PhotoSnob

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

Posted by Snob on September 8, 2015

Posted in: Canon 7D Mark II, Landscape, Nature, Travel. Tagged: Canon 7D Mark II, canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, Emerald Bay, hiking, Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Panoramic, panoramic. Leave a comment

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Panoramic – Canon 7D Mark II + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Panoramic – Canon 7D Mark II + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Happy Labor Day! I just noticed I have not posted in over a month. I haven’t been gone, just busy. August was a busy month. All my spare time went into photographic endeavors and creative projects. Now that I have some time, I intend to catch up.

I spent last weekend around the Lake Tahoe area. One of my favorite spots to visit is Emerald Bay. I traveled light this time as I drove my roadster. I packed just my 7D Marl II and EF-S 17-55mm, a great all around, extremely versatile workhorse camera system. The weather was perfect that weekend, apart from the overall windy conditions which disturbed the surface of the lake, causing more waves than usual. This got in the way of those sublime sunset shots.

Non-the-less I was still able to get some amazing shots while hiking Emerald Bay. Have you visited Lake Tahoe?? What’s your favorite spot?

Emerald Bay

Always remember to look back while hiking

Emerald Bay

The hike down into the Emerald Bay

Down by the bay

Las Vegas Sunset Panorama via the LINQ High Roller – Canon 7D Mark II + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Las Vegas Sunset Panorama via the LINQ High Roller – Canon 7D Mark II + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas, you must already be familiar with how over-the-top everything is. At this point I’ve been to Las Vegas more times than I can count but I still often find myself laughing in disbelief every time I walk the strip – thinking to myself “No way! They actually built this! They really did!”. Much of the Las Vegas strip is the stuff dreams and fantasies are made of. Often times it is a blatant copy of the world’s landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, New York skyline, the Seattle Needle or a modern interpretation of the Egyptian Pyramids you can actually stay in, air conditioned!

One of the latest additions is called the Las Vegas High Roller. It reminds me of the London Eye. It is definitely larger than it seams. As you get closer you begin to really appreciate it’s size and scale. Like most of the Las Vegas strip, an engineering marvel. I timed my visit right at sunset. This is the best time to visit the High Roller, however I’m pretty sure the views would be quite spectacular at all times of day. The wheel takes about 30 minutes to go full circle. It never stops, and moves just slow enough for you to jump into the pod from the platform. It’s a bit of a thrill in itself, then the breathtaking views completely take over.

I wanted to catch magic hour just as we peaked at the top of the wheel. The wheel moved just slow enough to where I was able to quickly setup my shots in rapid succession. I used the 7D Mark II for most of my key shots because it was just fast enough to capture 4-5 HDR bracket panoramic shots in rapid succession to where parallax was almost a non-issue. What a camera system. The 5D Mark III was too slow and was used for just single ultra wide angle shots. This is one of those times I really wished I had the 1Dx. None-the-less I got plenty of great, very detailed shots to work with. Below are some highlights to share the experience with you. Above are two of my favorite shots. They still need much more editing if they are to make it to limited edition print. We’ll see if I can get them up to snuff.

Walking to the High Roller

Yes I was actually there…LOL

Waiting to hop aboard

About to jump in

We’re on!

The Vegas tram

I love sunset colors

Here it comes!

Mr Smith, my personal security detail on this trip. What happens when you give your DSLR to a random stranger? They fumble the shot.

Boston’s Finest – Regina Pizzeria and Little Italy

Posted by Snob on July 13, 2015

Posted in: Architecture, Culture, Food, Travel. Tagged: Boston, Boston's Finest, Canon G15, Food, Foodgasm, Foodie, Little Italy, Mike's Pastry, Regina Pizzeria. 2 Comments

Regina Pizzeria – Canon G15

After a few days in Boston asking random people I happened to talk to about which restaurant they felt I absolutely must eat at while in Boston, the consensus seemed to be on Regina Pizzeria in Little Italy. This is a seemingly nondescript corner location, very easy to miss were it not for the constant line of people outside waiting for a table, often stretching around the block. I highly recommend stopping by off-hours. I chose to stop by right after a heavy rain storm. I figured there would be nobody outside waiting in the rain. It was also a late Sunday afternoon. Even then all the tables were occupied, so I made a beeline for the very small bar in the corner. It was Perfect.

