2010 March | Incessant Expressions

Archive for March, 2010

One fine night – Photo of the Day #75

March 31st, 2010 • 3 comments photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project 365

This is my first successful capture of the moon that I’ve ever gotten with my D90. It’s also the first picture I’ve ever really had to post process. I changed the tone curve to help bring out more of the shadows naturally apparent on the Moon but were still a bit blown out by the light from the Sun. I’m so pleased I finally got one of these, I’ve been trying for months but the Moon was extra bright tonight with helped suppress light pollution.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED DX @ 200mm f/11
ISO200 @ 1/100s
Spot metering
UniWB

A broken hope – Photo of the Day #74

March 30th, 2010 • 1 comment photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project 365

I was walking around the golf course tonight when I stumbled upon this shattered glass. I have no idea what it was, didn’t look like a bottle. But the first thing I thought was “Hm, how am I going to light this properly?” Since I had my SB-600 and lightstand with me, I just threw on a 1/1 CTB gel and started shooting. This was my favorite shot of the broken glass. Since I was using UniWB, the generated JPG was a little pinkish but the NEF had just that right touch of blue.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/5.6
ISO800 @ 1/30s
Matrix metering
UniWB

Strobist:
SB-600 approximately 4ft from glass, aimed at 0deg, umbrella head pointing down slightly
1/8 power
Rosco 1/1 “Full Blue” CTB gel

This is why I love Florida – Photo of the Day #73

March 28th, 2010 • 1 comment photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project365

This was one of my final pictures today and it was a gorgeous sunset. Although you can’t tell, I’m barrelling down the road at 65MPH on my motorcycle. This and the picture I took after it were absolutely lucky snaps. When I took this, camera settings were absolutely irrelevant.

And I freaking love them. This is why I love Florida.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/11
ISO200 @ 1/1250s
Matrix metering
Auto WB A2

Three’s company – Photo of the Day #72

March 27th, 2010 • 1 comment photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project365

A nice little collection of palm and another tree that I can’t name. Took this right by our apartment while on a walk-about last night. The way the tress were both backlit from the apartment complex behind them and frontlit by the street light was just amazing looking. This picture was the result of probably 20 or 25 different exposures, all with different settings and positions. It was hard to hand hold this because it kept coming out blurry OR the white light on the left was causing a lens flare, neither of which I wanted obviously. But I’m very pleased with how this turned out.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/2.8
ISO800 @ 1.6s -0.3 EV
Center weighted metering
Tungsten WB A1

I see a face in the trees – Photo of the Day #71

March 25th, 2010 • 1 comment photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project 365

This looked a lot more artsy in my head and could have probably turned out that way with a tripod. That is, until I looked at it full screen and saw the white light in the bottom right making what looks like the side of a face, so I thought that was pretty dang neat.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/2.8
ISO800 @ 1/40s
Matrix metering
Tungsten WB

Thar be danger – Photo of the Day #70

March 24th, 2010 • 1 comment photography
Tags: photo of the day, photography, project 365

This is a table one of our neighbors gave us earlier this week and I absolutely love it. It’s got this nice bubbled texture and a pretty wicked green background, DANGER in bold red text and that giant offset skull. Since it was glass, I knew it’d make a nice shoot-thru so I gelled my SB-600 to 1/1 CTB and this is how it turned out. I like it a lot.

NOTE: The right side is not warped due to distortion or bent, it’s how the light looked since I wasn’t exactly centered.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/11
ISO640 @ 1/100s
Spot metering
Flash WB B1

Strobist:
Nikon SB-600 @ 1/64 approx 1.5 feet from glass top, 0deg
Rosco 1/1 “Full Blue” CTB gel

I seem to be perpetually tired

March 21st, 2010 • chatter
Tags: chatter, education

These last few weeks have been non-stop go-go-go for us. Add to that I’m not sleeping like I should be. Between work, school, photography, and life, it’s almost as if there’s no “me” time. Sure, I’ve got a few hours every night to myself but then, I don’t really have them because I always have to do something. Most readers will notice both the lack of general updates and the lack of pictures these last few weeks. I started shooting a roll of film and have not yet developed it and the camera’s been off for repairs. Got some sand on the sensor and that took a few days. But it’s back and I’ve got some new lighting set ups I want to try, along with some lights and wireless triggers coming. Now I just have to scout out things around here to shoot. There were two discarded bicycles outside my apartment complex but someone came and got them this week and I so badly wanted to shoot them with a grid or snoot for ambiance.

