Through My Eyes

OK, this is the start of my NEW photo blog!

To kick things off, I've exchanged a couple messages with a great photographer who runs a little photo blog of his own that I have admired in the past.

I asked about this picture... I wanted to know how he achieved this effect where the edges fade to black. Turns out is was digital manipulation:

I usually refer to the effect as "vignetting." It's a digital manipulation. I select the edges of the photo, feather the selection, adjust the levels downward slightly, then apply a gaussian blur. I agree that it can, in the right circumstances, create a striking effect.

Sweet. Learning little-by-little.

I'm also fascinated by night and low-light photography--capturing dramatic shadows and uncommon perspectives. Long exposures are also really interesting, like this one.





35mm
Is what I've got, and I'm too poor to go digital with the SLR for now. I had thought that you needed digital to get great night shots--when I've provided CVS or whatever with low-light negatives all I've gotten in return is grainy, grey ugliness. But, according to my new friend this is not so.
I've been learning that the lens is very important (no shit, right.) not only for zoom and perspective, but for depth-of-field and the ability to shoot in low-light.

rebelbodhi, low-tech is my modus operandi. My workhorse camera is an all-manual, bottom-of-the-line Nikon film camera (FM10). The 24mm f/2.8 Canon would be an ideal lens for night photos of sweeping panoramas, although I've used everything from a 210mm f/5.6 on down to good effect.

The film for this graveyard photo was processed and scanned at a Walgreen's in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I did the digital enhancements after I arrived back home in suburban Chicago. I prefer Kodak processing/scanning, so any outlet that offers it usually gets my business (Target stores usually offer Kodak). I admit that most of my shooting is for this blog and my Flickr gallery, so graininess hasn't been much of an issue. If someone requests an image for publication or photo enlargement, I'll have the negative rescanned at a higher resolution.

I shoot mainly 100 ISO (Fujicolor Reala is my film of choice). I also shoot a lot of 400 ISO. I've found that both work well for night shots, depending on the effect I'm after.

Well, considering the photo here is one of his, I'll trust him.

He also has a blog where he provides tips, like this one on shooting in moonlight.
I think this will be my first project: to get a moonlit photo with my new lens.
Look at the second example photo he has here, amazing isn't it??

So, let's get started!

• I'm currently bidding on a Canon 24mm f/2.8 lens, hopefully I'll win!!
  This will let me shoot dramatic perspectives and angles, as well as capture in low light.
  
• I'll pick up some faster/better film, like james recommends.
• And then I'll take a little excursion (with my beautiful girlfriend) this weekend or next to try it all out!
  

And then I'll take it from there... I'll post my best shots online, and maybe..just maybe.. someone might get some enjoyment out of them as I do from others'. Later!

Labels: lenses, night-photography