Articles tagged ‘Panasonic GF-1’

A Few Shots From Tucson

Written on November 22, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations



Path to God: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

I have been in Tucson for the past week working with the American Board of Radiology (ABR) to develop some exam questions.  Cindy and I arrived a few days early to photograph Saguaro National Park and the surrounding areas of Tucson.  I hope you enjoy these images!

The opening image of this blog is of the famous, Mission San Xavier del Bac, located just south of Tucson.  It was established by Father Kino in 1732.  It still serves as an active place to worship for the Tohono O’odham congregation.  It’s magnificent design and intricate interior artwork have earned it the nickname, “The Sistine Chapel of North America,” San Xavier is perhaps the best example of Mission architecture in the United States. [1]

Heavenly Artwork: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Watched Over by a King: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

Tree of Life: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

Distant Mission: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

Holy Water: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

Icons: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.5-5.6

We also visited the Tumacacori National Historical Park, located just a few miles south of Tubac (a burrow located 44 miles south of Tucson).  By the way, Tubac is the oldest European-settled city in Arizona.  Mission San Jose de Tumacacori was first listed in 1961 as an outlying settlement by Father Kino and is one of the oldest in Arizona. [1]

Tumacacori: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

The Granary at Tumacacori: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

Cindy and I had a great time exploring, photographing, and learning some Southwest history.

Ancient Art: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Wanted: Dead or Alive: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.5-5.6

Saguaro Mountains: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.5-5.6

Moon Catcher: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.5-5.6

Careful Where You Sit: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Last Light: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Purple Majesty: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

We finished off the journey with a visit to Old Tucson Studios.

Studio Church: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

Horse Thief Shot Dead: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

Carriage Ride: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6

1.  Yamnitz J.  Explore the Southwest’s Spanish History on the Anza Trail.  Visit Tucson – Official Destination Guide.  Fall/Winter 2010. p. 22,23

  • 4 Comments

Allan: These photos are amazing. The titles are even more catchy. I think you will do awesome justice to any subject. Keep up the good work.

Conrad Tan: Wow..... Love the wild wild west shots a lot!

Richard: I really like Wanted Dead or Alive. Nice work looks like a great trip.

Paul Pomeroy: I moved to the Tucson area this past June. As I'm providing full time care for my parents I don't get a lot of time to explore but did manage to get a short visit in to San Xavier del Bac. LOVE your "Watched Over by a King" photo and have one very similar to your "Tree of Life" on my photo blog.


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Wide Angle at Discovery Park

Written on September 23, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


Discovery Park Lighthouse: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Being a landscape photographer, I love wide angle perspectives.  Yesterday evening, my friend, Mike, and I drove to Discovery Park and hiked down to the beach.  The light wasn’t the best, but the clouds were beautiful.  I took several shots at 14mm and the above is my favorite.  I like the expansive, almost 3-D feeling the image portrays, both with the curved foreground driftwood and the sweeping overhead clouds.  I hope you enjoy the shot.

  • 4 Comments

Barb Michieli: Very nice, Dr. Thapa! Brings back memories of the days I served with the US Army Reserves at Fort Lawton, there. What a BEATIFUL view from Discovery Park!!!

Chris Budech: I noticed the cloud formation while riding my bike home last eve--good to see them again in your photo. Must be a name for that type of formation? Much different than our usual clouds.

Sally Allison: Great image! I love the clarity in the entire depth of field. I think that cloud formation is pretty close to being called a "mackerel sky" (as in fish scales) and that stormy weather is on its way.

Bev: Great shot. Very creative to use the wide angle which lends an interesting perspective.


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Through the Doughnut Hole

Written on September 2, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


Through the Doughnut Hole: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6

Yes, another evening out with the family and another beautiful sunset.  Tonight we mosied over to Volunteer Park, you know…close to where Brandon and Bruce Lee are buried.  Anywho, I thought the light was going to be a dud, as the dark clouds were moving in very quickly.  However, I’ve learned from countless past mistakes, you just can’t tell.  Well, this was one of those evenings.  About 15 minutes after sunset, the sky lit up like a burning forest.  I was already positioned with my telephoto lens looking through the “doughnut” artwork prominently displayed in the park.  The opening nicely frames the Space Needle and the distant Olympics.  In the picture above, you can just catch a bit of the Olympics near the bottom of the Space Needle.  What a great evening this was!

