I've said it before - but there are times when the scene just grabs me.
This image is one of those from the office when the "planets" aligned.
I love those moments when I can pay the scene this attention - if I can't then I almost become obsessed of the missed shot.
Spring
When the Sun is out - and although it hits the fake orchids on the back porch shelf - I can't help but think of Spring.
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm
Images at night
I really like images captured at night - and i'm going to try to push the limits this year and get more night shots.
Shooting at night is a bit more inconvenient -- but the good and great image is usually captured during the least convenient circumstances. Be it - war, cold, early morning, high above, underwater etc...
Ford and Chevy
CES just finished up, and all the “big hitter” camera companies made some announcements. And even I can’t help but get caught up in it all. Nikon teased with the up coming D4s, Fuji offered the blacked out x100s and new lenses and Canon was in the mix also.
I bring this up because I get asked every once in a while, “what should I buy”, or “what’s a good camera” ?. This is so difficult as the end result or goal is really important.
If you are in the market for a new camera or want to make it a go and get started take this into consideration.
- Identify you budget - and try to stay with that number as much as possible.
- Determine what MFG you want to identify with — and that could be because of style, accessories, expandability, or price. For the most part - buying into a camera system is like the difference between “Ford and Chevy”.
- Strive for photos which exhibit sharpness better than anyone else’s. Understand what sharpness is and how to recognize it in a photo. Learn how to chase, capture, and harness the sharpest photo possible above the limitations of your gear.
- Every piece of gear has a sweet spot — find that - and be able to get back there over and over again.
- Go to Flickr and look at the “Explorer” section - and look at it over and over. Identify with the images you like.
I took this last photo with a $300 fixed lens point and shoot, Nikon P330. The camera is amazing for what it is - but with many limitations. With that thought, I normally can’t help myself and usually shoot thru those limitations and come up shorthanded. This image as it turns out -- it was selected as one of Engineering News Record's Images of the year for 2013.
My point -- get out and shoot -- irregardless of what you have for equipment. Sure - many of us want the Porsche - but as it turns out, most of us only have the Ford or Chevy.
Utah Bad Air
The bad air is taking its toll.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
BackYard
The setting South Western Sun and the backyard scene was irresistible. The main attraction to the V1 is the color rendering -- the colors are just so rich -- like a good cup of coffee - I really can't explain it.
Nikon V1 - 10-30mm
Temple Square Lights
The seasonal lights are always something special - every year I shake my head in wonder as the stringing seems somewhat an impossible feat.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
Minox 'A'
The ‘Minox A’ - this has been all over the world. Purchased new in the mid 60’s, it was the first compact camera of its time - which was the reason for acquiring. I used it in High-School when ordering film from the Rexall Drug was commonplace, but developing would require shipment to Germany.
Nikon P330 - Minox 'A'
It saw use in the hands of the Military during the Cold War, and it shot unauthorized images of the U.S. D.C. Mint during a tour when cameras weren’t allowed in the 70's. Evidently nobody noticed. I used it to take pictures of stuff around the house - like my motorcycle - when I was 16.
This was my Father’s - and now I have it hanging in my studio, from a push-pin on the wall. The beaded chain is long lost - replaced with 550 cord.
It will most likely never have film push-pulled in it ever again. Back in the ’60’s as today - I consider it an engineering marvel.
Over the Shoulder
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm shot in NEF
Lately I've been captivated by the BW - especially when the blacks are really black. That may sound like a given - but sometimes blacks aren't black. I like what I see when I convert a Nikon file - there seems to be no in between.
Now -- when i push this file to the printer - that may be a different story. Depending up the paper I may get a bit of some purple tones - just a touch. I'm still working that out.
V1 - Same Series
Another image from the same office series from yesterday.
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm NEF to Monochrome
Group Shot - V1
My best group photo in a while - the firm was getting a demonstration from RigidBot, a 3d printer company from Provo, and this is a grab shot.
The serendipitous nature, of the art of image making, has always captivated me, and the BW convert makes the scene even more powerful.
I’m still in love with the files from the V1, and even though I will lust for the A7r, I don’t know if I can remove myself from the V series.
Nikon 1 V1, 18.5mm
IPhone
I'm always a bit surprised at the results I get out of the IPhone. The smallest camera I've ever used, hanging on the wall as a memento, is a Minox. And this performance of the IPhone is insane in comparison.
IPhone 5 - KitCam
Twin Falls - Sunrise
Nikon D3s - Tamron 17-35mm
Nikon Df - follow up.
I can’t help but respond to the Nikon Df announcement of which I predicted would be met with complete distain.
The body and lens are now real. The launch was a complete failure because the ad campaign was 3 videos too long. The perception was that the product was something more than what it actually was, where some of that was in the realm of the viewer - some of that was the campaign.