The staff were quick, friendly, short and often times entertaining. In an establishment such as this, there are no pretenses. You would do well to know what you want. There is little hand-holding. The menu is simple and if you still can’t make up your mind just order that day’s special. The atmosphere is very relaxed and un-apologetically unpretentious. I ordered a glass of red wine with my pizza and the bartender immediately informed me the wine was freshly squeezed from the mop that morning…LOL!!! My kind of joint! The selection was mostly from the California North Coast so I figured it was it can’t be that bad. I could be biased though. 🙂

I had some great conversation with the staff and other traveling patrons who stopped by for a slice of Boston’s finest. The pizza here is some of the best tasting I have had. It is that good. It has a certain warmth that comforts and makes you feel like everything will be okay. I can now see why Bostonians recommend this joint. Here are a few highlights:

Whenever you’re done enjoying your pizza, I highly recommend going for an endless walk and getting lost in all the streets and alleyways of Little Italy. For a moment I felt as though I was somewhere in Europe like Paris or Madrid. The architecture is so old and well preserved. It amazed me that all these buildings were still fully occupied by everyday folks. A true testament to the men who built them and their craft. Below are some random shots. Another highly recommended eatery was Mike’s Pastries. It is a true landmark establishment. As far away as 5 blocks, I began noticing people with Mike’s Pastry boxes. As suggested, I merely walked in the opposite direction of those people and eventually ended up at Mike’s Pastry, however the traffic/crowd there was insurmountable. I shall make it a point to visit them next time I’m in Boston.

After hauling my camera gear with me all week I needed a break. I only took my Canon Powershot G15 out with me this time. It performed spectacularly for any point and shoot and gave me lots of creative options. The RAW files aren’t much different than those from my DSLRs and allowed me to recover some of the highlights and shadows. I’m impressed. I’ve posted before about that camera here: Sweet Deal: Canon Powershot G15

Photo shoot with Theresa

Posted by Snob on July 7, 2015

Posted in: Art, canon 5D mark III, Canon 7D Mark II, models, studio. Tagged: art, canon 24-105mm f/4 L, canon 430EX, canon 5d mark III, canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS II, Canon 7D Mark II, canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, exotic, fashion, girl, model, photo shoot, tattoo, Tattoos, Theresa Manchester. Leave a comment

Theresa Manchester – Canon 5D Mark III + EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

This past weekend welcomed another addition to my ongoing Tattoo Series – Curators of Art. For this photo shoot I had the pleasure of working with model and world traveler Theresa Manchester. She was a great subject to work with. Aside from a her beauty and considerable collection of body art, she came with quite a bit of experience in front of the camera. She also spends some of her spare time behind the camera. This all made for a great productive session as I was able to quickly and easily communicate and direct her throughout the shoot while she shared her many exploits around the world – some in places I have been myself. It was great to work with you Theresa. I certainly hope we get to collaborate again someday.

For this shoot I kept it fairly simple and spartan as I typically do. I used the the Canon 5D Mark III. I started off with the EF 24-105mm f/4L but quickly switched to the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II once we got into the rhythm of things. For lighting, I used two Canon 430EX speedlites in manual mode with Photix high speed sync RF triggers. I shot full manual the whole time for precise control of the camera, lighting and desired effect. The location was my private home studio. Key shots will make it into my limited edition collection prints from my Tattoo Series. Few will ever be published, however I felt I should at least share one (above). Below are a few behind the scenes shots. For BTS coverage I used the Canon 7D Mark II and EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM on a tripod. I used the built-in intervalometer to trigger the camera periodically throughout most of the shoot.

Crimson sunset over Boston – Canon 5D Mark III + EF 24-105mm f/4

This past Wednesday the fog and rain gave way for partly cloudy skies over Boston. What this meant for me was spectacular light shows at sunset, depending on what types of clouds were forming overhead. Usually this kind of weather leads to higher altitude clouds, the best kind. At sunset they reflect the red sunset light from the horizon back down against a backdrop of clear blue skies. The full spectrum of colors are just magical, a real treat.

All you have to do is show up about an hour before sunset, find a good vantage point, kick back and enjoy the magic hour. I spent some time on my flight and in the airports planning this shot, looking for the right perspective on the city at sunset and also the best unobstructed view of the skyline. Fortunately this key vantage point happens to be a public park. Thank you City of Boston for protecting this view for all! I often have to go places I really shouldn’t go, and the risks to myself and my gear are really not necessary – however often worth the shot.