Volunteer Park Sunset: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6

  • 14 Comments

Ann & Dileep Bhandarkar: stunning! you summed it up nicely, it was a big surprise last night. Ann

Nicole Goldsmith: I LOVE this one! Very cool.

--> Mahesh: Ann, thanks! Quite a show the light put on for us last night. Loved that shot Dileep sent me.

--> Mahesh: Nicole, thanks! As you know, this is in your neck of the woods. With all that construction in front of your place, I thought I might not make it to Volunteer Park early enough.

Chris Budech: Hi Mahesh, You're turning out the beautiful photos like Ichiro does hits! Been enjoying them. Chris

linda: I'm sending a link to your site to my mom (again) so she can see how stunning Seattle is...especially thru your eyes...and help convience her 86-yrs- old is not too old to come up here if there are scenes like this!

linda: I've sent the link to your photography to my mom (again) to show her what stunning scenes there are here in Seattle...especially through your eyes! 86-yrs-old is not too old to come up here with visions like this! Thanks.

sm: great photos! I stumbled on to your blog a week back on a friends recommendation and have been blown away..btw I am a radiologist too and have recently got interested in photography. Its pretty inspiring to see your photographs..

Kalpana: Beautiful as always Mahesh! Thanks for sharing.

--> Mahesh: Chris, thanks! The weather has been just perfect here lately.

--> Mahesh: Linda, glad to hear it. I hope you can convince your mom to visit. You already know all the great places to visit.

--> Mahesh: Thanks, SM! I'm happy you stumbled on to my site. I find radiology and photography go hand in hand. Maybe I'll see you around town doing a little shooting.

--> Mahesh: Kalpana, thanks for commenting! I hope things are going well for you. Are you doing any photography lately yourself?

sm: hi Mahesh, I wish I could shoot images with you in Seattle. I am in Charlottesville, on the east coast. Btw, amazed by the results from GF 1. Is there a special set up you use for filters on the GF 1 for your landscape and falls pictures? thx


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Alki Watercolor

Written on August 30, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations, Tips and Tutorials


Alki Beach: Panasonic GF1, Panasonic 45-200mm f/4.0-5.6

It was a beautiful evening, so my wife (Cindy), our two dogs (Penny and Wally) and I drove to Alki Beach in West Seattle.  I brought along my micro 4/3rd camera and a couple of small lenses.  While Cindy walked Penny and Wally, I set up my tripod and took some long exposure shots of the skyline.  The image you see here is a composite of two separate exposures.  I exposed the city buildings for 3.2 seconds at f/8 and the water for 4 minutes at f/8.  In Photoshop, I applied an additional horizontal motion blur filter to the water to spread our the colored reflections and give it an even smoother appearance.  I then combined the two exposures.  Blending the two images wasn’t difficult as the junction between the city and waterline is almost perfectly horizontal.  I was hoping to give the somewhat lack-luster scene a bit of “punch” and an artistic touch.  I hope you enjoy it.

  • 10 Comments

DRao: that's nice. I hope you are doing well!

Ken Dobson: Very nice as usual, Mahesh. The only thing missing is the moon, which would have punched this way over the top. It's been a long time since Phototakers. It's nice seeing your work again.

Karen: Breath taking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elisa: Another incredible shot! Thanks for sharing. :)

Miriam Lariscy: Absolutely beautiful. Hey, if this whole doctor thing doesn't work out, maybe you could do this for a living!!! Looking forward to seeing you in November!

--> Mahesh: Thanks, Ken. I totally agree...now where did I put that moon? :)

--> Mahesh: Thanks, D! I'm well. How are you?

--> Mahesh: Karen, thank you! Always a pleasure to read your words of encouragement.

--> Mahesh: Elisa, thank you! I hope you enjoy Portland. We all miss you here.

--> Mahesh: Miriam, thank you so much. Let's just hope I'll never have to rely on earning a living from my photography. LOL!


