Working in motorsports, a visual industry that intimately involves the depiction of motion, leads to creative questions regarding the interpretation of movement in other scenes and subjects. How much is too much?
A Nikon D60 using an AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm G ED lens was the camera body and lens selected for the production of this photograph. The focal length was 72mm with an aperture of f/8 and film speed 400 ISO. The camera was hand-held at a shutter speed of 1/15th second with the lens VR (vibration reduction) setting "on."
How do those exposure setting relate to the visual interpretation of the final image?
The focal length effectively determined how many bird were included in the scene. The more birds, the more likely just one will destroy the desired symmetry of the composition. These sea birds are not, after all, a precision flying team like the Thunderbirds that train at Nellis Air Force base across the street from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The shutter speed determines how much movement occurs during the exposure. The longer the shutter is open for exposure, the greater the opportunity for movement by the subject. A very short shutter speed could freeze the motion, but would that convey the effect of graceful flight as presented in this photograph?
The final visual production element is the implementation of a technique known as "panning." This is accommodated by moving the camera at the same pace and in the same direction of travel as the subject. Pick one object as the focal point of the scene and move the camera in order to keep that subject at the same position in the viewfinder throughout the exposure. Without panning, the birds would simply appear as undefined dark streaks against the cloudy evening sky.
Why were these exposure settings used for this photo at dusk?
Simple, it was my interpretation of the scene using the available skills – experience – and tools – camera equipment.
Recently a pro photographer friend made an interesting comment following a landscape photoshoot. He said, “You have a great eye for light.”
His statement caught me a bit by surprise until I had a few minutes to think about it. Then the realization dawned: Isn’t that what every photographer is supposed to do – see light in the same way the camera does – translate the light into an exposure for the camera?
Charleston South Carolina
After spending the past several weeks in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the night scenes blaze with multi-colored neon and incandescent lights, an evening stroll through the darkened streets of Charleston, South Carolina, represented a dramatic visual counterpoint. The creative photo opportunities were just as distinctive.
Charleston is a city where it is possible to stroll for hours and discover a wide variety of photo opportunities. The historic city is rich with visuals. This still life scene – lit by a single street light – caught my attention because of the color and shape of the building. In a city dominated by monochrome structures, color is a bonus. Shapes within the architecture balanced the lone light source to create an interesting scene on a quiet side street.
This image was created with a Nikon D60 using an AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm G ED lens. The focal length was 55mm with an aperture of f/4.5 and film speed 400 ISO. The camera was hand-held at a shutter speed of 1/25th second with the lense VR (vibration reduction) setting on.
If you have ever visited Las Vegas, it is impossible to miss The Stratosphere Tower standing at the top of the famous Las Vegas Strip. Conceived by casino owner Bob Stupak and opening in 1996, the 1149 foot needle-like structure is currently the tallest public-accessible observation tower in the United States.
Have you ever wondered about the view from the top?
Having spent over a thousand days in Las Vegas, it was not until last year that I finally made a trip to the the top of The Stratosphere Tower. In order to create a photograph of the view from the top, you cannot use your imagination. If you want a photograph of a famous landmark or, in this case, from a famous landmark, you have to be there.
As with any scene in Las Vegas, time of day changes the impact of the image. My favorite time for landscape and city scene photography on The Famous Las Vegas Strip is just at dusk. As the sun goes down, the lights are coming up to signal the awakening of the notorious gaming mecca and oasis in the Mojave Desert.
This image was created with a Nikon D3 camera equipped with an AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm 1:2.8G ED lens. With the focal length set at 70mm and exposure mode of Manual, the exposure settings were f/4, hand-held at 1/40th, using a film speed of 3200 ISO, and Auto white balance.
Thank you to Marc Paulus of The Stratosphere Hotel, Casino, and Tower for a personal guided tour at the top of the Las Vegas landmark.
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