Eyes Above

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 

Cloud Gate “The Bean” series – 4

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.

series 1

series 2

series 3

ISO 1/125s f3.4 21mm super elmar (7 exposure HDR, edited with Photomatix, PS6, & Aperture)

 

Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”) series

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.

1st shot from series

ISO160 1/60s f3.4 21mm super elmar

No Parking

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.

The Windy City

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)

 

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