. There are 10 waterfalls in the park and we saw 2. Difficult lighting and I also ran out of light at the end. Did a lot of 20 second exposures with the polarizer and colour intensifier. Being so late in the day it wasn't necessary to use the ND filters. Big mistake was not to bracket the shots. It is difficult to gauge the effect of the blurred water and shooting at faster speeds could have made the blur look nicer. I love the overhang on this falls and wish I'd had the time to really expose the shot properly. A wider lens would have been nicer as well to get in more of the overhang into the shot.

to the top of Whytecliff Park

2010-07-26T00:13:00.001-07:00

2
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Climbed to the top of the park with Hans and took some photos. This must be the hardest to shoot (nature) as there is little impact for most of the photos other than light and shadows. It appears that this was a matter of cropping that is finding a crop that would make the image interesting among the confusion of the trees and rocks. I used a polarizer and colour intensifier to at least make whatever little colour pop. I also tried using GNDs with little success and multiple exposures for HDR generated images. In the end, the lack of impact makes for so-so images.

water lillies

2010-07-24T18:47:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Somewhere along the line I forgot about my polarizer and as I reviewed its use I found that the experts recommend its use in all outdoor shoots. So I did and I found the results exactly to my liking. The images I took of the water lillies were not post processed except for the conversion from RAW to jpeg and resizing for display. I also added my colour intensifier to the polarizer which has a warming tint. I will get a neutral version which is a screw-on and have the 2 filters on the lens for all my outdoor shoots.

Van Dusen Waterfalls

2010-07-23T00:05:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I guess this is the best I've done as far as waterfalls is concerned. Needed a Vari-ND to slow down the shutter speed and held a GND SS upside down to even the exposures a bit as the foreground was being lit quite a bit. Also used a colour intensifier to hopefully make the colours pop just a little.

2010-07-22T22:53:00.001-07:00

4
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I like this image. It is not as dramatic or as pretty as the other attempts I have made in using ND and GND filters but I think that technically I did a better job here. Better in that it is brighter but being brighter shows the plainness of the foreground which gives the image less impact. The moving clouds was an unexpected bonus. I didn't realize they moved all that much during the 30 seconds it took to expose the image. I used the Vari-ND, GND HS and colour intensifier on this image.

Whytecliff HDR

2010-07-21T21:08:00.001-07:00

2
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Created this image from 9 separate images of different exposures. Due to the wide range of exposure, the camera will either blow out the highlights or blacken the shadows. By taking 9 separate images and combining them with Photomatix, a better image with the highlights and shadows preserved is created.

Comparison of Photos

2010-07-21T18:54:00.001-07:00

Comparison of Photos
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

It's been recommended that a polarizer and colour intensifier be used when taking photos and to show why I decided to take a comparison. I definitely like the results on the right side where a colorizer and colour intensifier was used.

big thumb

2010-07-21T14:37:00.001-07:00

8
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Theoretically speaking using filters is quite simple. Use ND filters to cut down the light so that the water will be blurred. Use graduated ND filters to balance the relative exposure of the sky and foreground. Use a colour intensifier to make the colours pop a little and finally attach a polarizer to minimize reflections and increase saturation. Unfortunately the polarizer will not stack with the ND so I didn't do that. The colour intensifier attached to the variable ND filter without a hitch (although I don't really know the effect). Then I hand-held the graduated filters in front of the lens. Not quite as easy as it sounds. Hands shaking fortunately does not affect the image a lot but big fat fingers in front of the lens do! I have a few shots with that. But a bigger problem is the inability to see clearly what one is doing. With all the filters cutting the amount of light into the viewfinder it was difficult to see the transition point between the dark and light areas of the filter. So it is a guessing game at times. I am quite happy with the images but can still improve a bit.

10 Stop ND

2010-07-21T14:23:00.001-07:00

10
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

I admit a bit of ignarance as pertains to light and f-stops. In other words I have not paid much attention to exposures and it causes me grief from time to time. The point of this blog however is not that but how bright the sun is. In the early/late afternoon I wanted to take photos of water on rocks with the water as blurry as possible. Out came my ND filters...an 8-stop Variable ND filter, a 5-stop and a 3-stop that I could stack and presumed that would be sufficient. Not so...at 30 seconds and f22 it was still too bright and the blurry water was not quite blurred. Amazing how bright the sun is...will have to do this when I get my new 10=stop ND or at least I will wait for a dull, overcast day and late in the day.

10 Stop ND

2010-07-21T14:20:00.001-07:00

10
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

morning walk

2010-07-20T12:42:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Trying out a combination of a polarizer and a color intensifier. Supposed to be the best combination to bring some pop to an image. Not sure if I was successful...I don't think my eyesight is keen enough to detect subtle differences.

Sunset at Queen E

2010-07-18T22:32:00.001-07:00

1
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Been reading how some photographers hand hold their GNDs and seeing as how I was getting vignetting when using my 12-24mm I decided to hand hold it and the result was quite pleasing to me. I started just using the reverse grad filter and eventually realized that the middle portion was quite dark. So I reversed a soft graduated filter to darken the foreground and try to bring out a bit of detail which I managed to do. With a little more patience and a few more filters the light would have been more balanced. The more I practice...the more I learn.

water lillty X 2

2010-06-29T17:27:00.001-07:00

lillies X 2
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Using a circular polarizer to eliminate reflections has a nice effect. All one does is to be 90 degrees from where the light is coming from. The 2 images show what it is like (top with polarizer/ bottom without polarizer).

Expositor

2010-06-14T07:52:00.001-07:00

Expositor
Originally uploaded by slowmanluis2010

Understanding manual exposure isn't an overly difficult concept but remembering the proper exposure for different conditions is not easy. Now I understand why they say some photographers really know their light. It isn't the lighting setups that needs to be learned but seeing the differences in light patterns in the image so one can visualize the end result. If you can see the f-stop differences between the elements of the image then you can see it as light or as dark. So I am now trying to avoid using the camera to meter the photo but to "guess" what it is and see the result before clicking on the shutter.