Monday, September 29, 2008

Cloud Gate aka The Bean in Millennium Park, Chicago, IL

HDR created from 3 raw NEF exposures. Shot on tripod, mirror lockup, remote release, D80 in 3 shot +/- 2 EV bracket mode starting at normal exposure in aperture priority.

Family photo at "Cloud Gate" aka The Bean

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200) [+]
* Aperture: f/8 [+]
* Focal Length: 22 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 400 [+]

Strobist info:

SB-800 at M 1/1 into 43" white satin shoot through umbrella camera left. SB-600 at M 1/1 into 43" white satin shoot through umbrella camera right. Triggered with on board flash with IR pass through filter in front.

I chose depth of field of f/8. Then, increasing my shutter speed to max synch of 1/200s and setting ISO to correspond I came up with the ambient exposure. I then positioned my umbrellas and after a couple of shots, settled on full blast 1/1 for lighting as it was still early in the morning.

We had woke up at 5:30 and managed to get here around 6:15. Final photo take around 7 am.

Here is my photo of cloud gate aka The Bean without us in the photo - www.flickr.com/photos/christensen_carl/2897018813/

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Wedding Party


The Wedding Party, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

2008 Wedding of Edward Christensen and Katherine Rueda © Carl M. Christensen

Fall colors


Fall colors, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200) [+]
* Aperture: f/1.8 [+]
* Focal Length: 85 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 100 [+]

Strobist info: SB-800 to camera left at M 1/16

The colors of fall are all around. This was a mix of bushes and some sort of berry vines. It made a colorful composition.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Freezing Tomatoes for the winter

This is a scene from a week or so ago. Becky was slicing and processing the tomatoes. They were put into freezer bags and Natalie is seen here getting ready to cut off the excess end of the bags before they go to the freezer.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Grapes on Black


Grapes on Black, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

A different take on the grapes platter idea from the earlier photoshoot.

Prairie Grasses


Prairie Grasses, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Soybean Field is Turning

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.01 sec (1/100) [+]
* Aperture: f/10 [+]
* Focal Length: 18 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 200 [+]


I started taking at f/8 but then decreased my aperture to f/10. Most of the shots from this evening were at 18mm wide angle. I used a circular polarizer which causes the increased blue concentration in the center of the photo. It really helped let the warm early evening sunlight warm up the colors of the grass. I rode my 4-wheeler around and photographed some standing up in the bed of it. For this one, though, I stood up in the back end.

Fresh Melons


Fresh Melons, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200) [+]
* Aperture: f/8 [+]
* Focal Length: 18 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 100 [+]

Strobist info: SB-800 at M 1/1 into shoot through umbrella camera left. SB-600 with pringles can snoot at M 1/8 camera right at 2 o clock. Triggered with on board flash.

About once per week I am picking this amount of melons from our garden. Becky and I have been busy trying to eat it all. The girls and Brent like the melons too.

Fall Grasses


Fall Grasses, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60) [+]
* Aperture: f/10 [+]
* Focal Length: 18 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 320 [+]

I started taking at f/8 but then decreased my aperture to f/10. Most of the shots from this evening were at 18mm wide angle. I used a circular polarizer which causes the increased blue concentration in the center of the photo. It really helped let the warm early evening sunlight warm up the colors of the grass. I rode my 4-wheeler around and photographed some standing up in the bed of it. For this one, though, I laid down in the grass with my toes just barely out of view at the bottom edge of the frame.

The main focus of the evening was photographing the soybean field which is turning golden. Ironically enough, you don't see the soybeans this photo even though they are within inches to the left.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Grapes on Platter with Bokeh

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200) [+]
* Aperture: f/1.4 [+]
* Focal Length: 85 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 100 [+]

setup shot here - www.flickr.com/photos/christensen_carl/2844682640/

Strobist info: 4' Strip light on each side. Each containing 2 40 watt 5000k color temp bulbs. This provided for some subtle rim light. SB-800 in 43" umbrella above. SB-600 with pringles can snoot positioned to the right and behind for some directional rim light. Strobes triggered with on board flash with IR pass through filter in front.

