Monday, March 29, 2010

Congrats Kathy and Tyron!!

Attended a wedding last Saturday and was completely psyched to take a bunch of pics. Borrowed a 70-200/2.8IS and took my 50/1.2L. Once there though, I couldn't believe how many photographers there were. Made me shy about jumping in the bride's face when there were already like 6 photographers, each with their DSLR and flashes going off. Oh well, at least I got a few pics I like.
Path to happiness.
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.2, 1/100, ISO 500
Do you?
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/2, 1/250, ISO 2000
I DO!
Canon 7D
Canon 70-200/2.8L IS
200mm, f/3.5, 1/60, ISO 4000
A quick prayer.
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.2, 1/125, ISO 2000
Coming...
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.2, 1/125, ISO 3200
And going...
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/2.2, 1/100, ISO 3200
The Center Piece.
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.2, 1/160, ISO 500
The happy couple.
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.8, 1/125, ISO 4000
Kathy ready to launch that bouquet.
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.2, 1/160, ISO 2500
Blind-folded and liking it.
Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/1.2, 1/160, ISO 2500

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Back from sunshine

7 days of sunshine. Trip to Maui was memorable and my 7D had a pretty good workout. Lens most used: Sigma 30/1.4. Lens least used: Canon 50/1.2L. Lens I wish I had: Canon 70-200/2.8L. Surprised that I didn't use the 17-55/2.8 lens more, but I somehow felt using a prime lens resulted in a more pleasing composition. Definitely true what photographers say about using a 30mm on a 1.6 sensor though, it is pretty much the perfect walk-around lens. 50mm seemed a bit too long. So what did I learn during this trip?
1. Lens Hood = better contrast and saturation
2. CPL = awesome skies and incredible blues
3. One battery really isn't enough
4. Fast prime lenses are awesome!

Soooo... of the 1400+ pics, I would love to post all my faves but space is finite here in blog world so I'll just post a few:


Dreaming of dessert. Wanted to get her eyes and at least some of the dessert picture in focus
Sigma 30/1.4
f/1.8, 1/80, ISO 2500

I wanted a candid picture and this one is my favorite.
Sigma 30/1.4
f/2.0, 1/2500, ISO 100

Colors look great against the sand. Wanted just to center my wife as the main focus point
Sigma 30/1.4
f/2, 1/8000, ISO 100

Enjoying the beach.
Canon 17-55/2.8
55mm, f/2.8, 1/250, ISO 100

WHOAAAAA. "LOCO MOCO" This thing is a heart attack sitting on a plate. Seriously. Menu description states: "Please consult your physician before consumption".
Sigma 30/1.4
f/2.8, 1/125, ISO 320

Love the Beach. Love the depth of field. Love the single vanishing point perspective.
Sigma 30/1.4
f/1.4, 1/2500, ISO 100

I like the blurred background with the strong foreground image.
Canon 17-55/2.8
17mm, f/2.8, 1/200, ISO 100

US.
Sigma 30/1.4
f/2.5, 1/4000, ISO 100

Dinner at Mama's Fish House. Wonderful decor and atmosphere, mediocre food. I wanted to make the table setting the main focus so I underexposed by 1 stop to make the table seem to "float"
Sigma 30/1.4
f/1.4, 1/100, ISO 640

My Wife. I enjoy the contrast between her dress and the lava rocks. Also like her natural posture as she walks down the path.
Canon 17-55/2.8
55mm, f/7.1, 1/50, ISO 100

Another dinner location: IO Cafe (or something like that). Wanted to get a feeling of "vacationing".
Sigma 30/1.4
f/1.4, 1/30, ISO 100

The last picture before leaving. Was driving to the airport when I saw this and pulled over for a quick pic. I love the rays.
Canon 17-55/2.8
50mm, f/2.8, 1/4000, ISO 125


Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Sidetracked

Halfday of work today means time for errands.
First item, pick up a super vac for way too much. Can you say "Dyson". We went animal style, and here I thought that term applied only to processed beef. Anyways, this thing better live up to it's name. I plan on getting a Corgi to see if this thing really can vacuum up an animal ( i know that's NOT what it's for).
Second item, return blockbuster movies. Check.
Third stop, Samy's. Keep the Sigma 30/1.4 OR sell it and get a canon 35L!! Couldn't do it. I'll have a new lens but may very well end up losing a wife. One day Canon... one day...
On my way home and got sidetracked... took a few random pictures. To my one follower, any guesses on location?

"Spirit of Los Angeles"

Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/2.5
1/160
ISO 100















"Spirit of LA" : exposed for the background to get that silhouette effect.

Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/2.5
1/1250
ISO 100














So I walked around for maybe 30 minutes or so and this cab didn't move ONCE. It just parked in front of the stop sign for at least half an hour. Why did I take a picture? Who knows... it was a pretty yellow.

Canon 7D
Canon 50/1.2L
f/2.5
1/500
ISO 100

Monday, March 8, 2010

Lunch Time!


Decided to meet up with the wife for lunch since she wanted to do some street photography. Brought with me a 5D and a 7D. Wife loves the look of the 5D so I took control of the 7.

Very nice day. Wanted to do something with the repeating vertical elements, but this was all I could get away with... =/

Canon 7D
Sigma 30/1.4
f/4.5
1/2500
ISO 100















Love the break in black in the leather jacket and the highlight in the hair. Wife didn't appreciate the sun in her face though...

Canon 7D
Sigma 30/1.4
f/3.2
1/640
ISO 100














Experimenting with flare, not easy for me to accomplish. Always trying to get the perfect "star" flare. Maybe one day I'll figure it out, cuz as of today it's still a mystery to me.

Canon 7D
Sigma 30/1.4
f/4.0
1/1600
ISO 100







Lunch break over. Separation anxiety from the better half?

Canon 7D
Sigma 30/1.4
f/1.4
1/80
ISO 500