This is a favorite - the juxtaposition of the pile of boats with the modern forms is so bizarre. So bizarre you almost don't even realize they are there in your midst. It's just a blob - which comes to life upon closer inspection.
No Crop.
Nikon 1 V1, 30-110mm
Time to lighten the mood and bring out a cat picture again - yep - I’m going there, probably against other’s better judgement. I’ve said this before but if you can use the family pet as a simulator for the stress of being in the moment of shooting - there will always be something to take/learn from it.
Why - Because these subjects take no direction, can’t be predicted, and are never static enough to really get what you want from them. Hmm…. sounds like other situations I’ve been in.
So go ahead and practice - you may not want to post - and that’s ok as your skills for when they are really needed will be there during the stressful times.
No Crop.
Nikon 1 V1
Nikon 1 V1 - 30-110mm
This summer has been an exploration in Bee keeping. Yep - how’s that for a boring lead ?
I harvested 40lbs of the golden goodness and I set out to figure out packaging and decided upon the historic Muth jar. It’s a remake of course but a real eye-catcher. This has a shrink wrapped cork and custom label.
Labels were made at Jakprints.com and came in a $1 a piece as a final price after setup and shipping - and well worth it. It’s my own design and after thinking of others I went with the simplicity of JSA (J.Sturr Apiary), and it worked out well.
The upside down star has caught some as being satanic - hardly the case as I needed design space so I rotated it, and if so, then I guess the Medal of Honor is satanic also as that is upside down too; take that.
This was shot on the office light table - everything looks good on that thing — like a moth to a light bulb - I can never look away.
Available light - Nikon 1 V1 with the 18.5mm.
This is just some of my thoughts - I'm not a toot my own horn type, but I thought I would share as I always like it when others do the same.
The 1 series is a 50/50 mix of good and bad, and as someone has said, the cameras of late are so good now that the fault lies with the photographer. That being said - I'll never post my missed shots, out of focus, or the ones I wish were better - I always post the best stuff making it look too easy. But everyone should know better that it really isn't that easy.
Making/taking good photos is a lot of work, yet sometimes I get lucky and I'm at the right place at the right time, with the right light, with a camera - iPhone or otherwise - I get the photo and then look like a rock-star. That’s always awesome - and how can you not love awesome.
Most of my shooting is for my own pleasure - but I do market myself as a self taught architectural photographer.
I'm shooting the V1 as of late - for 16 months - with the 10-30, 18.5, 6.7-13, and 30-110mm - my other system is D3s.
I wish the lenses were faster on the 1, as I find myself constantly shooting the 18.5 for the f1.8, but lately the telephoto and zoom focal lengths have really forced me to develop a different style - a different way to see, and I’m liking that.
Nikon gear (FM-2) was a hand-me-down from my Father and that’s where it all started. But my first digital was the D2h - where I cut my teeth to make that system successfully hum. I remember the banter between those who had the megapixels of the D2x and those who had the rendering of the D2h fight it out, i.e. “it’s not the megapixels, it’s the sensor”… .”
And here were are today — and unusually enough, I’m in the same situation.
What do I most like of the V1 - the sensor has the same rendering at the D3s - it’s all Nikon. Dynamic range is a bit lacking but I’ve never really shot for hi-dynamic range. A slightly blown out photo reminds me of the organic nature of what we are all viewing.
NEF images coming out of the V1 hardly need to be touched - slight sharpening, and maybe a 1/2 stop exposure adjustment is usually all I need - else I’m doing something terribly wrong. I’ll vary between Portrait and Vivd and always shoot NEF.
I try to do all my development in ViewNX2 and any lens corrections in LightRoom. ViewNX2 squeezes that extra 10-20% out of the NEF. And I always find that extra bit surprising when comparing LR to ViewNX2. If ViewNX2 had robust lens correction I would be hooked. As I write this I hopped over to NX-D and was pleasantly surprised but at the same time frustrated with the interface - but the noise reduction is welcomed.
AF is lighting fast - it will still miss some shots, but not that often - and after shooting the V1 I’m almost afraid to compare it to or try anything else.
The lenses are very sharp - slow, but very sharp.
About 80% of my shooting is outdoors and the other 20% is indoors. But when indoors I’m using the best light gathering lens which is the 18.5 (50mm equilv.) because of the crop factor.
Searching for and experimenting with all of this hardware has given me 1 thing. The ability to recognize the “possibility” of a good/great photo. That’s all. And since this is digital I’ve been able to compress that amount of time spent with film to probably 1 tenth of what it takes to do that. I’ve been on digital since 2006.
I try not to get hung up on the hardware - of course it is difficult not too though.
The V1 will give me a native res print of 9” x 12” and I may up-rez a few photos to 12” x 18” but that’s my limit for framing, else I’m printing on frameless aluminum.
So that’s my story - so far. Oh - and for some reason, I’m on a BW kick.
Who knew ?
Nikon 30-110mm
Looking toward Vegas - toward City Center.
No crop.
Nikon 1 V1 - 30-110mm
This — is Vegas — and I’ve been chomping at the bit to get this posted, (taken in early Sept.) but I wanted to wait to get them all registered first.
This - and more to come - remind me of the likes of Hedrich Blessing with the BW and the mid-day light and crazy strong forms. I try to plan everything I shoot, predict the sun, and hopefully eventually show up at the right time. If this is client based work - that’s a given - if this is vacation time, well, I try to do my best for planets to align. This was vacation time.
As I struggle to find the right camera and lens system - I am reminded of results such as this. And that’s not meaning to say that I’m tooting my own horn here - but it is meant to say that I can squeeze satisfying results out of a 1” sensor and a challenging (slow) set of lenses from the Nikon 1 V1.