Fine tuning manual focus on the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 before starting the HDR time lapse

Sunset was around 8:30pm. I arrived the North Harbor before 7pm and scouted a bit before settling on this view. By 7:30pm I had configured and set off the 7D Mark II for a 3 hour HDR time lapse. What an amazing camera. When properly configured, you can save days of post processing time when doing HDR time lapse photography. I hope to post a how to on this soon. With the 7D Mark 2 on time lapse duty and time to spare before magic hour, I turned to setup the 5D Mark III.

Magic Hour is here!

I brought the beastly EF 300mm f/2.8L IS Mark II on this trip, however it was a bit too long for this scene. The EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II would have been better suited. So I resorted to the trusted and versatile EF 24-105mm f/4L IS. It allowed me to switch from wide to telephoto with relative ease and enough detail for a signature high resolution panoramic shot. From this point on, with all my settings dialed in, it was pretty straight forward. So I just enjoyed the view and captured the magic. I am pleased with the shots I got and will be posting sneak peeks as soon as get them processed.

The final shots will be released as Limited Edition fine art canvas prints. The HDR time lapse shots will eventually be available as 4K video for anyone to license and use in their projects/productions. The video will also eventually accompany all limited edition prints in the form of a DVD screensaver. Here are some behind the scenes shots from this outing.

Managed to fit it all into the LowePro!

Setting up the 7D Mark II for HDR time lapse

Fine tuning manual focus on the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 before starting the HDR time lapse

All setup and ready for Magic Hour

Magic Hour is here!

I’m always behind the camera and forget to get proof that I was actually there! …LOL

Beautiful color changes

Quick panorama shot with phone.

Where was this shot taken?

Underwater Fashion Photography

Posted by Snob on June 8, 2015

Posted in: Art, canon 5D mark III, Fashion, models. Tagged: canon 5d mark III, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L, Dicapac WP-S10, fashion, Photography, underwater. Leave a comment

Damian reaching out

Shelby falling…

The beautiful Leah

Almost a year ago I started planning and underwater fashion shoot. I wanted to gain experience with this medium and apply my experience with other genres of photography to it. From day 1 it has proved to be perhaps one of the most challenging forms of photography I have tried yet. Aside from the fact that I had to put this shoot on hold through the winter due to the weather, I have continuously run into one major roadblock after another.

It started with water proofing my camera. After careful evaluation I settled on the DicaPac WP-S10 as there was no need for a full blown scuba setup in a pool. It is a relatively very affordable solution and enabled me to mount a pocket wizard RF flash transmitter. Two triggers were mounted to two high power strobes on the edge of the pool, directed downward to the surface at a roughly 45 degree angle to each other. In my initial tests, the RF triggers worked in the water but on the day of the shoot I quickly learned that my tests were conducted in a very controlled fashion and RF signals simply will not penetrate water enough to reach the triggers.

This threatened to deal a major blow and setback as the sun was setting and sky very overcast. However I modified my shooting technique to keep just the very top of the DicaPac housing above the surface of the water, just enough for the RF triggers to sync. I shot as wide as possible to incorporate as much of the surface without having to drop below it. This obviously allowed only one vantage point, where I was going for more dramatic angles. I have some ideas on how to address this issue and will be testing them in the coming weeks. I used the Canon 5D Mark III and Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L lens.

A successful underwater photo shoot requires a team or creative, like-minded, passionate people. From the models to the makeup artists to the folks hosting and supporting the shoot. It requires a fair amount of planning and forethought. I would like to give special thanks to my good friend at Steve Phang Photography for all the support, creative and technical inspiration he has given me all these years. It was definitely a fun, very productive learning experience for all involved.

How To: Photography along the California coastline.

Posted by Snob on May 28, 2015

Posted in: Reader Comments, Reviews, Travel. Tagged: california, Coast, How To, Photography, Reader Comments, Tips. 2 Comments

Somewhere along the California coast – Canon 5D Mark III + Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 PRO FX. Settings: 16mm, f/8, 1/400 second, ISO-100.

I just got this email asking for suggestions on how to approach photography along the California coastline and thought I’d put a quick blog post together.

Got another rookie question for you. I’ve taken many photos of the California coastline but none have been exceptional. I’m going to do a lot of experimenting this time ( we leave for Big Sur on Friday).

Where should I start. Long exposure using an ND filter? Where do I focus if I want some of the closer rocks to show up well defined? I know it depends on what time of day but let’s just say mid-day. Sorry to keep bugging you but sometimes I don’t know where to start from. There are many turnouts with great vistas. I’d like to nail just one of them.

