Going, Going, Going....Gone! Lunar Eclipse Over Seattle: Pentax 645D, Pentax-A 645 75mm f/2.8

Please click on the image to see a larger version. I woke up at 2:30 this morning to capture the lunar eclipse.  The clouds rolled in and obscured the 2nd half of the celestial event, but I was able to capture the 1st half.  The Rizal bridge was a perfect venue for this shot.  My friend and I were the initial ones there, but by the end, I counted a dozen photographers lining the bridge.  For this picture, I first captured the night lights with a long exposure (30 sec, f/11, ISO 100).  Then, I took several other short (1/125th sec, f/5.6, ISO 100) exposures, each about 8 minutes apart to capture the lunar eclipse and its course.  In the digital darkroom, I combined the exposures to produce the composite image you see here.

Stars Above Lime Kiln Lighthouse: Pentax K-5, Pentax DA* 16-50mm f/2.8

The above is an image from an overnight trip to San Juan Island.  I wanted to capture the sunset and night moods in a single photograph. For those who are interested, here’s how I “made” this photograph.

1. At ISO 80, I took 5 bracketed exposures (-4, -2, 0, +2, +4) about 20 minutes after sunset to capture the warm glow in the sky and detail in the foreground rocks afforded by the the ambient light.

2. From the same spot, I took a single, 30-second exposure several hours after sunset at ISO 6400 to capture the stars.

3. In photoshop, I combined the 5 bracketed images to obtain proper detail in the foreground and sunset sky.

4. For the last step, I placed the image with starts as a separate layer on top and used blending mode “Lighten”. This allowed the bright stars to “show through” while leaving the sunset colors intact.

While on the island, I also came across a few foxes.  Below are a couple of snaps of them.  I hope you enjoy the shots!

Fantastic Mr. Fox: Pentax, K-5, Pentax DA* 60-250mm f/4

The Black Fox: Pentax, K-5, Pentax DA* 60-250mm f/4

Aurora Bridge View: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS

Here’s a view of Seattle from another venue you may not have heard of:  The Aurora Bridge (Click the image for a larger version).  Mike and I accessed the north end of the bridge via a staircase leading up from the east side of the famous Fremont Troll.  Infamous for the relatively large number of suicides, the Aurora Bridge nevertheless offers spectacular views of the Emerald city.  Photographing from the bridge is a bit challenging, so here are a few lessons learned from our outing:

1.  It can get quite windy up there and the closer you get to the center of the bridge, the more vibrations you’ll pick up from the traffic.  Staying as close as possible to the north end of the bridge will help.

2.  I almost never use the “Image Stabilization” feature on my lens, but on this occasion, it came in very handy, even on the tripod.

3.  Bump up the ISO on your camera and use a relatively big aperture (I used ISO 400 and an aperture of f/4) to keep the shutter speed up. By the way, can you tell by my tips that vibrations are a big problem here?  Don’t worry about the depth of field too much as the distant city and Mt. Rainier are close enough to infinity as far as the lens in concerned.

4.  The walkway is relatively narrow, and you may have to move your tripod to let walkers and bikers pass.

Light on Discovery: Canon 1Ds, Canon 24-70 f/2.8L

Here are a few suggestions, especially for the beginner, to capture more compelling landscape photographs.