Shot tethered with Camera Control Pro and Adobe Lightroom 2 in folder watch mode. I used CCP to adjust aperture/shutter, iso, and flash outputs from the next room (try doing that with Pocket Wizards!). I shot one with shallow depth of field, and then adjusted from f/1.4 for 1/200s at ISO 100 to f/11 for 1/25s at ISO 400 using CCP. I at the same time changed the output of the flashes from 1/16 (Main in umbrella) and 1/128 (in pringles snoot) to M 1/1 and M 1/16. All of this done, sitting in front of my computer in my office.


Spritzed some water on for some water beads.

This is example with ultimate shallow depth of field with bokeh being exhibited particularly in upper left and some upper right.

The grape vines at Carrie and Jon's new place are loaded with Concord Grapes. Mom cut and brought a big bowl when they came over for Sunday morning breakfast. I ate big handfuls and swallowed the middle--seeds and all--whole!

Grapes on Platter with Large Depth of Field

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.04 sec (1/25) [+]
* Aperture: f/11 [+]
* Focal Length: 85 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 400 [+]

setup shot here - www.flickr.com/photos/christensen_carl/2844682640/

Strobist info: 4' Strip light on each side. Each containing 2 40 watt 5000k color temp bulbs. This provided for some subtle rim light. SB-800 in 43" umbrella above. SB-600 with pringles can snoot positioned to the right and behind for some directional rim light. Strobes triggered with on board flash with IR pass through filter in front.

Shot tethered with Camera Control Pro and Adobe Lightroom 2 in folder watch mode. I used CCP to adjust aperture/shutter, iso, and flash outputs from the next room (try doing that with Pocket Wizards!). I shot one with shallow depth of field, and then adjusted from f/1.4 for 1/200s at ISO 100 to f/11 for 1/25s at ISO 400 using CCP. I at the same time changed the output of the flashes from 1/16 (Main in umbrella) and 1/128 (in pringles snoot) to M 1/1 and M 1/16. All of this done, sitting in front of my computer in my office.


Spritzed some water on for some water beads.

This is an example with a greater depth of field.

The grape vines at Carrie and Jon's new place are loaded with Concord Grapes. Mom cut and brought a big bowl when they came over for Sunday morning breakfast. I ate big handfuls and swallowed the middle--seeds and all--whole!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Brent


Brent, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200) [+]
* Aperture: f/4 [+]
* Focal Length: 85 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 200 [+]

Strobist info: Single light setup. SB-800 at M 1/4 into 43" umbrella with black backing on a bit to camera left. It was higher up with bottom tines above his head and as close to him as possible without being in the frame.

I bought 2 25' active USB extension cords and connected my Nikon D80 to the computer. I used Nikon Camera Control Pro to grab the images as I shot them tethered. I had Adobe Lightroom 2 running in tethered mode grabbing the images.

This is very much like a butterfly lighting setup without the reflector beneath.

I had Brent sit for a few minutes while I experimented with the remote control setup.

Lightning Strike in Minnesota

Taken with a Nikon D80.

* Exposure: 25 sec (25) [+]
* Aperture: f/3.5 [+]
* Focal Length: 18 mm [+]
* ISO Speed: 250 [+]

I used my Nikon Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-f/5.6 G VR DX Lens at the widest focal length possible of 18mm. I used 25-30 second exposures to capture the lightning strikes.



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Brent with a Plant


Brent with a Plant, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

# Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200) [+]
# Aperture: f/4 [+]
# Focal Length: 50 mm [+]
# ISO Speed: 100 [+]

Strobist info: SB-800 reflected from 43" umbrella with black backing at M 1/4 at camera right and above. SB-600 directly to left of him and way above as hair light at M 1/16. Triggered via on board pop up flash with IR pass through filter in front.

Sabbath morning I thought Brent looked so nice with his new yellow tie. I tied a double Windsor knot for him. I had him stand in front of the window with my Miracle Fruit bush that is just starting. It had been chilly outside during the night and thus the condensation on the windows.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Carl


Carl, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

Here I used the remote to photograph myself with similar lighting as the one below of Brent.

Brent


Brent, originally uploaded by Carl's Photography.

I photographed Brent on Sabbath morning before going to church.