Early American Loom c1815
Old Bethpage Village, Long Island, NY
Old Bethpage Village, Long Island, NY
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Jan, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this at a place called Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, Long Island, New York. There are many historically accurate buildings and interiors like this as well as reenactments with vintage equipment, vehicles, weapons and clothing worn by the participants.Time
I went to the location when they first opened at 10am so I could avoid the crowds and have good lighting.Lighting
It was a sunny day and since it was early, the sun was relatively low in the sky and provided great side lighting through the windows. This enhanced the shadows and warmth of the room as well.Equipment
I took this a few years ago with my first DSLR, a Canon Digital Rebel XSI. A very basic DSLR and quite honestly, what I could afford at the time. I used my favorite lens and the one I use to this day for 90% of my shots. It is a Sigma 18-250mm Telephoto lens. I did not use a flash but did use my tripod and took a three-exposure bracketed set. (-2, 0, +2 stops) The exposure was for 5 seconds at F16, ISO 100 (as low as my camera would go) and once it was set up, I used my remote control and a 2 second delay on the camera to minimize camera shake.Inspiration
I just love the Old Bethpage Village site with all the original and classic buildings, interiors and exteriors as well. But this is one of my favorite shots because of the overall rustic look, the original furnishings and the warm interior as well as the overall "texture" of this room. Plus a do a lot of woodworking and make furniture as a hobby so the furniture and all the wood in this room caught my eye.Editing
I post-processed the three exposures quite extensively. I actually enjoy the post processing a little more than actually taking the shots. I basically used two programs: Photomatix to combine the three exposures and then Adobe Photoshop for all the rest of the processing. I brought the combined image into Photoshop and did the following processing: - I used two add on programs from my online "guru" Blake Rudis.( I HIGHLY recommend following him at "https://f64academy.com/about-me-blake-rudis/" - I used his Digital Zone System and Color Zone System Photoshop plug-ins. - I then used the various basic features of Photoshop to enhance the detail, increase contrast, crop the image, etc.In my camera bag
Honestly, I don't believe in carrying a ton of equipment around since I usually plan ahead on what type of shooting I will be doing each trip. In addition, much of my travelling for shots is relatively local. For this shot, and for all the other ones I took at this location on this trip, I had my Canon DSLR with the Sigma lens attached, my tripod and that's about it. I usually do not lug around a heavy camera bag and see no reason for it for the type of shooting I do. At times I will pack a camera bag but leave it locked (and hidden) in my car. In it is the basic camera cleaning stuff, perhaps my Macro lens in case an opportunity arises, my Canon 580 EX Flash, extra batteries, a few Neutral Density filters and a remote control for the camera.Feedback
Just a few logical tips: - Get there EARLY to avoid crowds. This is vital for interior shots at any public location like this. It is also better for lighting. - Don't lug around too much extra "stuff". It will wear out your back and patience and this will affect the overall experience and quality and quantity of your shots. - Take bracketed exposures. If the one in the middle is good, then you can just delete the over and under ones. But if not, they will come in very handy and will produce a much better, high definition result during post processing. - Don't be afraid to post-process. There is nothing wrong with that. If you are an "out of the camera" purist, fine. But even Ansel Adams post processed extensively in his dark room. Photoshop is our Digital darkroom. - Take a LOT of shots when you are out there and just keep the best ones to process. - Have fun!