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Palouse, Take Two

Written on June 1, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


Palouse Tree: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

Since my first visit of the year earlier in April, I promised myself a return trip to The Palouse to capture more of the spring greens.  This Memorial Day, I fulfilled that promise.  Cindy, my friends, and I drove down first to Palouse Falls and then to Steptoe Butte.  It was nice to take a break from the constant rain we’ve been having for the past week.  While at the waterfall, we hiked down to its base, and I was able to capture a not-too-often photographed view.  The image was take at mid-day, but I really liked the wide-angle perspective and the white puffy clouds in that sea of blue sky.  I hope you agree.

Looking Up at Palouse Falls: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14 f/4

We were also blessed with good light at The Palouse.  The recent rain had minimized the atmospheric haze and the brilliant spring greens were breathtaking to behold.  I tried to stray away from the “typical” shots and concentrated on creating some unique compositions.  As the sun went down, the overhead clouds turned a nice shade of pink just before a downpour rushed towards us.  All in all, this was a fine day!

Red Barn, Green Fields: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

Silo: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

Pink Over Green: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

  • 9 Comments

Nicole: I love this one. When I first looked at it I thought I was looking at the ocean... Something about the way the sky looks with the rolling hills... Beautiful.

--> Mahesh: Goldie, thanks for the comment. Long time no see. I really like that image too. That color in the sky lasted for about 30 second, then it was gone.

Ann & Dileep Bhandarkar: beautiful, we loved them all but the silo really grabbed me. what side of Steptoe was that taken? Ann

Ann & Dileep Bhandarkar: Also, I love the falls perspective, where is the trail down? when we were there last October we couldn't find a trail down. thanks, Ann

--> Mahesh: Ann, thank for the comments. The silo shot was taken from the northwest side of Steptoe Butte, about 3/4 way up to the top. As far as the fall, there is a trail leading down from the South end of the state park, by the railroad tracks. On the day we were there, a local volunteer told us about the trail head. The path is a little tricky at a few places, but nothing you can't handle with a little care. Also, there is poison ivy along the way, so be careful.

Anthony Whitmore: Your unamed friends had a very good time : ) Still processing images and fighting it all the way... Hows the new Subaru buddy? Signed, Unnamed

--> Mahesh: Ant (oops, I mean Mr. Anonymous), thanks for the comment. It was our pleasure to show you around our beautiful state, even though the weather was less than ideal. Come back in the summer for the wildflowers of Rainier and the Olympic beaches. :D The Subaru is running great, BTW!

--> Mahesh: Khun, thanks for the comment! I didn't understand a word of it until I visited the site you listed and entered your comment into Google Translate. I appreciate the sentiment. Danke! :D


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Forest Photography

Written on May 31, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations, Tips and Tutorials


Forest Greens: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

A couple of friends are visiting me in Seattle, but the weather has been damp and dreary.  Today we made the best of it by exploring Olympic National Park, including the Hoh Rain Forest.  The opening image and the shots below are my favorite forest photos from the outing.  A light drizzle can do wonders for forest photography.  The colors are richer, there are no harsh shadows, and the venue is typically not very crowded.

I almost always use a polarizer when doing this kind of photography.  It will significantly decrease glare from reflective surfaces such as wet leaves and rocks, providing more contrast and deeper colors.  Of course, a tripod is a must as the exposure times are often several seconds long.  I also recommend taking along a lens hood, if you have one, and a lens cloth. Chances are the wet climate will leave water drops on the surface of your lens or filter.  The hood will help minimize this, and the lens cloth can be used to safely wipe off any moisture that makes it on to the lens surface.  If you don’t have a “weather-sealed” camera, you may want to take something to protect your expensive gear.  A plastic or zip lock bag works great.

I hope you enjoy the images.  As always, you can click on the pictures to go to the original gallery.  Once there, you can see the images at larger sizes, peruse the shot settings (including GPS coordinates), and explore other galleries.

Inviting Trail: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

Mossy Cascades: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

Friendly Ferns: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

Vertical Forest: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

  • 4 Comments

linda: as always, i love to see the photos of your adventures. the shots certainly convey that feeling of dampness and hidden mystery just beyond the next trees...

Ryan: I recognize "Mossy Cascades" as the creek on the Sol Duc Falls trail. No waterfall photos this time?

--> Mahesh: Linda, thank you! That was the message I was trying to convey with these photographs...damp but certainly not dreary. I glad you enjoyed 'em.