Stylistically this is a departure from what I usually shoot. I have always shot wide - to encompass all of the subject - but lately I’ve been influenced by the photographer LaRoque and his style. It has really gripped me, and I’m going to explore more of the telephoto type field of view.
With that — This — is Vegas.
Nion 1 V1 - 30-110m
Here’s a photo of opportunity - sitting for dinner at a distillery in Park City, Utah - High West - some in this group may have even experienced their award winning Whiskey, but I digress. This was a matter of great light, and shinny objects - and I can’t lie - I’m a sucker for those also. This is basically out of camera - with sharpening but NEF.
ViewNX - when I can get away with not having to lens correct is the editor of choice - the secret “color” sauce is very, very welcomed. I wish LR 5 had the magic. LR gives me about 90% of what Nikon’s software produces. Too bad it is always the last 10% which determines the good stuff.
I’m always torn with the V1 system - as I wish the lenses were faster - as now I’m thinking of going B/W and pegging it a 1600 ASA, and just going to town and seeing what happens. If anything it will provide a new perspective - and that is always welcome.
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm
Over the next few weeks I’ll be posting images from my return home to Pentwater Michigan.
It’s a sleepy resort town on the Eastern shores of Lake Michigan.
This image is off the North pier looking West. I’ve never seen this area so empty during a Summer day - be it Labor Day weekend.
I went superwide - 6.7-13mm with the V1 - and when you get the image; you know it.
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
I'm a sucker when stuff just seems to sneak up on me - as I was driving thru the West Desert towards Wendover, NV last weekend, the near by rest stop surprised me with these flying concrete roof forms.
I'm really happy with how this turned out.
Shot with the Nikon 1 - 6.7-13mm, lens correction in LR 5, and a slight crop and a boost in color to bring out the film like aspect of the two.
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
My pair of Pumas in some great sun.
Nikon 1 V1 - 18.5mm, No Crop
It’s been a while since a last posted - long work hours and the monthly delay between registering for copyright and being able to display images are the choke points.
This image is from the office, of Steve Goodwin working on final project design adjustments. As always the exercise is recognizing the scene and then capturing it with the Nikon 1 V1, 18.5 f1.8 - and then this was converted with NIK Silver Efex pro 2. No crop. I’m proud of this shot - it all came together.
And - by now - you may have noticed the watermark in the lower right. This is a bit of an experiment in branding. I’m not an Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts, or Hedrich Blessing, meaning - their careers are pretty much set - ok, so - two are dead, so maybe this wasn’t a good example. But I think the point has been made. When a photo is viewed — I want those to know who shot it.
Next Topic -
i blew the dust off the D3s a few weeks ago - hell I even had dead batteries, something which hasn’t happened since purchase in Nov. ’09. I was gobsmacked - and maybe I shouldn’t have been as it just means I’m not very busy on the pro side. As I only dig this out when I’m getting paid. Tilt shift lenses have yet to make their presence on the small cameras - and when shooting architecture - the TS separates you from the crowd.
But back to the point — small sensor cameras are fun and all — but full frame with an 85mm f1.4 lens — at f1.4 and wow. Just wow. There is nothing like having the flexibility to control backgrounds with a few clicks of the aperture - and then having the sharpness to go along with it.
I miss full frame - which reminds me that maybe I need to shoot the D3s more.
All systems have their advantages.
Next Topic -
Nikon needs to figure out what their business plan is going to be.
The D3 series was a game-changer — so here’s the tip of the day - “hire those guys back to make something else”.
Next Topic -
Speaking of cameras — Sony is on a terror. First the Nex series, of which I had the “7”, then the A7 full frame series and now the “s” with the crazy low light capable sensor - and now the A6000, which for $600+ you have crazy APS-c performance. Read the reviews.
So — back to the point - Nikon, figure out what you want to be; Winner or Loser.
It's just bricks and a metal beam - but - this whole scene captivated me one late morning and when it caught the corner of my eye I had to capture it.
Sometimes it is a challenge to recognize a scene - and sometimes it seems to slap me on the forehead.
Nikon 1 V1 - 30-110mm, Silver Efex Pro 2 - Tri-X 125 - no crop.
This is a different perspective of the Arch. When everyone is crowding a public space I always have a craving to find a different view. The clouds were perfect that day.
Nikon 1 - V1 6.7-13mm
This is where the 6.7-13mm really shines -- when it's big -- you need wide -- really wide.
I will say this though - wide will kick your ass. And the funny thing is - it gets kicked in Post - never when you on site. For some reason, everything always looks good in frame - never does it look like trash until you get it up on screen. And then it is a palm to the forehead moment.
Bam -- that is when you see the wide angle skew. The safe zone is always when you are 90 Deg. to the subject - always.
St. Louis Arch - Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm.
Shot in 3pm Sun at good 'ole f8. Great contrast, clouds in the sky, and crazy sharp - with the 10-30mm. St. Louis - no crop.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm, St. Louis
One of my favorites -- as the detail on the front of this building seems to go on forever - and I couldn't imagine the cost of such ornate glazed tiles in today dollars.
This is in St. Louis where I was just shooting street. And what a great way to stop and really see the city, any city - but to walk and take the time to dissect scene after scene.
10-30mm - contrast and sharpening in ViewNX2 - no crop.
Nikon 1 V1 - 10-30mm
This is the Twin Falls Idaho LDS Temple spire. Quite dramatic with the mid afternoon light and then converted to b/w.
I was testing my 300mm lens - and it really turned out well - it would be well suited for a "Cover" or editorial copy.
No crop.
Nikon 1 V1 - 30-110mm
Some of my favorites of today's visit to Adobe's campus in Lehi.
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm
Nikon 1 V1 - 6.7-13mm