railroad tracks

Since we’re on the subject of trains, I decided to go back through the archives and look for other instances I photographed trains. Here are some of my favorites from my last trip to Chicago. It was very foggy and drizzling all day so I bought a day pass for the CTA metro and spent my day jumping from one line to another. It was a great relaxing way to see the city and capture some it’s character and grit. I love this city. I also love the utilitarian look of the CTA trains.

This shot was taken with the Canon 5D Mark III. To capture the motion blur, use shutter priority mode and slow your shutter down just so you can freeze your subject. Use AI Servo AF and the center spot/zone. Set to high speed burst, acquire focus, track your subject and take your shots in bursts of 2-3 shots. Motion blur action shots are one of my favorite types of photography.

Charis on the tracks – 5D Mark III + Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM

A few weeks ago I was wrapping up my evaluation of the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM super telephoto lens. Just like the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM I had evaluated a few weeks earlier (see my post Fashion: Winnie Stackz Collection), the folks at Canon USA were kind enough to send me a copy for review. This is the second in a series of posts in which I will be discussing my observations and results of my evaluation. I had one last item to cross off my evaluation list and that was to run it through at least one photo shoot with a human subject aka model.

This lens is nothing short of spectacular. The EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM and the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM are in a league of their own. They both represent the pinnacle of lens technology and the very best of the best money can buy. They are both uncompromising pieces of precision gear. The EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM was perfect for, if not more at home with the task of fashion/model/portrait photography. The resulting images required no editing whatsoever. The clarity, sharpness and contrast were on point. Perhaps this lens’ strong suit is how well it performs wide open at f/2.8, affording shutter speeds that will stop any kind of shake. The amazing IS was almost unnecessary in daylight. The depth of field is very well defined, none too shallow (perfect), but what sets both lenses apart was how graceful the fall-off is and sublime transition to creamy bokeh. I will be writing more on this soon and which lens won my shoot-out.

Canon 5D Mark III + EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Charis was gracious enough to volunteer. I have photographed Charis before and posted about it in 2015 Sacramento Fashion Week and in Retrospect Vintage Fashion exhibit at Demin Spot. She has a look I always found intriguing, is an all around great person to collaborate with. Beautiful inside and out. New for this shoot was our hair and makeup artist Nicole Matta. This was a last minute shoot and she was a breeze to work with given my time and scheduling constraints. What I like most about her work is her execution – clean, seamless, and picture ready – which means much less work in post processing. My good friend and fellow photographer Steve Phang also partnered with me for this shoot to assist me in making the most of this opportunity. I have often drawn creative inspiration from him over the years, over numerous photo excursions and assignments.

Below are some behind the scenes shots to give you some insight into what it entailed. In all it was a very productive afternoon. I hope you enjoy and please feel free to share any thoughts, questions or ideas you may have.