I bought a polarizer filter for all my lenses and they help for some shots.

I also bought that Manfrotto tripod you suggested and like it. Easy to set up and take down. Looks like a winner. Thanks for the tip.

~Mike

Hi Mike, here’s how I would approach the California coast. I will keep things simple and straight forward so you can also focus on enjoying your trip and not racking your brain when you should be soaking it all in.

Keep your camera in Aperture Priority (AV) mode, AWB and open your aperture to it’s widest (f/2.8). I believe you are using the Canon Rebel T5i and EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. A great camera system.
Keep your ISO as low as possible (ISO-100) throughout the daytime if your shutter starts to slow down to where you cannot get a steady shot at sunset or in the shade, go ahead and bump it up to ISO-400 and ISO-800 if necessary.
Always shoot high quality RAW + JPEG at all times. Memory is cheap and should not be an excuse not to. High quality JPEG will enable you to proof your images properly while on the road. Pack enough memory cards. I always carry at least 150GB of cards but 50GB should more than satisfy your needs, if you download at the end of the day.
Start off by looking for your shot. Shoot wide open and fast checking your composition. Pull over wherever you find the view inspiring. Walk around a little and explore. Take quick candid shots always looking for an interesting subject. Take time to scan the scene through the view finder. Walk down to the shore if you can. Walk along the beach and take in the views and keep taking quick shots, looking for composition.
Keep in mind that while lighting may not be ideal when you find a good view you’d like to capture, you can always make a note of the location and return around sunset or earlier in the day when the sun is at a better angle relative to your position.
When you do find a shot you want to explore further, take out your Tripod and setup to give it a proper treatment.
Still in AV mode, stop your aperture down to f/13, drop back to ISO-100, turn IS off, switch to Manual Focus, use live view mode and zoom in to make sure your focus is where you want it. Focus on a subject between your foreground and background. Stopping your aperture will increase your depth of field. If you don’t have enough of your scene in focus, you can stop your aperture down to f/16. I try to avoid stopping my aperture all the way as most lenses will exhibit some light diffraction. Take several shots along the way and review.
Use an ND4 filter to further slow your shutter if the aperture is still letting in too much light. 1/3rd of a second should be enough to soften the water on the rocks. If you absolutely want to turn the water to silk you will need a 10-stop filter, but that’s another topic for discussion.
Use a circular polarizer to cut out harsh glare or overbearing haze, especially when shooting water surfaces from above, unless of course the reflections add character to the shot.
I like to shoot each scene several different ways: fast shutter, wide open. Slow shutter at various apertures, say f/8, f/11, f/13, f/16. This enables much more creative freedom in post processing when you get back home. I will also take brackets of the scene especially if there is a lot of contrast. Start with +/-3 in daylight, drop down to +/-2 through sunset and +/-1 after sunset or under moonlight.
While you’re at it, take a few panoramic sets before you pack up and move on to your next shot. For panorama shots step back and zoom in to 55mm (avoid going wider than 35mm) and shoot your frames with at least 30-50% overlap. Use live view again to eyeball your overlap.
Before you pack up and move on, reset your camera to AV, f/2.8, IS on, AF on.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I missed anything. I look forward to seeing shots from your trip.

Vancouver at Sunset via Olympic Village, False Creek – Canon 5D Mark III + Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

If you ever visit Vancouver BC, do take a stroll around Olympic Village at sunset. The views of the skyline are breathtaking. The people are friendly and outgoing. The air is crisp and water always calm. This makes for an almost magical visual experience. This is really why I do this – being able to personally immerse myself in, witness such beauty all around me and capture it. It is priceless.

Below are some behind the scenes shots. This shot will most definitely make it to large format limited edition print. Have you been to or live in Vancouver? What were some of your favorite views on the city? Thanks for stopping by and sharing.

Vancouver at Sunset via Lonsdale Quay – Canon 5D Mark III + Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

A while ago I took a quick trip up to Vancouver for the weekend. Ever since I looked up this city I fell in love with this skyline. It is so beautiful and picturesque from every angle. The entire bay offers breathtaking views. The air is always fresh, clean and crisp, often times even when overcast (as it very often is) or raining. This my friend, is Vancouver! I researched this view from Lonsdale Quay Market before arriving and it did not disappoint. The 200mm focal length was a bit on the short side but it allowed me to frame some of the city light reflections on the water as well as the clouds which were less than ideal, but nothing ever works out as planned. The water did however calm down at just the right moment during “magic hour” and the city revealed itself. I was more than ready to capture it!