1. Know your equipment.  Read your camera manual and become familiar with your tools before heading out to photograph.  Take test photographs and adjust various settings on the camera to see their effects.  There is nothing more frustrating than hunting for the exposure compensation dial while the evening light is fading.  Make sure the batteries are charged, your accessories are easily accessible, and your memory cards are formatted.
2. Make sure the camera’s viewfinder is focused to your eyes, especially if you wear glasses.  Most modern cameras allow you to adjust the focus of the viewfinder with a small dial next to the eyepiece.  First obtain sharp focus of an object using the camera’s autofocus function.  Then adjust the eyepiece dial (diopter adjustment) until the image looks sharp through the viewfinder.  Remember, this does not apply to rangefinders.
3. Always carry a good tripod. Yes, even on a bright, sunny day. Often, a small aperture is required to achieve maximum depth of field. To achieve a tack-sharp image, the necessary shutter speed may not be fast enough if the exposure is made hand-held. Second, on a day with challenging lighting conditions, one may want to bracket the exposure.  Bracketing an exposure refers to obtaining a set of under- and over-exposed images. The bracketed images can later be combined in an editing program such as Photoshop to create a high dynamic range (HDR) photograph.  Camera steadiness is a necessity for proper bracketing.  Third, a tripod is immensely helpful in framing a more compelling photograph. When the camera is mounted on a tripod, I find myself taking more time to insure the horizon is straight, the subject is well placed in the frame, and distracting objects are excluded from the composition.
4. Bring along a remote shutter release (wired or wireless). The timer function on the camera will work in a pinch, but is a poor substitute for a remote shutter release. The remote allows you the trigger the shutter exactly when YOU want to, not 2 or 10 sec after pressing the button. The remote allows hands-free release of the shutter button, minimizing camera shake.  In addition, if your camera permits, use the mirror lock-up function to further minimize camera movement.  Under certain situations, usually at longer focal lengths and exposure times, minute vibrations from the internal mirror as it slaps down can cause enough movement to affect the sharpness of your shot.
5. Know the weather conditions before going. Unless you own a weather-sealed camera like the Nikon F5/D1 or Canon 1D/1V series, you’ll want to protect your expensive equipment from the elements (perhaps a simple thing like a plastic bag and a portable umbrella).
6. There is no strict rule for what focal length lens you should use.  The scene, your compositional goals, and personal preference will dictate the focal length.  I often find myself reaching for a wide-angle lens, but I have also made very compelling photographs with a telephoto.  In general for landscape photography, I carry three lenses:  ultra-wide angle (16-24mm), standard (24-100mm), and a medium telephoto (100-200mm).
7. Ansel Adams once remarked, “There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs.”  Keep this in mind as you read the following “rules” of photography.  The opening photograph illustrates many of the points outlined below.

• Rule of thirds:  Don’t place your main subject in dead center for every shot.  If you mentally divide your scene into thirds, place the subject at one of those division markers.
• Don’t place the horizon at the center.  Either have 1/3 or 2/3 sky filling the frame.  As a corollary, the horizon should usually be level in the photograph.
• When possible, use leading lines or S-shaped curves to draw the viewer into the photograph
• Look for “natural frames” to surround or bracket your subject.
• Remember the 3 elements of a good landscape photograph: foreground, midground, and background. If possible, try to have something of interest in each of these positions.  However, avoid making your picture too “busy.”  Don’t go out of your way to include every single detail in your shot.  Avoid unnecessary elements from the photograph that may detract from the overall harmony of the composition.
• Midday light can produce some compelling photographs, however the best light is usually found during the early morning or late afternoon.

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.

• Directions:  If you’re traveling east on the 520, take the 84th Ave NE exit and turn right.  Take the 2nd right onto NE 24th St and drive about 1/2 a mile to 76th Ave NE/Evergreen Point Rd.  Turn right on this road and you’ll arrive at the bridge in about a 1/3 of a mile.  Just before the bridge, there is a park and ride on the right side.  Here are the coordinates:  47.637248,-122.238659.  See map below.
• Clear winter or early spring mornings are best, especially after a rainy day.  The precipitation tends to “wash away” the haze.  Snow capped mountain tops always look better than the bland peaks we see in the summer and fall.
• Bring a long lens.  Recently, there has been construction on the 520 bridge.  Ugly metal bars have been placed above the road, and florescent orange construction signs litter the foreground.  A long lens will allow you to exclude these distracting elements.  It will also give a great “compressed” effect to your picture.  By this, I mean the distant mountains will appear much closer to the bridge.  My photograph below was shot at 400mm.
• Use a polarizer to minimize glare from the surfaces of the bridge and water.  It will also increase contrast and give better definition to the mountains.
• Black and white or color is personal preference, but for my shot, I liked the look of black and white better.