--> Mahesh: Ryan, thanks for the comment. I did take some waterfall picts, but wasn't terribly happy with any of them. I may post them at a later date when I blog about how to do waterfall photography.


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Painted Hills and Bruneau Dunes

Written on May 16, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


Color in Crevices: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

A few friends, Cindy, and I made a whirlwind tour of Painted Hills, OR and Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park, ID over this three day weekend. Boy, what fun we had!  We left Seattle 9:30 Friday morning and arrived in Mitchell, OR 6 1/2 hrs later.  We set up our tents near Painted Hills and headed out to explore and photograph the area.

Painted Hills Unit is one of three components of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.  These colorful hills are located about nine miles northwest of Mitchell, OR.  The varying hues and tones of the hills are best seen in the late afternoon, but early light can offer dramatic backlit compositions for the creative photographer.  The yellow wildflowers were in full bloom, and lined several cervices, as seen in the opening image of this blog.  Below are three more images of this beautiful, ancient wonder.

Wild and Beautiful: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14 f/4

Painted Hills in the Distance: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

Painted Hills, Painted Sky: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

The next morning, we shot the sunrise at the same location and headed out to Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park, ID, another 6 hrs away.  We arrived in the late afternoon, set up camp and headed out to climb the largest single Sand Dune in North America, rising 470 ft above small surrounding lakes.  It was a short but tough hike.  Below are two of my best images from there.

Bruneau Dunes Reflected: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14 f/4

Late Light on Bruneau Dunes: Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

The next morning (Sunday), we slept in and drove back to Seattle, 9 1/2 hrs away.  By 8 pm, I was post-processing and uploading images.

  • 16 Comments

Jeremiah: Third image is one of the most unique Painted Hills photos I've seen. Very Nice!

--> Mahesh: Jeremiah, thanks! The 3rd image was taken from the top of the Carroll Rim Trail. It's a less popular but equally beautiful hike, IMO.

Victor: I love seeing what my little GF-1 is capable of! Keep it up Mahesh!

Chris Budech: Great Photos and an area I wasn't familiar with. Is the GF- 1 an slr?

Aaron Cowan: That's quite a trip heading all the way over to my neck of the woods for Bruneau Dunes. I really like the reflection shot of the dunes...all the painted hill shots are very cool too.

--> Mahesh: Victor, thanks for the comment! The GF-1 is a little wonder. The more I use it, the more I love it. The quality Panny lenses deepen my love evermore!

--> Mahesh: Chris, thanks! The GF-1 isn't quite an SLR and it's not quite a point and shoot. Some have dubbed it an EVIL (Electronic Viewfinder, Interchangeable Lens) camera. It's small, lightweight, and thoroughly enjoyable.

--> Mahesh: Aaron, thanks bud! I didn't know you lived out there. Next time, I'll shoot you an e-mail before heading out.

Conrad Tan: Nothing less that spectacular Mahesh! These images are stunning! The painted hills are my picks. Woo hoo!

Anthony Whitmore: Wow what a kewl shot Mahesh!! Great landscapes and I may have to put this on my List of "Things to photograph" for a future trip!! See ya in a few weeks my friend Ant

Chris Budech: Thanks mahesh. I've had SLRs in the past film era. But have only had small Canon's in the digital era. Maybe the GF-1 is the way to go? Enjoy your photos very much. You get to some very cool places. Chris Budech

--> Mahesh: Conrad, thanks bud! When you come up here, and if we have enough time, we'll visit the Painted Hills. You won't believe your eyes!

--> Mahesh: Ant, thanks for the comment, bud! See ya in a few weeks. The Palouse and the Olympic coast wait for us...

--> Mahesh: Chris, no worries! I think you would enjoy the GF-1 very much. It's my preferred camera for travel and landscape photography where I have hike/backpack.

meg parisi: Unbelievable!!! Your photographs make me want to visit ths area immediately, if not sooner. Keep up the great work.

--> Mahesh: Meg, thanks! Always nice read your kind comments.


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Cactus Chronicles

Written on May 10, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


Star Trails Over Joshua Tree, Panasonic GF-1 & Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Last week I was down in San Diego for another Radiology conference.  After the conference, my buddy, Joel, and I decided to visit Joshua Tree National Park for the weekend.  The Park is about a 3-½ hr drive northeast of San Diego, and offers some of the most beautiful desert landscape terrain in the world.  In this blog, I’ll share with you my favorite shots from the short visit.