I shot this panoramic with the Canon 5D Mark III and EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM lens. It is composed of 9 HDR shots each composed from brackets of 3 extended exposure shots. I did this to normalize the water surface as much as possible and limit ghosting on the surface. The final panorama is about 120 Megapixels. I shot an HDR time lapse of the entire sunset with the 7D Mark II. I used a new technique made possible by 7D Mark II’s speed and image processing power which I hope to document on here at some point.

Below are some behind the scenes shots of my travel setup. The shot above will most likely make it to limited edition print. It still needs a little clean-up work. Please feel free to leave any questions, thoughts, feedback or ideas you may have. As always thanks for stopping by and sharing.

Setup in time for sunset after scouting the Quay

5D Mark III + 70-200/2.8L IS II on the left, 7D Mark II + 17-55/2.8 IS on right, Manfrotto travel tripods.

Magic hour approaching

Bingo! Show time! Extended exposure HDR panoramic.

Caves: Black Chasm Cavern

Posted by Snob on May 9, 2015

Posted in: Canon 7D Mark II, Landscape, Nature, Travel. Tagged: Amador County, Black Chasm Cavern, california, Canon 7D Mark II, canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM, Cavern Tours, Caves, HDR, Northern California. Leave a comment

Black Chasm Cavern – 7D Mark II + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

The best part about living in Northern California (and California as a whole) is there is no shortage of some very interesting and curious places to go, sights to see and things to do. I’m not sure what prompted or inspired this trip but last weekend I decided I wanted to explore any caves/caverns that were close by. I think I Googled “caverns near me” out of curiosity while surfing the web late at night.

Oddly enough there were quite a few relatively close by – close enough for a day trip or even a half day trip. Black Chasm Cavern was less than an hour and a half though the scenic country back roads of Amador County. I should also mention this is also California wine country – lesser known but no less good.

Entry way

This was my first time ever entering a cave and I couldn’t have thought of a better cave to explore than Black Chasm Cavern. It is a National Natural Landmark managed by Cavern Tours. The staff are very helpful and knowledgeable and a lot has been invested in making the cavern accessible with solid steel and composite walkways and lots of strategically positioned lighting to highlight the dramatic formations. It almost did not feel like I was over a hundred feet underground. If it weren’t for the majestic cathedral like ceilings of stalactites and towering stalagmites, one could easily feel as though they were walking the redwoods.

Dragon’s Head

There is so much precious history in this one relatively little place that it was humbling to behold. Walking among geological formations millions of years old just a breath away gave me pause and prompted deep reflection. The cavern stays a very comfortable 57°F year round. It also features some very rare formations found in only a handful of caves. These are the strange spaghetti-like filaments you see in the photos – the most interesting of which is the “Dragon’s Head” found in the last room of the tour, named appropriately after this one little but no less interesting formation.

One of the ares that really piqued my interest are the caves and lakes further down below. They have been closed off to exploration in the interest of preserving the millions of years of formations and not interfering with the gradual processes that make them. You can see in this shot of a cave within a cave within a lake within a cave. It is very mesmerizing.If you are ever out around Northern California, definitely take half day and visit this cavern. You will not be disappointed and will most likely find it a very fun refreshing and relaxing experience. Below are some key shots from the tour.

I used the Canon 7D Mark II with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. I shot in Aperture Priority Mode wide open and mostly at ISO-1600. While a bit noisy for my taste, the images were still pretty clean no-less. What I like the most about the 7D Mark II is the low light AF and shutter speed. I shot HDR hand held the whole time. As an added benefit, the HDR bracketing process results in an image with much less noise than any single shot at any ISO. This is a huge un-intended benefit of having a fast camera system with ample processing power. It enables me to take high ISO compositions fast enough to cancel out most noise and hand shake (in conjunction with Image Stabilization). Tripods are not allowed on the tours. With my 5D Mark III I would have needed one for sure or had to jack up my ISO even higher and end up with much noisier images. HDR bracketing on the 5D Mark III would also be forbiddingly slow for the quicker pace of the tour. Just some thoughts for those considering both camera systems. All images are straight out of the camera and unprocessed (Except for the panoramic at the top).