On Sticking to your choices and having a bit of luck

This past Saturday, May 1, 2020, the Navy's Bluebirds and the Air Force's Thunderbirds soared over Baltimore and the DC metro area skies in honor of the thousands of doctors, nurses, first responders, and essential workers serving on the front line day-in and day-out during this crisis. 

LESSON: At times experience and luck can be the key factors in determining whether your photos will work or not. 

The organizers of the event even published a flight path and estimated flight times. However, I knew from having covered events like this one in the past, things happen and flight path deviations can occur. So, I went out knowing there was a 50/50 chance these photos would work or not. 

However, in a situation like this one where there are so many factors outside of your control as a photographer, you have to think hard before hand on what choices to make. And once you've done this, then you must stick to your guns. These referred specifically not only to my chosen location but also what gear would I take with me. 

For a location, I chose one of my favorite monuments in the DC Metro Area: the Air Force Memorial monument. As far as photographic gear choices, that was a bit more complicated. I knew I needed a big telephoto to get a detail of them in the sky. I knew I needed a medium range telephoto just in case they happened to fly closer to my location. And I never leave the house without a good wide angle. So, I need bringing 2 DSLRs and my mirrorless #nikonZ7 with me as well as an array of lenses ranging from my 14mm all the way up to 500 mm and a 1.4 TC. 

At first, I positioned myself in such manner I had DLOS (direct line of sight) to the Washington Monument about three miles just northeast of my position. But at a location where if they flew right atop of me then I could just use my wide angle. 

From my vantage viewpoint, the first pass was simply too far away seemed miles away beyond the monument. The same thing happened the second time around.

This is when things started to get dicey. For I knew I’d only get one more chance when they’d head back from where they came from.

I looked around and decided I'd gamble and emphasize more on the foreground than on the jets themselves.  So, I moved closer to a statue depicting an AF honor guard and I said a prayer to the Gods of Photography. 

As they flew by at a distance I concentrated on keeping them against a clean horizon while composing the majority of the frame with the foreground elements. After all, I managed to make a sequence with the wide-angle lens and then I quickly switched to my 500 telephoto for a closer look at the birds. 

And these are the resulting images, which in my opinion are still too far away but one is unique enough to publish and the other one works as a secondary image and as a good "photo of record."

TECH STUFF: #nikonZ7  / 14-30 4.0S /ISO 160  / F22  / 1/250^th  / WB: Sunny

* Nikon no es responsable por el contenido

#nikonZ

#mirrorless

#nikonlatam

@nikonargentinaoficial

@nikonboliviaoficial

@nisseioficial

@nikoncolombiaoficial

@nikonperuoficial

@nikonnikonuruguayoficial

#bienvenidoalmundoZ

#ZseiesLatam

#nikonZ7 

#capturaelmañana

ON SHOOTING FOR THE HIHGLIGHTS

LESSON: 

* Exposing for the highlights, one of my favorite techniques, will bring down the mid and dark tones; thus increasing contrast and color saturation. 

* In other words, if the camera sensor told me this scene should've been photographed at 1/500th of a second- keeping all other variables the same- I usually override the camera reading and underexpose by a factor of -.5 stop at first, then - 1 stop, then -1.5 stop until I get the desired result. 

* Adding a human figure to your composition gives the viewer not only something to relate to but it also gives them a size- reference point. 

TECH STUFF: #nikonZ7  /  14-30 4.0 S  /  ISO 250  / F 22/  1/2,000th  / WB A

NOTE:  During these Times of Pandemic, I have made it a point to, every once in a while, visit some of the National Monuments in DC including the Air Force National Memorial in Arlington, VA near the Pentagon. This striking sculpture, which is one of the least known, depicts the contrails of three jets in the "Missing Man Formation." 

However, it is very hard to photograph because of its gigantic size, which can only be done with a super-wide lens. Thus, the use of the 14-30 wide-angle lens. 

* Nikon no es responsable por el contenido

On Paying Attention to Details

LESSON: When it comes to Street Photography looking for repeating patterns and paying attention to details while assessing the chaos of daily life can yield satisfying results...

In this notice photo notice the following details:.
.
- The stripes on the man's shirt mimick the vents on the bus..

- The colors white and blue are the predominant colors on the bus and on what the man is wearing..

- Even the red highlights on the man's overall back pockets match that of the lights on the sides of the bus..

- The fact that the drawing of Tesla seems to be looking at the man as the man seemingly appears to be getting ready to stick his finger in the ear of Tesla also adds to the complexity of the image and helps in the storytelling process..

- And lastly, the writing on the bus is relevant to the overall scene and to the essence of what photography is all about: Lighting

TECH STUFF: #nikonD5/  70-200mm 2.8  / ISO 250/  F 4.0  /  1/ 1,000th

* Nikon no es responsable por el contenido.

#nikonZ

#mirrorless

#nikonlatam

@nikonargentinaoficial

@nikonboliviaoficial

@nisseioficial

@nikoncolombiaoficial

@nikonperuoficial

@nikonnikonuruguayoficial

#bienvenidoalmundoZ

#ZseiesLatam

#nikonZ7 

#capturaelmañana

Dubrovnik, Croatia

LESSON: ON SILHOUETTES

One of the key points when it comes to silhouettes is the separation between compositional elements..
.
In other words, you want your silhouettes to be immediately recognized for what they are I.e. a person walking, a couple on a bench, people on the phone, all by a moored boat, etc. .
.
Quick recognition leads to better appreciation.

Another reason why this photo works so well is that it was shot from a slightly lower angle than that of eye level (from a boat). Thusly, the blue sky being reflected off the surface of the water adds a speck of color in an area that otherwise would be without any details.

TECH STUFF: Nikon D5  / ISO 320/  F 4.0  / I/8000th  / WB Sunny....

.

.

ON PANNING

ON PANNING

A great technique to depict motion is panning because of its ability to combines camera movement and slow shutter it can produce extraordinary results. It is a tool best used to depict motion around a moving subject, which usually is moving horizontally and preferably parallel to the camera.

.

However, this technique requires practice and a steady hand. Because you have to pick a specific subject to continuously keep in focus as it keeps moving in front of you, and as you follow it with your camera.

.

. It also demands an understanding of the concept of "equivalent exposures," which are designed to give you the same amount of light for the proper exposure while juggling different aperture and shutter speed combinations. These in term will yield the desired effect when properly used. 

.

TECH STUFF: Camera #nikonZ6 / lens 14-30 4.0 S / ISO 2,500 / F 13 / Speed 1/3th / WB: A

.

For example, in this situation, the camera light meter initially suggested a proper exposure at this ISO of 2500 should’ve been that of F 2.8 at 1/125th. .

.

But that simply did not fulfill my needs at that moment since I wanted to depict the motion of the bus as it took off. If I’d have used the camera suggested speed/ aperture combination then I’d have ended with a static boring image. .

So instead, I used an equivalent exposure from all the available combinations available to me:. .

.

Equivalents:. F4.0 at 1/60th, F 5.6 at 1/30th, F 8.0 at 1/15th, F 11 at 1/8th, F 13th at 1/3rd, etc

 .

This is a pretty good article that further explains this concept: The Basics of Equivalent Exposures published in Peta Pixel.