School’s getting a little confusing. I don’t have a discussion tomorrow but I do have a lecture but next week, we’re supposed to have an exam and lecture, I wonder which will get pushed back or moved. Classes are going alright though, I’ve been slacking a lot more than I should and with an exam coming up, I can’t afford another low grade. However, the geography class is going well, it’s just so easy. I don’t get how some people are failing that class, it’s so simple.

Speaking of school, my girlfriend is now entering her fourth week of internship as a student teacher and she’s enjoying it. There’s been some issues with red tape and how the mentoring teacher teaches but that’s probably to be expected — I have no idea, I don’t plan on teaching 7 year olds to find out. I think next week she starts her second internship that is required for her coursework. I don’t envy her at all. She’ll be essentially working three jobs plus trying to get a business off the ground, which doesn’t really leave a lot of time for much of anything else. I guess I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth sometimes.

I’ve got to get to bed. My neighbor’s computer is almost done with its virus scans and I’m trying to think of something to photograph tomorrow, perhaps I’ll finally make my way over to the mosque beside school.

Sucker punched – Photo of the Day #69

March 15th, 2010 • photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project365

This was a test shot from earlier today. We had set up a pop-up canopy for an upcoming shoot and I was working out lighting when along came our friends Kelly and Chris. Instantly becoming my models, they were hamming it up big time. Until Kelly totally sucker punched Chris. This was one of about 300 hits he took today, just because she could…and it because it makes for a lot of hilarious pictures. Don’t worry, he’s okay but he got her back eventually.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/8
ISO400 @ 1/15s
Matrix metering
Flash WB A1

Strobist
2 LumoPro LP604 stands, one camera left and the other camera right
2 Nikon Sb-600s at 1/8 power, angled 30deg towards ground
2 Westcott 43" satin white umbrellas

One of the few things that frighten me – Photo of the Day #68

March 13th, 2010 • photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project365

This is a storm drain right outside my apartment and it gives me the creeps. Even in the daylight, it creeps me out. I don’t know why, it must be a hold-over from childhood of the uhknown because, frankly, I have zero clue what is living inside this thing. We think there might be racoons in there right now but I’m thinking scarier things like gigantic spiders or that crocdile Leatherhead from TMNT. He was a mean ol’ croc and I certainly don’t want him living 100 feet from me. Although he was Cajun so maybe we could cook together.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/3.5
ISO800 @ 1/15s
Flash WB set to A2
Spot metering

Strobist:
LumoPro LP604 camera left, 2 feet from/above drain, angled 45deg downward
Nikon SB-600 @ 1/16
Westcott 451 43″ umbrella

A failed experiment – Photo of the Day #67

March 12th, 2010 • photography
Tags: nikon d90, photo of the day, photography, project365

I say failed because I just got a new Westcott 43″ collapsible umbrella today around 5PM from MPEX. Tonight, I go shoot around midnight and guess what happens? The slightest of breezes comes by right as I’m taking this shot and blows the stand over. Now I’ve got a busted umbrella and a haunting shot. This is almost what I was going for visually, minus a broken umbrella.

Nikon D90
Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX @ f/5.6
ISO400 @ 1/15s
Spot metering

Strobist info:
LumoPro LP604 approximately 7 feet from base of tree, aimed up around 25deg, with me around 10 feet away at a 60deg angle to stand
Nikon SB-600 in commander mode @ 1/8 into umbrella
(Broken) Westcott 2011 43″ collapsible umbrella

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