Couple Of Smiles

Close to halfway done developing RAW shots from the Festival the other night and decided I'd better post something before I get too tired to type.

This photo was taken as the sun was going down behind the scene so, I threw a little weak flash on the gals faces.

The biggest problem I have shooting young folks over here is when they know their photo is being taken, they like to throw the Peace Sign at you.

It makes for some pretty goofy pictures, I think so, I tell them get their hands down or I just zoom in and crop the hands out of the picture.

If I remember, I'll throw some of the goofy photos on here later and let you be the judge.

Meanwhile, this old boy needs to rest and save my eyes for more important stuff, like taking more pictures. More later.....

Here ya go. I grabbed an iced-coffee and got my second wind. Which photo do you like best?

My Picadaday

Well, this is the picaday, so far, anyway, from yesterday's photo shoot at the Kin Eisa Festival. There are still 300 some-odd more waiting to be developed and they are gonna just have to wait for me to get caught-up. When I got done last night, instead of going home to download my camera, I made the mistake of going to my office. I wasn't even sure if the latest model laptop I bought, with Windows 7 on it had a slot to pop SD Cards into but, I figured I'd find out and maybe have one beer to unwind. Then, if the camera couldn't be downloaded, I'd go home and do it on the old standby Vista-equipped laptop.

Well, sonovagun, the camera downloaded just fine and before I could finish my ice-cold beer, customers started showing up. My office happens to be a Karaoke Bar. Usually, you won't catch me doing camera related stuff in the bar when it's open. Cameras and booze don't mix well, not for me anyway. So, normally, you won't see a camera or a computer sitting on the counter when the joint is open. The stuff I leave in the bar isn't visible and most of the camera and computer gear is carried home when I'm done doing office thingys everyday.

Here in Japan it's a custom, you buy the bar tenders, hostesses and owner a drink or share whatever you happen to be drinking with them. Pretty girls, ugly guys, old people, young folks, all kinds of customers started coming in and when they spotted me at the end of the counter they'd order a beer and send it my way. Kampaii (Cheers) and "Long time no see, Mikesan" kept happening. Then, after the third beer or so they got me singing Karaoke. No telling what time I staggered home with my camera gear and took the dogs out for their walk on the beach. All I know for sure is the sun wasn't shining, yet.

It's a rough life, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. More next week.....

Wildlife Photography: Tip #5

Tip #5. Steady the Shot with Whatever’s Available.

Even the few times I hump around a tripod with all my camera gear there have been shots I’d have missed if I didn’t rip the camera off the tripod and improvise, quickly. Critters just don’t wait for you to get the camera positioned for the best shot, so you have to think fast and move to the where the lighting suits your needs. There may be no time, no room, or no use for a tripod and if you try it, you may have missed the shot. That’s where a tree, fencepost, rock, roof of a car or sitting down and resting your elbows on your knees may come in handy.


The bird above is a Japanese White Eye visiting Cherry Blossoms on 19JAN2009 12:11PM f/8 1/640 ISO 100 Photo taken using a chain link fence to steady the shot. Pentax K10D Sigma 50-500 Focal Length 500mm.

It's Friday. That means I'll be out all weekend shooting festivals. I'll try and have something new to make you want to live in Okinawa, first thing next week. Until then, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND !

Cheers,
Mike

Wildlife Photography: Tip #4

Aim for the eye:


Most of the time, the wildlife shots I take, are with the camera handheld. This is not the ideal way to shoot if you’re setting out to win a photography contest. A sturdy tripod and cable release would be the way to do that. But, I prefer to travel light and move fast so, the best thing I can do is work with the higher shutter speeds. At least 1/100 for every 100mm of length on the lens is what’s required to do handheld shooting. I like to use spot metering and move my focus point, aim and when I see the sun light up the bird's eye, shoot.

A Black Pacific Reef Egret taken 28APR2009 7:56AM f/8 1/800 ISO 200 Pentax K10D Sigma 50-500@500mm.

Wildlife Photography: Tip #3

Tip #3. Look for Patterns in Behavior.

The internet, library, magazines and encyclopedias are all sources where information is available on the type of wildlife you want to shoot and some of it is true. I usually research wildlife after I’ve taken my photos. I spend a lot of time observing and I learn from watching the critters is the wild; study their habits, look for signs that a certain activity is about to happen. Shoot the photo. Then, see what the experts have to say, later. Lots of the information online is wrong and I have pictures to prove it!


How the above photo was taken:
While waiting in a favorite location for Osprey and Egrets and checking the light meter for the settings I’d need for both sea and sky, I noticed a pattern in the way fish jumped. Whenever one jumped out of the water, if you watched the spot it first appeared from, within a second or two, another fish would jump, too. Photo taken 28OCT2008 8:08AM f/6.7 1/640 ISO 125 with a Pentax K10D and a Sigma 50-500 focal lenght 500mm.