Alpha's Adventures in Boston Part 2 (DUW)

What is your personal photographic journey? In a photographic sense, how did you start, and with what equipment? How have you progressed, and where are you, and your photographic skillset, placed today?

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Alpha's Adventures in Boston Part 2 (DUW)

Postby Alpha_7 on Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:29 am

Well it was 18 months since my first trip to Boston, and in that time I felt I had grown as a photographer, I'd certainly built up more gear and there was plenty of shots under the bridge. I felt confident that this time round my keeper rate would be higher. This time round I was armed with a D70, D200, 10-20, 18-200VR, 50 1.4 and SB-800, only the D70 remained from my original kit. Being April (compared to October last time) we saw a different side to Boston especially evident in the parks and plants that were coming into bloom.

#1 Welcome to Boston, This was taken on our last morning, we woke to find the city shrouded in fog and just a delight to photograph. Taken with the D70 (which was my wide angle body for most of the trip) 1/400, f8 in A priority mode.
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#2 The Fog adds atmosphere and mood to this shot, although my virginal attempts at HDR don't do it justice IMHO. This shot was created from 3 shots. The base exposure was 20mm, f8, 1/640.
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#3 Taken a few minutes later the tops of the builds still shrouded with buildings, I thought the path added some leading lines. D70, f8, 1/500s
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#4 George Washington in HDR, this time I was happier with the results, mind you the single exposure looked pretty nice too. The sunset was simply gorgeous that night. D70, f9, 1/25
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#5 Again stretching my wings another HDR this time an extreme version to bring out a stormy exposure, not everyones cup of tea but certain different to the more mainstream shots I took of it, I spent over an hour in this location while Katie saw amongst the homeless freezing her butt off. D70, 14mm, f11
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#6 Revisiting the same park this time during the day. The lights were errected on the frame this time so a night shot would of been less impressive. D200, f5, 1/500, 18mm, A mode.
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#7 What the favourite subject on the forum, ducks of course and this feature nine ducks. The statues are based a childrens book "Make way for ducklings" and I had to wait a good 15 minutes before I could get a shot without 1-4 kids sitting, petting or trying to feed the ducks. D200, ISO 400, 50 1.4, 1/80s, f7.1
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#8 Tulips in the Park, lush and green they were hundreds planted but only had started to open (not featured here) a week or so later it would of been a lovely sight. D200, 200mm, f5.6, 1/60s
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#9 Some things don't change and I still love my food and taking photos of it. D200, 18mm, 1/40, f4.5, ISO 800 Not as tasty as the waffles but they weren't on the menu anymore.
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#10 Blossoms in the Fog, would of loved a macro lens the but the 18-200 had to do. D200, f5.6, 1/500. 200mm sadly not as sharp due to camera shake.
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#11 Boston's Waste Disposal, unique looking and definite worth a shot or two, I prefered it in Black and White as it was prodominantly white anyway. Kind of looks futuristic, D200, 200mm, f8, 1/320 taken on our whale watching cruise.
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#12 Not Quick enough, some awesome street peformers were break dancing and doing acrobatics, I didn't manage to free the action, they just moved so fast. D200, f5, 1/160, ISO 500 (bumped up to try to help freeze the action).
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#13 Guess Who, I don't know to be honest but I think he's a politican. A few people around the area couldn't tell me either. It was a kinetic artwork where each tile could move and shimmer. Kind of cool, and not given justic in the shot. D70, f4.5, 4 second, ISO 200.
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#14 Sometimes I still screw up, don't you hate it when your lenshood just isn't enough, and well sometimes your hand works other times it just gets in the way. D200, 1/400, f6.3, IS) 200 @ 18mm. I did get a shot without flair and my fingers in view but it took plenty of frames.
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#15 Having a whale of a Time, we had a 4 hour cruise out to see the whales it was a great experience for me, and Kate spent most of it feel very very seasick. While this wasn't the best capture I just like the whale and the bird being in frame.
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#16 Take a Big Deep Breath, this was the closest the whales came, this is uncropped, Baleen whales have two nostrils while toothed whales only have the one. This one was a humpback female, who'd just had her first calf.
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#17 And a Fluke for the road, I didn't end up taking my 80-200 on the boat, but overall I think the 18-200 did well in the conditions.
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#18 This time around, wildlife didn't see my reaching for Landscape mode, Kate had unsucessfully captured a Squirrel first time round, I didn't even see one on my first first. This time found the cheeky buggers were all over the place enjoying the warmer weather. D200, 1/100, f5.6, 200mm
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#19 Attending a Red Sox game was a real thrill and well before hand I certainly wasn't interested at all in Baseball but going to the game gave me a better appreciation for it. Nikon also had some large signage all over Fenway Park. D200, 1/320s, f2.8, ISO 1600, 200mm 80-200 2.8
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#20 John Hancock Tower, the tallest building in Boston. It's an odd building and this photo didn't do it justice, in this shot it looks like it is missing most of the building. I should of tried harder to get a better shot of this building, but Katie was freezing and wanting to head back. D200, f5.6, 6seconds, 13mm
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#21 One afternoon we walked past this building, it was lit in afternoon light but each relief was half in shadow. This one has been lightened on the shadow side and printed nicely. I revisted it the next day but the lighting was even worse.
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#22 I've been a long time fan of Pirostitch's (Wayne) Midnight Blue processing, unfortunately I don't know his process but I tried to emulate it in this shot that reminded me a lot of his Melbourne night scenes. This photo was taken after we'd walked 2 miles off our tourist map, and were very lost, D200, 1/10s, f2, ISO 800, 50 1.4
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#23 Foggy Boston Morning, taken again on our last day, I took a complimentry cruise around the Harbour that was educational and throughly enjoyable. The image was super flat so I've pumped the contrast to bring out the buildings a little, D200, f6.3, 1/400, 36mm
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#24 Flying Back to LA, we flew of the Rockies, and it was the closest I've been to major Snow Fields and just amazing to see from the air. All my shots looked crap when I took them, but they were suprisingly recoverable, the late afternoon sun really gave the terrain definition. D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, 170mm
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#25 And finally, sometimes you see things that just don't make sense, this one was worth recording. This was one taken from another car as we passed the taxi.
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I know some of your have seen some of these photos before, but I hope you've enjoyed Part 2 of my Boston Adventures. I certainly didn't take as many photos second time around, but I felt overall my keeper rate and overal content was improved.
Last edited by Alpha_7 on Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby big pix on Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:12 am