Home to picturesque, twisted trees and massive rock formations, Joshua Tree is sandwiched between the Mojave and Sonora Deserts.  Joshua Tree National Monument was established in 1936, and the Desert Protection Act upgraded it to National Park status in 1994.

We drove to Twentynine Palms, a gateway town to Joshua Tree, located just north of the park.  As an interesting bit of information, this town is home to the largest Marine base in the world.

We arrived late Friday afternoon and explored the park from the comfort of our air-conditioned car.  When the outside temperature became more bearable, we took a nice stroll through the Hidden Valley nature trail, where we saw fascinating rock formations and labeled desert vegetation.  Below is an image of a particularly interesting rock, which to me looks like the “Flying Elvis” logo found on the New England Patriot’s football helmets.

Flying Elvis Rock, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

We then headed up to Keys View.  Unfortunately, the visibility was poor and much of the distant mountain ranges were obscured by haze.  However, I did manage to capture an image of a photogenic lizard with a multi-colored underbelly, basking on a warm rock.

Joshua Tree Lizard, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

That evening we headed over to the White Tank Campground and hiked the easy Arch Rock nature trail, where I captured the image below of Arch Rock.

Arch Rock, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

The next morning we awoke before sunrise and headed back into the park.  The light was spectacular, and below are my attempts at capturing it.

Joshua Tree Silhouette, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

Standing Proud, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Two of a Kind, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Later that morning, we found ourselves in the Cholla Cactus Garden capturing wildflowers and Teddy Bear Cholla cacti.

Teddy Bears and Wildflowers, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4

Backlit Cholla Cacti, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6

While at the Cholla Cactus Garden, a long-eared denizen popped out to pay us a visit.  She eyed us suspiciously for a few seconds, wiggled her nose, and hopped away.

Desert Jackrabbit, Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 400mm f/5.6L

By 8 am the light was getting harsh, and we headed back to Twentynine Palms, grabbed some breakfast at a local diner, downloaded our images, and took a well-deserved nap.  We awoke in the afternoon and headed back to Joshua Tree.  Around 5 pm we began a moderate 3-mile hike up to Ryan Mountain where we ate dinner and photographed the sunset.

Ryan Mountain Sunset, Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6

We then headed down the trail with headlamps illuminating our path.  On our way back to town, we pulled off the road to photograph star-trails.  We watched a 1 hr 40 min movie on my iPad while our cameras captured the celestial movements above Joshua Tree.  The opening image of this blog was the product of this long exposure.  I combined one hundred consecutive 1-minute exposures. During the first minute of exposure, I used my headlamp to illuminate the foreground. The camera was set to manual exposure at f/4 and 60 seconds on “burst mode”. I attached a cable release and locked down the exposure button.

The next morning we slept in, packed up and headed back to San Diego to catch a plane to Seattle.  I hope you enjoyed these images and thanks for visiting!

  • 9 Comments

Barb Michieli: I went rock climbing here back in the early 90's. Your photographs brought back memories of this beautiful place!

Conrad Tan: Dude looks like you had a rockin time at J-Tree man! You're 400mm is looking like its shooting sharp as well! Great landscapes as always bud!

Linda Lin: Beautiful!! My fav is the rabbit :)

--> Mahesh: Barb, thanks for the comment. It looks like you've been everywhere! I saw a few rock climbers and was wondering how hot it must be for them!

--> Mahesh: Conrad, thanks bud! The 400mm is a real gem...much easier to hand-hold than my other Canon "monster."

--> Mahesh: Linda, thanks! That little one is pretty cute, huh?

Ray Still: Hey Mahesh, awesome captures I can smell and feel that dry desert air, very cool takeaways and awe ha you are the one that bought Henry's 400

--> Mahesh: Ray, thanks for the comment, bud! Ya, I got Henry's 400. It's a beaut! Tack sharp and in superb condition.

