Contrast vs Sigma : dltphoto

I enjoy contrasty days and the lower sun of autumn but it does come with its photographic challenges.

Three shots of the exact same scene from the Sigma DP1s just metered differently to gain the true detail of the white wall and the rich blue of the sky. One cannot have the perfect exposure in this scenerio without the use of split neutral density filters or manipulative photoshopping... unless you have an amazing sensor!

Here is a poorly edited combination of the first image and last image to make the exposure more even.

Blood Moon, September 27th, 2015: dltphoto

Recently there was a lunar phenomenon know as the Blood Moon.
Here are a few of my shots with the Nikon 1 V1 with 70-200 2.8 VR attached however I am not a very accomplished astrology photographer so don't expect award winning shots. They are merely a visual reference of the different stages we witnessed here in Abbotsford, BC

 these were all as shot except for selective cropping on lower two.

Airplane photobomber

cropped

Friend or Foveon? :dltphoto

I've slammed this dump camera for sometime yet I still continue to use it.The Sigma DP1s has to be the slowest of the slow in the camera world. Despite this, the layout of the camera is brilliant and the limitation of the fixed wide angle lens is very appealing to a street photographer like myself. Sure I'd love to own the more modern equivalents such as the Nikon Coolpix A or the Ricoh GRII but since I cant justify that kind of expense and being that I won the Sigma, I shouldn't really complain and I should just use it and be happy... and I am.

It's Tough, but someone's got to do it :dltphoto

Feeling very fortunate at this time as I was one of the lucky draw winners at the very recent Kerrisdale Camera's Staff Party. What did I win? Not a Nikon D810 or a Nikon 1 V3 or a Fuji X20, I won a Fabulous Olympus Tough TG-850. Wooooah. Oddly, the one thing I don't actually own already is a Shockproof/ Waterproof and Crushproof Camera. My girls have them but a lower end versions of Olympus and they're pink, they have been holding up quite well, so far.

 I figured I should take some pics of it now whilst it is still clean and tidy, I don't think its going to look like this for much longer, not that I am intentionally going to put it in harms way as I do prefer working camera's over dead ones. I fully expect it to have some mishaps in the line of fire, especially in the work environment I am now accustomed to.

 The best thing about these little cameras is that they are still 1,000,000,000 times better than a cell phone. I would much rather have a camera on my person at all times than a cell phone and now I can, come rain, saw dust, mud, ladders or lakes this thing is good to go. I must remind myself if I do get it dirty I can just wash it off!

First off this camera should probably be known as the 'Selfie' camera since its flip up screen is totally gearing up for nightclubbers, Its amazing 21mm Ultra Wide lens makes this a full on party camera. "Party On Wayne, Party on Garth".

The first thing I did was turn it to the brilliant "art filter" option and there it was.... the 'Dramatic Tone' filter. My serious blog readers will of course remember a previous post when I used the Art filter on one of Olympus's Micro 4/3 camera of which I scored an 10/10 at our local photoclub! Since I was only borrowing the camera from the rep I sadly had to let that filter go from my life, but now it's back and its tougher!
I am not going to bore you with all the specs, they can be checked out here on Olympus Canada.

Here's a few dramatic tone images to wet your whistle and don't worry I wont use it on this mode all the time, I promise.

High Street (day version):dltphoto

I live in a wondrously beautiful area of the world, so many stunning views of mountains, a volcano and trees and rivers as far as the eye can see. With all this beauty sometimes you just need a little contrast. Here are some images from the newest commercial development called High Street. It has pretty interesting architecture creating some nice colours/ shadows and interesting lines.

Tulip Festival 2014: dltphoto

When I  worked at the old store where I was the printing machine for many years, about this time every year I would print sooooo many photos of an event I had never been too but knew all about though the images I printed. I told myself I would never go and do the same. Well, one of my ex work colleagues suggested we go along with Mr "Cameraman" Koopmans. Firstly I was shocked by the hordes and I mean HORDES of tourists in Buses that were visiting this festival. Canadians were clearly in the minority at this event, as were REAL CAMERA'S. Wow, hardly anyone of the tourists had any real cameras. It's very disappointing. Cell phone and tablets, yes tablets, are very convenient, but they do not create what an actually camera can create. NO. Not ever. I'll admit I have been using my phone for things, but it's fun. I use my real camera's to create GREAT images.
The camera manufacturers need to address this confusion that Cell Phones can replace the handy point and shoot camera. Nikon attempted the Coolpix S800C, which is really an Android Cell Phone in a Camera. Perfect right? Combine the fun of a smart phone in the amazing ability of a Camera. Nice! Too bad Android only let them have an older version of that software which made the camera operate a little slower.

Anyways, Patience is the name of the game here if you want to snap a pic with the hordes of people in your shot, that and the Nikon 1 V1 with the 70-200 lens, for the ultimate in "isolation".  Here are some of my images mildly edited images shot with the "sprightly" Nikon 1 V1.  Check out some more images from a different perspective