Make Your Move
Fair in Durant, OK
Fair in Durant, OK
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Sep, 2014Views
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
Contest Finalist in Bright And Colorful Photo Contest
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Contest Finalist in Merry Go Round And Other Rides Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the annual carnival in my town of Durant, Oklahoma. I noticed the ferris wheel on my way to school one night and loved all of the different colors! I love colorful pictures so I decided to stop by when I had got out of school to get a few shots.Time
It was fairly later in the night (September 4, 2014 at 09:57:22 PM to be exact). I wanted to wait until the "blue hour" but I had to bargain with shooting at that time or waiting until near closing time so that not too many people would walk into the shot. I have to say I'm glad that I chose to wait because I was very satisfied with the result.Lighting
I later decided that I wanted it to be as dark as possible to get a more colorful effect. I didn't really need to darken the sky anymore than it was. The lights on the merry go round were very helpful in leaving shadows around the edges of the faces and designs along the sides. I feel that it gave more of a dramatic look.Equipment
The only camera I have is my Nikon D3200. I used the kit lens it came with, which is a 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR. I did use my Digipower tripod. I actually did not use a shutter remote because I didn't own one at the time so I just pressed the shutter as gently as I could. My kit lens has a Vibration Reduction feature so it was a great help to get this shot.Inspiration
I've been getting into long exposures quite a bit lately and keep my eyes open for subjects in my area to get these kinds of shots. When I realized the fair was in town, I drove by on the way to school one night and noticed the rainbow colors on the ferris wheel. It reminded me of my childhood as I used to go to the carnival every single year. It makes me think of all the cotton candy and funnel cakes that I'd be so full of!Editing
I only did a little post processing. When I took this shot, I made quite a few test shots to adjust the exposure just right. I raised the Vibrance a little to bring the color out more and also brought up some Luminance to get a smooth effect and also performed a Noise Reduction layer.In my camera bag
I always carry my Nikon D3200 with me everywhere I go along with an extra battery and many SD cards that I keep empty. I have several lenses: a Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR; Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8; Nikon 50mm f/1.8G; Nikon 50mm f/1.8D; Samyang 14mm f/2.8. I also always have a headlamp, shutter remote, and a cleaning kit for lenses. I keep a lens reversal ring for my extra 50mm with manual focus only to serve as a macro lens.Feedback
Long exposure photography can get pretty tricky. Get used to shooting in Manual Mode and learn to adjust the ISO, Shutter speed, and Aperture to taste. I used to be pretty stubborn with my ISO, keeping it as low as possible to reduce noise but I've learned to keep my Noise Reduction feature set to On on my camera. This actually helps so much when you really need to raise the ISO. When performing your initial test shots, begin with a longer exposure and work your way down to the shorter speeds. The reason why is because when you're editing, and you lower the highlights, it creates less noise. You'll also need a tripod or something to rest the camera on. Use a shutter remote to avoid any movement. I shot this without one but have noticed a huge difference in the shots I have and haven't used a remote. Also, I always shoot in RAW. It captures everything without adjusting itself like a JPEG. It also reserves a lot more quality and gives a more broad range to edit without as much noise.