Aaron: Great shots! I'm curious as to how you managed to take that photo entitled: “Star Trails Over Joshua Tree, Panasonic GF-1 & Panasonic 7-14mm f/4” I noticed that the star streaks covered a span of about 26 degrees, and that amounts to just under 1 hour 45 minutes. I have a GF-1 and the bulb setting is limited to 256 seconds, just over 4 minutes or so. Were you able to bypass the GF-1’s 256 second limitation on the bulb setting by tweaking the firmware? Or did you take multiple exposures and merge them together. I’m very interested in how you took this photo since I’ve tried to get a similar shot with mine, but am getting frustrated with the bulb exposure limitation.


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Night Photography in San Diego

Written on March 26, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14mm f/4, 7mm (14mm equivalent) f/8, 2.5 sec, ISO 100

I find people in San Diego love to talk about their great weather…and with good reason! Tonight was perfect for a walking tour of downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter. The city was truly alive with engaging street performers at every corner, mouth-watering aromas from nearby restaurants, and jovial chatter of others also enjoying the night. I happily explored the neighborhoods with a tripod over one shoulder and a camera over the other. I grabbed a classic shot at the entrance to Gaslight Quarter and stopped here and there to frame what I thought were interesting compositions. I don’t know how successful I was, but I sure did have a great time!

If you want to know where all these images were taken, click HERE to see them on a map.

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6, 36mm (72mm equivalent), f/8, 2.5 sec, ISO 100

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14 f/4, 7mm (14mm equivalent), f/8, (1.3, 2.5, and 3.2 second bracketed exposures), ISO 100

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14 f/4, 11mm (22mm equivalent), f/8, 5 sec., ISO 100

  • 5 Comments

Conrad Tan: Dude that little panny rocks! Nice set man!

--> Mahesh: Conrad, thanks, bud! Ya, it's so nice to carry that little camera around. :D

Peter Johngren: Really nice images. Just got the GF1 with 20mm and the the 45 - 200. I have the 14 - 45 on order. Love the camera and was wondering about the 7 - 14. Your shots are striking. Thanks!

--> Mahesh: Peter, thanks a lot for the comment and stopping by. The 7-14mm is wonderfully sharp from corner to corner. I couldn't recommend it enough.

Pauline Vasquez: Very vivid images. They really do capture the still, and the motion, of downtown San Diego at night. Pauline Horton Plaza


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San Diego Skyline

Written on March 24, 2010 Posted in Photography Locations


I’m in San Diego this week, attending a Radiology conference.  The city has a dazzling skyline, and I wanted to photograph it tonight.  I scoured the internet and contacted a few local photographers.  My investigation yielded two possibilities:  Coronado Island and Harbor Island.  For no particular reason, I chose Coronado Island.  Perhaps I’ll visit Harbor Island tomorrow evening.  I arrived about an hour before sunset, allowing myself plenty of time for exploration and to scout out potential spots.  The visibility wasn’t the best, and the skyline looked a little hazy while the sun was still up.  Once the sun set and the building lights came on, the emerging scene looked more promising.  I found two spots that included interesting foreground elements.  On the first shot, my tripod was very close to the ground, as I wanted to feature the lovely purple and yellows wildflowers scattered in a bed of green vegetation. On the second, I included some beach rocks, illuminated by overhead sidewalk lamps. Luckily, the Coronado pedestrian ferry was docked, and I was able to incorporate it in the midground.

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 7-14 f/4, 12mm (24mm equivalent), f/8, 4 sec, ISO 100



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Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6, 14mm (28mm equivalent), f/8, 5 sec, ISO 100



View Larger Map

  • 8 Comments

Conrad Tan: Dude these images rock! Glad to see you've been out shooting and enjoying your new rig man!

Jeremiah: The first image is fantastic. Did you combine a couple of exposures or is that a single exposure?

--> Mahesh: Conrad, thanks bud! I've told you this before...the little Panny is a gem, man...at any price! :D

--> Mahesh: Jeremiah, thanks! Both shots are single exposures. For the first, I was lucky the flowers didn't move too much during such a long exposure. Had there been any kind of breeze, I would have had to ISO bracket. :D

sandeep: wowww!!! man these are great

--> Mahesh: Sandeep, thanks a lot, man! San Diego is a great place! :D

JoAnnadana: Wow Mahesh! This is a virtual treat!! Thank you!

--> Mahesh: JoAnn, thanks for the comment! I'm glad you enjoyed the shots. I still like Seattle's skyline better, but SD also has a very nice one. :D


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