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6, 200mm (400mm equivalent), f/8, ISO 100, 1/200 sec

The day was overcast with light drizzle, perfect for waterfall and forest photography.  I left home at 6 am, grabbed a quick bite at McDonalds, and was at the park by 10:30.  I left my car at the North Fall parking area and did a relatively easy 3 1/2 mile loop that took me to Upper North Fall, North Fall, and Winter Fall.  I came across very few people and took my time enjoying the hike and views.  I don’t think I captured anything spectacular, but today was more about the journey and hike.  I stopped over in Portland and had dinner before heading back to Seattle.  By 8 PM I was downloading and post-processing the images from the day.

Here are a few tips and personal preferences for waterfall photography:

• I love overcast days for waterfalls, as the light is diffused, with no harsh shadows or overly bright sunlit areas.
• If at all possible, I try to not include a lot of sky in my images, as gray skies are dull, uninteresting, and often show up as bright, overexposed areas in my pictures.
• My favorite shutter speed for waterfalls is between 1/4 and 3/4 second.  Any slower, the water looks too much like shaving cream for my taste.  Any faster than 1/4 second, and the water isn’t blurry enough.  This is all personal preference, of course.
• I like to use a polarizer when shooting waterfalls, because it significantly reduce glare from things such as water surface and wet leaves.
• Because you’re working with such slow shutter speeds, a tripod is a must.  Don’t be lazy; carry a tripod.  I also recommend using a cable release and enabling mirror lock-up if your camera has the feature.
• Proper exposure can be tricky, as waterfalls are very white while the surround foliage, rocks, etc. are much darker.  I always exposure bracket my shots about 1 to 1 1/2 stops on either side of 0.  I then combine the exposures later in post-processing to get the perfect balance between highlight and shadow detail.  In the near future, I’ll write a tutorial describing how I do this.
• I often find myself getting very close to waterfalls, and keeping my equipment (especially the front of the lens) free of water droplets is a real challenge.  I carry a small lens cloth which I use to wipe down the front of the lens (or polarizing filter if you have it on) between exposures.  The trick is to have everything set up (eg, composition, f-stop/shutter speed/ISO values) first.  Then wipe down the lens and snap the image (or bracketed images).  A lens hood helps, as does a portable umbrella.

Here are a few shots from today’s trip.

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6 lens, 26mm (52mm equivalent), f/18, (2/3 and 1 1/3 sec exposures), ISO 100

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 14-45 f/3.5-5.6 lens, 23mm (46mm equivalent) f/8, 8 sec, ISO 100

Panasonic GF-1, Panasonic 45-200 f/4.5-5.6 lens, 132mm (264mm equivalent), f/8, 1/13 sec, ISO 100

Introduction

Have you ever seen a photograph of a city skyline?  Of course you have.  When done right, it can be extremely beautiful and awe-inspiring.  For me, the most memorable skyline photographs are those with a colorful sky and well-lit buildings.  This combination, however, is almost impossible to capture in a single exposure, because the sky is typically most colorful just after sunset, whereas the buildings appear well lit sometime later.  The artificial building lights are most conspicuous after some of the natural ambient light has vanished.  So, how do we capture the beauty of a vibrant sky while maintaining a nighttime look to the skyline?  Read on, and I’ll show you how I do it.

Before we dive into the tutorial, let me first briefly mention the two programs I use to organize and “make” my photographs:

• Adobe Lightroom 2.6
• Photoshop CS4 (Version 11.0)

I use Lightroom to organize my photographs and make minor adjustments such as exposure, clarity and vibrancy.  For major edits requiring layers, I use Photoshop.  By the way, I’m using a Macintosh computer running OSX, version 10.6.2.

In the Field

Arrive at your location with plenty of time to set up and find your favorite spot.  Make sure you’re using a very steady tripod.  I can’t stress this enough.  Pick your spot, compose the image, and wait.  A cable release is highly recommended, so you don’t have to actually touch the camera to take a picture.  If your camera has a mirror lockup feature, enable it.  This will minimize tiny vibrations from the camera’s mirror movement.  If you haven’t figured it out already, the goal is to have the camera as steady as possible.

I typically bracket my exposures 1 1/3 to 2 stops on either side of 0 and shoot in RAW.  This “protects” me if exposure and white balance aren’t “perfect.”