The camera itself is a total bust. If the statement can be believed that Nikon spent 4 years on this is true - then I would characterize that as an embarrassment to the R&D team. I’m going all out here — why - because I watched 6 videos of what was supposed to be a God Camera. And the release was 1 year too late. There is too much competition in the market place for anyone to care about this now - especially for 3 grand.
The other point - of which many have stated - the design is for the sake of “Retro” - and I agree. The F3 was the F3 - the FM-2 was the FM-2 for good reason. The D3 series is the D3 series. If the intent was to make it look like a F3 - then make it look like an F3. It hardly looks like an F3. Really - it hardly does - this design is something else - I don’t know what it is really.
I guess it’s a Df.
Nikon is better than this. And where is the video.
I’m really bummed.
Nikon - from Lovers to haters in 7 days
In one week Nikon has gone from the fanboy top to the hater bottom - for one reason. The tease.
What was thought to be a great ad campaign of teaser videos, 6 in all, released every other day to gobsmacked photo fans about a new camera, has turned into a lambasting of the feature set before the thing is even fully public.
The is my perspective - and I predicted the outcome in my own mind as I was one of the embroiled.
The back story is at www.nikonrumors.com - which broke the news of an up and coming competitor to the Sony A7 series full frame bodies, eventually named the Nikon Df. The rumors were confirmed when Nikon dropped the first teaser video of a man shuffling controls with only audio clues and nothing visibly discernible.
I was one of the many, if not all captivated by this, and the message board went crazy and some wrote they would, “divorce their wife” to get their hands on this thing. I followed the frenzy of thought; what’s it look like, is it like a old F3HP, they say it’s Hybrid etc. etc. My mind and others were going crazy about the possibilities.
Every video was 34 seconds long - “why 34 seconds, what’s it all mean !!”.
Speculation and potential was all over the place - all very good, and all very exciting.
Up until the 3rd video - when I became really tired of it all.
There is a huge marketing and life lesson here. Don’t ever underestimate the wherewithal of your customer. Never; as they will turn on you in a second for good reason.
This is the age of Email, information at the fingertips, and instant gratification. Give me a date and release the product, done. Tease me for bit - but not for long - and don’t force me to become your reactionary servant. And I don’t think I was alone.
Fast forward to today and the crowd is hacking this thing apart. I can’t help but be overdramatic and say I will wonder if Nikon sells any of these. The hacking is so bad that Nikon leaked the final video 12 hours ahead of time on a Chinese site.
Comments on the board are everything from pricing speculation, to what are they thinking with the feature set, to, “oh, that’s all it is !?!” SNAP !
I don’t think this is the fault of the camera - I think this is a direct projection of the frustration and loss of control by the, “tease”. The tease has done all of this - and even I’m on this boat - hell, I’m motivated enough to write about it.
This is a ship they can’t stop now - even if this camera can print money - the damage has been done.
I'm probably going to buy a Sony A7.
Fascinating!
Compelling
Compelling may be right in front of your face. I pass this area often, and like a moth to a summer time lit light, I can't ever not want to make a picture; ever.
Nikon P330 CoolPix
The Story of Keep Calm and Carry On
Utah Theater
Interior of the Utah Theater - in wait of desperate restoration.
Nikon 1 - V1 - 18.5mm f1.8
Backgrounds
This is not an award winning photo by any means - but the process of creating it becomes a compelling learning experience. This composition is an everyday occurrence and being able to recognize value in an everyday experience is sometimes difficult. The sun peaked in the morning - I saw how intense and golden it was on the SE, or right side of the image, and went out with the P330. Since it shoots at f1.8 - I knew I wanted the drama of the depth of field the f1.8 could accommodate. At the same time I wanted to fill the frame and the only way to that was with the Macro mode.
The whole time while shooting I learned to be conscious of the background, because I really had no control of that from my vantage point. I had to pivot around the subject to get it acceptable. That - in and of itself, is probably the best lesson in this exercise - and the reason of why I'm discussing it - and that is - Know your Background - that can make or break the image.
Post consisted of a convert to JPG from NRW - an X-Equals Fuji Superia 100 Curve Preset, sharpening, and a slight bump in noise reduction - all completed in LR5.
Nikon P330 - f1.8 - X-Equals Fuji Superia 100 Curve
Today's tip
While searching my LRoom catalog I noticed many images which didn't "catch" my eye months/years before. Aesthetics change - tastes change and I was surprised upon digging thru the past images. And - LRoom has become better at resolving some of these images and offering better correction techniques. So - in the coming Winter month's - I'll be taking a look and pulling those images which didn't interest me soon after the shoot.
Notre Dame Sacristy, Paris France. Nikon P330