If you are ever in Chicago and enjoy watching sunrises I highly suggest driving to Adler Planetarium. It is a great place to take cityscape shots. This one was taken just outside the planetarium entrance.
ISO 160 1/1500’s f.95 (ND filter) Leica 50mm noctilux
I’ve posted many landscape pics lately but have not forgotten about my beautiful baby girl (and wife). Here’s a shot I took while in the elevator heading back to our room after a long day of sightseeing.
ISO 1000 1/30’s f1.4 Leica 35mm summilux (Leica M9)
Believe it or not, it took me 20-30 shots before I got this just right. I wanted to make sure that the one light behind the post was centrally located or at least close. Rangefinder cameras currently don’t allow for live viewing and when looking through the viewfinder, you are not looking through the lens. Because of this, you have to move very slowly either left or right to get the image where you want it (I enjoy the challenge).
I used my Leica 50mm noctilux and neutral density filter for the shot. I then used Nik Color Efex to add the ambient colors. The depth of field is not artificially created (bokeh). You can thank the noctilux and it’s ability to shoot at f.95 for that.
ISO 160 1/4000’s f.95 50mm noctilux
I’m sure you are getting tired of Cloud Gate shots. This is my last in the series and also my favorite. This was taken with my Leica M9-P and 21mm super elmar. What I like about it is the amount of detail in the buildings (click on picture to see full-size). The 21mm super elmar was built for sharpness from corner to corner and this image is a perfect example of it.
ISO 1/125s f3.4 21mm super elmar (7 exposure HDR, edited with Photomatix, PS6, & Aperture)
I didn’t just take pics of the “The Bean” with my Olympus OM-D, I also shot with my Leica M9-P and 21mm super elmar.
This shot is not a HDR and was shot handheld. The shot is slightly cropped so that I could remove my self from the picture. I was attempting to get the original sky and the reflected sky to blend.
ISO160 1/60s f3.4 21mm super elmar
Landscape and professional photographers know that if you want to capture great images you should shoot during the “magic hour” (or also known as the golden hour). This is the first and last hour of sunlight during the day.
During my recent trip to Chicago, I woke up early and headed down to Millennium Park to capture pictures of the sculpture Cloud Gate, also known as “The Bean”. I got there around 0530 and began shooting pictures. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay long since I was approached by a security guard (he was very nice) who alerted me that I wasn’t suppose to be there and that the park didn’t open up until 6. Luckily, I was able to capture a few shots.
Olympus OM-D and Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm lens
ISO 200 f/8 7mm (7 exposure HDR, used HDR Efex 2, Photoshop CS6, & Aperture 3.3)
Re-post November 2011
Coming up with new photo ideas (compositions) can often times be a challenge. Probably my biggest recommendation is take as many pictures as you possibly can. By doing this, you will begin to understand your cameras mechanics and will get better at composing your shot.
I took this last fall. I found this old barn and really liked it’s architecture. I typically don’t take pictures of “No Parking” signs but I liked this one.
I’ve mentioned in other post I don’t frequently shoot HDR’s anymore. One of the main reasons is because I don’t shoot as many landscapes. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to shoot more and have been delighted with the results with my Olympus OM-D and the Panasonic 7-14mm lens. You can bracket up to 7 shots (at .7 EV each). I find 7 exposures works very well. Also, I’ve started to transition from using Photomatix to Nik Software HDR Efex 2. So far, I think Nik’s software is more user-friendly, has better adjusts, and allows for a more realistic images (that’s the kind of HDR I like).
As most know, we have gotten little rain this summer. A few weeks ago we did have a storm come through and I was able to get out and take a few images. Here is one that I captured.
ISO 200 f4 7mm – shot with Olympus OM-D & Panasonic 7-14mm lens
Over the next few weeks you will see a lot of pictures I took in Chicago. We always enjoy spending time there and is probably my favorite city to visit.
One morning, I drove to Alder’s Planetarium. The planetarium is a great place to capture pictures of the city. I shot a variety of pictures with my Olympus OM-D and Leica M9. I think I got every lens I had out of the bag. This one was taken with my Leica 50mm noctilux. Actually, this is 4-5 pictures stitched together to create a panoramic shot. I used Photoshop, Nik Software HDR Efex 2 (this is not a HDR), and Silver Efex 2.
ISO 160 1/1500’s 50mm noctilux
Note: click to see larger size (trust me it’s worth it)