With everything set up as above, autofocus (or focus manually if you prefer) on your scene.  Once you’re happy with your focus, switch the camera to manual focus.  The reason is, once light levels fall off and ambient contrast decreases, the camera might “hunt” for focus.  This can happen if you leave autofocus on.

As the sun begins to set, take pictures periodically to capture the changing colors in the sky and clouds.  It’s difficult to judge when the sky colors are “just right.”  So, don’t be stingy with your memory.  Click away!

Typically about fifteen to thirty minutes after the sun has set, the buildings’ lights will begin to stand out.  Take a few more exposures.  When you’re happy with the nighttime look to the skyline, you’re done.  Pack up and head home to process your masterpiece.

The Digital Darkroom

Typically, I import images into Lightroom and then do the major edits in Photoshop.  Below are the two images (fig. 1 and 2) I used to make my final shot (the one at the beginning of this blog).  The two shots were obtained 15 minutes apart.  The first shows a beautiful sky but not much definition in the skyline buildings.  The 2^nd offers a brightly lit skyline with good shadow detail, but lacking an interesting sky.  Below are the steps I took to arrive at the final photograph.  For the sake for clarity, I’ll refer to the colorful sky image as “sky” and the night skyline images as “night.”

Fig. 1, "Sky"

Fig. 2, "Night"

Step 1:  Open both images in Photoshop, and make sure your top window is the “sky” image.

Step 2:  Select and copy “sky” to the clipboard:  Command-A followed by Command-C

Step 3:  Select the “night” image to make that the active window.

Step 4:  Paste the “sky” image on top of the “night” image:  Command-V.  If not already displayed, make sure you can see the “Layers” pallet.  The layers pallet should now show the “sky” thumbnail on top of the “night” thumbnail.  I recommend you change the names of the thumbnails to “sky” and “night” corresponding to their respective layers (fig. 3).  You can do this by double clicking on the text adjacent to the thumbnail in the layers pallet.  Double click the text, NOT the thumbnail itself.

Fig.3, Layers Pallet with thumbnail names changed to "Sky" and "Night"

Step 4:  Change the blending mode for the “sky” layer to “lighten” (fig. 4).  The resulting image should show the buildings’ lights “shining through” to the “sky” layer (fig 5).  Examining my image, I’m still not completely satisfied with the look of the sky or the “hazy” appearance to the skyline.  Too much of the uninteresting sky from the “night” layer is showing through, and the skyline doesn’t appear dark enough.  If you are similarly troubled by your image thus far, follow the steps below.

Fig. 4, Change blending mode to "Lighten" (black arrow)

Fig. 5, Intermediate image after step 4

Step 5:  Select the “night” layer by clicking on its thumbnail in the layers pallet.  Then, under the “Layers” menu, select “New Adjustment Layer” –> “Levels…” (fig 6).  In the dialog box that appears next, be sure to check the box next to “Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask” (fig 7).

Fig. 6, How to get to "Levels..." in Menu

Fig. 7, Layers dialog box. Be sure to check the box next to "Use Previous Layer to Create Clipping Mask" (black arrow)

Step 6:  Make sure the “Adjustment” window is visible.  If it’s not, make it visible by selecting it from the “Window” drop down menu.  Adjust the center gray triangle until the desired effect is obtained.  In fig 8, I’m including both the Adjustment window and the Layers pallet.  For my image, I set the gray triangle value to 81.  Note the increased conspicuity of the colorful sky and darkening of the buildings, exactly the effects I wanted (fig 9).  At this point, I’m pretty much done.  To arrive at the final image (the one you saw at the beginning of this blog), the only additional steps I performed were cropping, flattening the layers, and a little bit of sharpening.  As a summary, I’m including all the steps from the “History” pallet (fig 10).

Fig. 8, Adjustment and Layers Pallet. For my image, the gray triangle value is set to 81 (black arrow). The number for your image may be different.

Fig. 9, The resulting image after step 6

Fig. 10, All the steps from the "History" pallet

I hope you have found this tutorial helpful.  If I have been unclear in any way, please ask your questions by responding to this blog or sending me an e-mail.  I promise to answer your questions as soon as I can.  Happy shooting and have fun!