canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Los Angeles after sunset via Baldwin Park

There is no greater collection of madness, crazy beauty, love, broken hearts, passions, aspirations, shattered dreams and angels with broken wings. Every time I photograph this city I feel like I am drowning in raw poetry of everything it is to be human. Los Angeles! What would the world be without you? Never stop dreaming…

Los Angeles sunset via Baldwin Park

Not long ago I took a quick trip down to Los Angeles to visit friends and family. Of course I had to plan a photo excursion while down there. I have photographed Los Angeles before and posted about that exploit here: Los Angeles Sunset – Griffith Observatory and here: Los Angeles after sunset.

The Baldwin Hills stairs

This is one of the views I have been hunting for a while now. I did a fair amount of research and realized that it has not been photographed that much. Why? Well, I sure did find out. Shooting from this location is a two-man job. Your first challenge is that the park closes at sunset, so while this view is accessible by car, you must leave before sunset, park on the street (limited, 2 hour parking) at the base of the hill, then haul yourself and your gear up what seems like an eternity of stairs, all the way to the top (see photo to the right), over 400 feet high. This is not for the faint of heart. If you have any heart or health conditions, do not attempt this!

Once at the top and you have caught your breath, you will be taken by the view, from Santa Monica and the Pacific all the way to Downtown Los Angeles. However your next big challenge will be the wind (and maybe a few snakes). You will never be able to get a clean shot no matter the time of day.

7D Mark II on HDR time lapse duty

The wind was a big problem so I immediately set out to find a solution, a compromise position that offered a buffer from the constant wind. I settled in for the sunset. It was about 5pm. I setup the 7D Mark II to capture an HDR time lapse of the sunset. With that going, I started setting up the 5DsR and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II for detailed panorama captures. The haze over the city is a very big problem and requires considerable editing and post processing. The two panoramas above are actually crops from a single 50 megapixel image wide shot at 70mm.

I stayed through sunset, was finally packed up and heading down the stairs by 10pm. Going down the stairs was just as painful if not more than going up. I honestly did not think I had it in me when I started before sunset, but I had come too far to turn around. My camera kit alone weights over 30lbs. I suppose I just discovered new limits of my endurance…LOL.

I hope you enjoyed this view too. I will post the final shots as soon as I get around to processing and editing them. They will most definitely make it to limited edition print. Next time you see a good clean shot of a view, hopefully you can pause and think how much effort it took that photographer to get that shot.

Thanks for stopping by.

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.

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?

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).

Video: Sunset helicopter ride around Las Vegas strip

Posted by Snob on February 2, 2015

Posted in: Aerial Photography, Cityscapes, Travel, Video. Tagged: aerial photography, 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, Las Vegas, Maverick Helicopters, Sin City, sunset, video, video footage. 3 Comments

Last week I posted about Aerial Photography: Las Vegas Sunset . This weekend I finally got around to sorting through the video footage I recorded from that adventure as well as some key shots from each segment of the trip around the strip at sunset. Without further ado, here it is. Hopefully it gives you a sense of what the experience was like and you enjoy it. Let me know what you think.

Sunset as Sin City wakes up – Canon 7D Mark II + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

The only way to see the Las Vegas strip and city lights is from 3000 feet, strapped-in, with the doors open, at sunset. About a week ago I had the opportunity to experience this unique perspective on Sin City. After searching for a unique vantage point on the city for my ongoing collection of limited edition skyline panoramas, I decided to look into taking one of the helicopter tours. However after some research and talking to some of the folks in the business, I concluded that I would have to charter the whole helicopter for an extended period to be able to realistically get a good shot of the skyline.

This was a much more sophisticated endeavor than it seemed at first blush. For starters, a separate flight plan would have to be filed with the FAA 72hrs prior to flight time, I would have to determine where exactly I wanted to fly to, and what I wanted to photograph as much a possible. The folks at Maverick Helicopters were most helpful from the very beginning. Their agent, chief pilot and staff went the extra mile to get me up to speed on the process including fast tracking the flight plan filing and approval process with the FAA.

Our amazing pilot Mike took the time to work out all the final details of the flight, points of interest, safety procedures and local airspace. I was able to communicate some of my objectives as far as framing my shots and he took all my feedback and integrated it into is flight patterns, even when I least expected. The helicopter ride was very smooth and stable. While I had previously worked through some of the challenges of aerial photography (see my previous post Aerial Photography: Sacramento to San Francisco Bay) I encountered some new challenges.

I was only too happy to be strapped in with the door open the entire flight. This meant that I would not have to shoot through the polycarbonate windows. However what I forgot to consider was the fact that I would have a huge rotor above my head creating a downward draft the likes of a hurricane wind. The rotor draft was also not a steady stream which I could compensate for, but more of very fine, high frequency pulses that introduced a corresponding resonance through the lens and camera body. It was so powerful that even the world class Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens and it’s 4 stops of image stabilization, could not cope at all. The down draft alone ensured a “keeper rate” of less than 40%.

I shot primarily with the Canon 7D Mark II and the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 lens. From past experience, speed and responsiveness of the camera are the most critical characteristics for aerial photography. Even then, at times I did wish I had the 1Dx on hand for some of the shots. The 7D Mark II kept a steady stream of shots coming through. In all I shot over 150GB or photo and video. I will be posting more detailed shots and video as I get through sorting and processing it all.

It was a grand experience. Even though it was also my first time experiencing a helicopter ride, I am convinced this is the only way to do it, the only way to take in Sin City, the only way to photograph it, the only way to experience it – strapped in with the doors open. It was well worth it.

I would also like to say thanks to Cindy, Joe Bishop, Jim Ogletree, Mike Martin and all the folks at Maverick helicopters for making this possible. I look forward to flying with you folks again in the future.