LENS CAPTURE

Vol. 3 No. 17

The Rumblers 11th Annual Car Show took place this past weekend in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York.  As expected, there were lots of screeching tires and engines, and so much to take in.  The line-up of custom and vintage vehicles seemed to grow again this year.  Here's a quick video to show you what you missed.

Vol. 3 No. 16


An early August Saturday morning proved to be a blossom-hound 's delight.  As you'll see from my video slideshow below, the pollen transport team was in full operation.  

Vol. 3 No. 15

With over 1100 walks and more than 33,000 photographers participating in last year's Worldwide Photo Walk, this year promises to be even better.  I have been selected to lead the photo walk that starts at Brooklyn Bridge Park's new Pier 1.  Our walk is taking place on Sunday, October 2, 2011.

Vol. 3 No. 14


A simple stroll in your neighborhood park could yield some great subjects.  This is true only if you remember to bring your camera.  


This short video is from my Sunday morning walk through Juniper Park in Middle Village, Queens.  With the weather staying so hot and humid, an early morning stroll was the only option.  This 55-acre public jewel was opened in 1930 and features sport fields, playgrounds and plenty of tree-lined paths.

Vol. 3 No. 13

Happy Independence Day!

The following images were captured around sunset from Louis Valentino Junior Park, in Brooklyn's Red Hook waterfront. A tripod is essential when photographing landscapes, and especially with the sun setting.

Vol. 3 No. 12


  During a quick trip into the now trendy neighborhood of Astoria, in New York City's outer borough of Queens, I made a short visit to a favorite spot.  Growing up in this area (which wasn't so trendy then), I spent a great deal of time along the East River waterfront.  This area, with its public green spaces growing rapidly, is now attracting more activities.  One spot in particular, the Socrates Sculpture Park, is partly responsible for the revitalization in the immediate area.


Until 1986, the area now occupied by the park was an abandoned landfill and dump.  A group of artist got together and developed a great outdoor exhibition space and park for the neighborhood.   

Vol. 3 No. 11


 I took a step back in time this past weekend.  This was possible with the help of two gorgeous models and a historical gem of a location, the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, New York. 


With the help of Victoria Podesta and her crew from Berger Bros Camera providing the logistics, and David Piazza from Westcott providing the lights and plenty of expertise, we took to our task of recreating the 1940's.

Vol. 3 No. 10


As I continue to wade through all the great images from the American Photo Model Shoot, I offer this two-shot series of candlelight captures.

Vol. 3 No. 9


After scouting out the best photo locations along the 13 mile scenic drive earlier the day before, I ventured back to Red Rock Canyon for sunrise.  With a 1 hour drive to reach my destination, I started out at 4:00 AM to catch the Sun cresting the eastern mountain range around 5:25 AM.  The temperature at that point had only hit 52°F at the Calico Basin, so a hooded sweatshirt was a definite requirement.  During my 2½ hour visit on this particular morning, the temperature rose more than 25 degrees. 


Was it worth it?  You be the judge.

Vol. 3 No. 8


While the lights of the Las Vegas Strip lure many, the main draw to the area for me lies just 15 miles west. Red Rock Canyon, a National Conservation Area, is an oasis in this neon desert.


I took the short drive up from Henderson, a southeastern suburb of Las Vegas, along State Route 160 towards the town of Blue Diamond, and then about 9 miles north on NV Route 159 where I reached a roadside overlook.   With the Sun just ready to settle below the Keystone Thrust, the massive rock walls along the west of the valley that is cut by NV Route 159, I made the following image:

Vol. 3 No. 7


While traveling, I made a decision to leave the bulky gear at home and go light.  My choice for image capture is a point and shoot high-end performer, the Canon PowerShot G12.  This 10 megapixel performer packs a ton of features that even a pro shooter will love.  I coupled this with a Black Rapid SnapR combo strap and case system.  Together they made for a compact travel champ.


One of the features of the G12 was its ability to capture high dynamic range (HDR) images with a single click of the shutter release button.  The camera actually snaps off 3 shots then combines them in the camera.  Since I was hitting a major tourist attraction, Hoover Dam during the mid-day Sun, I figured this would provide a good test.  Here are some of the images captured:

My decision to travel light also included leaving the laptop behind.  Just my point and shoot camera, my trusty iPad2, and Apple's Camera Connection Kit handled the job nicely.

Vol. 3 No. 6


Wow - what a great line-up of beautiful women at the American Photo Model Shoot.  Here is Part 1:

Vol. 3 No. 5


Working with these models was a pleasure.  They were extremely professional and their personalities came through beautifully.  I took great enjoyment in capturing these pairings.


I present Couples - Part 2:

Vol. 3 No. 4


As promised in the last post, I will be sharing some of my favorite photographs from the American Photo Magazine's Model Shoot. 


Here is the next in the series: The Guys - Part 1.

Vol. 3 No. 3


It has been a rough several months where I have been remiss in posting.  My apologies. Personal and professional circumstances have been a major distraction. 


During the last four months I have been shooting studio sessions on almost a weekly basis, keeping my skills tuned.  I was fortunate to have recently participated in the American Photo Magazine's Model Shoot.   Over the next several posts, I will be sharing some of my favorite captures.  


The following captures are part of my series of "Couples" Part 1:












-30-

Vol. 3 No. 2


I had a great time last night when I went to see Button Down Runner playing at The Trash Bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  Live music is always a blast and these guys put on a good show!


Photographing musicians at local venues can be extremely challenging. Dimly lit and normally crowded conditions can present some obstacles. Shooting manual and bumping up the ISO pretty high is a must.  If you use flash, I recommend the rear curtain/slow sync setting to prevent your backgrounds from going black and losing all detail.  A stabilized lens really can help out when hand-holding at slower shutter speeds. 

A final recommendation is to shoot raw format (vs. jpeg) so you can adjust the white balance in post production.  I use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 for the majority of my post production work.  With the various colored stage lights, it's very difficult to select the best setting in the camera.  If you must, or don't have a choice but jpeg, then put some trust in your camera's "Auto" white balance setting.

Vol. 3 No. 1

Welcome 2011 - happily starting a new year, and a new decade!

• I'll make more photographs.
  Getting out into the world to capture images means having a camera with me, ready to record my point of view.
  
  
• I'll visit more places.
  Locally, regionally, nationally and globally.  Exposing myself to a variety of settings will keep my brain charged-up.
  
  
• I'll take more workshops and attend more seminars.
   Education is key.  Learning from others and their experiences will help me grow creatively.
  
  
• I'll share more of my thoughts on photography.
  While life can sometimes spin out of control, I will do my best to post more articles on the LensCapture blog so we can share experiences and grow our craft.
  
  
• I'll hold more photo walks.Getting together and sharing our experiences and love for photography is one of the best ways to accelerate my goal of a expanding the love for image capture.