You have shown a great improvement with your photography, and I will look forward to more of your OS adventures....... but 4 slices of toast and no tomato sauce :P :P :P
Cheers ....bp....
Difference between a good street photographer and a great street photographer....
Removing objects that do not belong...
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Postby radar on Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:23 am

Great series Craig,

thanks for sharing your journey with us, it's been been great seeing your improvements over the time you have been with the forum.

big pix wrote: but 4 slices of toast and no tomato sauce :P :P :P


No tomato sauce but there is a bottle of ketchup hidding behind the little jam jars. :twisted: :twisted:

Cheers,

André
Photography, as a powerful medium of expression and communications, offers an infinite variety of perception, interpretation and execution. Ansel Adams

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Postby zafra52 on Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:08 pm

Excellent images, Craig. I enjoyed looking at them. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Last edited by zafra52 on Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby zafra52 on Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:08 pm

:oops: Sorry Craig, I called you Andre before.
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Postby PiroStitch on Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:26 pm

thanks for sharing your photos Craig. Love some of the HDR shots
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Postby Laurie on Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:05 pm

Craig, it looks like you saw a lot more of Boston that I did!
the only scene i recognise is the ducks, and i didnt even get to see them up close! we only had 2 days theres and it wasn't long enough.
i would have liked to have seen a higher DOF on the ducks.


just a little side note craig: the 80-200mm has come in bloody handy!!
my brother has taken to be a great assistant, getting the lens out of my bag holding it while i remove the end lens cap, removing the lens on my camera body, placing the end lens cap on it (my 12-24mm) and then giving him the 12-24mm and putting the 80-200mm on. it is still in 1 piece and we are unsure when we are coming home
check my gallery under Travel categories for some of my boston pics
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Postby shutterbug on Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:24 pm

Awesome Craig :wink:
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Postby ozimax on Tue Jun 05, 2007 6:15 pm

Wonderful series Craig, I have lived in the USA for approx 18 months but never been to Boston.

The John Hancock building looks weird (the building not the photo) - it looks as though there's no back to it?

Baseball is a boring sport as far as I'm concerned but yes, it's a great cultural experience. Did you sing along with crowd during the 7th inning's stretch?

Very enjoyable stuff,

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Postby Glen on Tue Jun 05, 2007 6:29 pm

Craig, what a great journey, love your shots, especially the man made landscapes
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Postby sirhc55 on Tue Jun 05, 2007 7:09 pm

Excellent Craig, both in photography and narrative. You have certainly come a long way, and it shows :)
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Postby Yi-P on Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:08 pm

This improvement is certainly a great thing to see!!! You've done very well Craig :)
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Postby Matt. K on Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:12 pm

Image #2 is a stunner! I can't stop looking at it!
Regards

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