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Dec, 2014Views
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forcexxibigbad
December 12, 2014
I want to thank everyone for their support. I love shooting pictures and its great to have such wonderful support. Makes me want to go shoot more often. Thanks Everyone!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken in Pueblo Colorado at the eastern end of the Riverwalk. I love the way the city has allowed the walk to snake around with nice smooth round edges as it meanders along the river.Time
I love to take night photography. My years working at the US Army's Night Vision Lab allows me to see the world in a different light. (Pun intended.) This shot was taken some time between 2 and 4am as I walked along the Riverwalk that night.Lighting
The lighting is tough. They use a very yellow/orange pressurized sodium light that is around 2-3000K makes for a hard white balance. It can be done if you use a card and take several reference shots.Equipment
This was shot with my Nikon D810 and I am betting the Nikkor 28-300 f3.5-5.6 lens because this was the first batches of shots I have taken with the camera and I had not purchased any of the current lenses I have in my bag.Inspiration
I think all of the years I have worked at night inspired me to take these shots. There is a quiet and peaceful beauty at night. What will have harsh defined lines during the day, smooths out when the sun goes down. Long shutter durations bring that out even if you don't perceive it because of your eyes natural tenancy to sharpen everything we look at. The hard lines of the rocks contrasted by the cotton appearance of the water and the arc of the structure of the falls puts your eye exactly where I wanted it to go.Editing
I do very little. I lose all the time to people that take shots and butcher them for artistic flare. Yes they are beautiful. Yes I am envious because I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. I do not feel my shots require anything because for the most part I am rather plain. If the location and composition is not enough for someone I am sorry but I am not your kind of photographer. I would rather have the shot stand on its own right off the camera and if only one person really likes it then I am happy. This is a photography site and I really wish they would have competitions directed towards the pragmatic photographer who loses to castles in clouds next to a lake in the mountains. Its pretty but takes away from the natural beauty of the lake they shot and butchered in post production.In my camera bag
I carry far more than I should for many reasons. Primarily its for the exercise. If you were to see me you wouldn't disagree that I need it. Second reason is because I love to experiment and hate to want to frame up something and not have the lens I need for it so here goes. . . . Two D810's, 50mm prime f1.8, 85mm prime f1.8, 24-70mm f2.8, 70-200mm f2.8, 28-300mm (working lens/favorite), 15-30mm f2.8 (Tamron), 150-600mm (Tamron), Nikon 720 and 5000 speed light, 10 batteries, chargers, two tripods (carbon fiber), cleaning supplies, all of the trinkets I have acquired along the way in shooting the USA and a bunch of other stuff that could look rather ridiculous and it is when I think about it. Actually I have 2 bags and don't ask my wife if she carries my gear because she won't even lift either of them due to the weight. :-)Feedback
Experiment. There are a million things I could tell you about how to take this shot. I could even mount another camera in the same spot with everything being the same and get a different result. My two camera bodies have personalities and after pulling up the shots on a computer I can tell what camera took the shot. You can see all the F stop, ISO, mm of lens, etc and get something different. So experiment. I admit I have learned everything I know as I pick it up along the way. I regret I haven't taken any classes. My best friend told me that my lack of style is a good style. I shoot what appeals to me at the time and that changes along the way. I have been told by people I should sell my photos and these same people won't take a free print. Its a thick skin I have because of lots of those types of situations. (You say I should sell my work and then won't let me give it away to you?) I don't have any ego regarding my shots. They are mine and I have had lots of people say they are excellent and just as many say the opposite. Do what you like and if you are happy with it really, really that is all that matters but it is flattering to hear complements and I thank everyone of those that helped me achieve a status well enough to have this site ask me to do this. Only thing is. I hate writing, it took me 6 hours 12 minutes and 44 seconds to reach this period.
