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Shooting postcards

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Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

I was out tonight scouting locations to do some super wide panorama shots of the Chicago skyline. While I was there trying to work out the details I figured I should shoot the obligatory "postcard" shot just in case I ever need a job running a tourism kiosk.


Posted by: Chili---------------------

Boy, I'm torn over which I prefer as they are both really great presentations.


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Thanks Doug. They look much better without the heavy JPEG compression.

http://www.chicagostories.net/Downt...381_1a_1280.jpg
http://www.chicagostories.net/Downt...381_2a_1280.jpg


Posted by: Papakeith---------------------

I'm partial to the color shot


Posted by: Papakeith---------------------

Just a thought. post up a version without the two towers with the red lights. The red tower lights on the right really distracts my eye. I'm just curious how it would look.


Posted by: biglou---------------------

Good stuff as always, Rich.


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Papakeith
Just a thought. post up a version without the two towers with the red lights. The red tower lights on the right really distracts my eye. I'm just curious how it would look.


PK - I have a bunch of shots from last night. When I get home I'll find one that doesn't have the Sears Tower in it.


Posted by: Papakeith---------------------

I'm going to try to explain myself. It'll probably come out wrong but *shrug*. Also, keep in mind that I don't know what I'm talking about and just going with my gut reaction.

It's not the tower itself. I think it's more the red reflected in the water. This is going to sound odd, but it changes the mood of the photo as I scan left to right. The Blue is nice and mellow and I'm all relaxed and then--- RED! My brain also can't decide where my focus should be on the picture.


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Makes sense to me. That's why I did a version in B&W just to see how it changed the feel of the picture.


Posted by: Rooster---------------------

I vote for the color version, awesome shot Rich!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Papakeith
The Blue is nice and mellow and I'm all relaxed and then--- RED!


I KNEW you loved Yamaha deep down inside!

Anywho, I agree the red is a little distracting.


Posted by: Papakeith---------------------

leave it to you to put a blue spin on this


Posted by: squeaky---------------------

I, too, like the color photo better. The one thing that bothers me is how bright the bluish light is - can that be toned down?

It almost hurts my eyes to look at...


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by squeaky
I, too, like the color photo better. The one thing that bothers me is how bright the bluish light is - can that be toned down?

It almost hurts my eyes to look at...


I'll post some of the other versions that are shot with different exposure and different white balance.


Posted by: IndyMX---------------------

I played with your image in Photoshop a bit...

Just adjusted the brightness and saturation on the blue lights..

http://home.quickinet.net/D300_1381_1a_1280edit.jpg


Posted by: oldguy---------------------

Great stuff as usual Rich. Indy I like the way you turned down the glare just enough to stop it from being distracting

I'll have to take a picture of our cities skyline all 5 or so buildings


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

That's a nice tweak Indy. Overall it's a scene that is begging for HDR.

Here's another one from last night. While it's not a great picture from a technical standpoint, I really kind of like it. I'm not sure the things that make it work for me as wallpaper on a 24" LCD translate to a small image.

http://www.chicagostories.net/Downt...1378_1a_800.jpg


Posted by: oldguy---------------------

I would really like to see just a bit more definition of the buildings outlines on the last one


Posted by: IndyMX---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Rohrich
That's a nice tweak Indy. Overall it's a scene that is begging for HDR.


Thanks Rich..

Just have to isolate the area you want to play in, and adjust the brightness and saturation. Really easy.


Posted by: whenfoxforks-ruled---------------------

You still standing on your no hubbard cave shot? The lake front won't look like that this weekend! Back when I worked down there the japanese was buying up every piece of real estate possible. Gary's hopped up picture made the red lights a lot less distinctive.


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by LEllis7motox
Yeah some of them look connected...



They're supposed to look connected.


Posted by: Red 250---------------------

Here are a couple of shots I took one morning about 6:30..
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d...nrisePics29.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d...nrisePics40.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d...isePics44-1.jpg Nothing as nice as the Op but I liked them......................Red


Posted by: Kawidude---------------------

I like the color version better of the first two you posted. Those color reflections look really nice!

I also like the last one you posted. Normally I'd say that a little separation between the buildings and the background would have been good, but I kept looking at it and I'm digging how the shapes of the buildings are implied by the lights coming out of them. Pretty cool technique!


Posted by: jackflack44---------------------

The B&W is my favorite. Keep shooting =)


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by Red 250
Here are a couple of shots I took one morning about 6:30..


That third one is a really nice shot. The rays of light always add something special.


Quote:
Originally Posted by oldguy
I would really like to see just a bit more definition of the buildings outlines on the last one


Quote:
Originally Posted by Kawidude
I also like the last one you posted. Normally I'd say that a little separation between the buildings and the background would have been good, but I kept looking at it and I'm digging how the shapes of the buildings are implied by the lights coming out of them. Pretty cool technique!


Dave & Kawi. Like I said earlier, the little compressed version posted here doesn't show it too clearly. It looks pretty good on a 24 monitor but it's a long way from being what I saw in my head. I think it's a good basic concept, but this one is just a poor example/execution. The upside is I have an excuse to head back to the beach and try it again. Next time I'll shoot it at a longer focal length and do a multi-shot panorama. If I get ambitious I'll shoot brackets for each panorama section and then combine them with HDR to see if I can get the look I was going for. I've see it done right in drawings of the New York and Chicago skyline, I'm just not sure if I can pull it of with a camera. It's worth a try though.

Earlier that night I tried to capture the beauty of harbor ( same basic spot, just facing west rather than east) as the sun was setting. I missed the great shot there as well but learned a lot about what NOT to do, so it wasn't a totally wasted effort..

http://www.chicagostories.net/Downt...00_1350_800.jpg

... and one last one from when I was goofing around getting ready to pack up and leave.


http://www.chicagostories.net/Downt...00_1382_800.jpg


Posted by: Red 250---------------------

Thanks for the comment on the picture...
I love your harbor shot...


Posted by: biglou---------------------

Rich-That harbor shot is incredible! Red, yours look great too! I wish I had the eye for landscapes/cityscapes like you two and others on here.


Posted by: Rich Rohrich---------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by biglou
Rich-That harbor shot is incredible!


Thanks for the kind words Lou.

The reality is, (at least by my way of thinking) that the harbor shot has some nice colors but it doesn't really tell the story in any meaningful way. If you saw the scene in person it might make more sense. It was incredible.

So the shot I captured is a nice postcard shot (maybe), but not something I would print at 20x30 and stick on my wall. But the sun sets everyday at that spot so one of these days I'll find the magic shot.


Posted by: nikki---------------------

Rich - of the first two, I like the color shot better. The b&w looks kind of gloomy to me. Plus I have always love the colors of the Chicago skyline. Even though I have been driving downtown almost daily for 10+ years now, I still ooh and awe on a clear day or night. I also like the harbor shot, good stuff!

Red - I enjoy your photos as well. The first and the third are my favorites. Very calm and relaxing.


Posted by: Red 250---------------------

Hey thanks for all the positive comments everyone. I love taking pictures and the only bad picture is the one you don't take. I have probably 5000 plus pictures of my car alone.
Rich most of the time we really cant capture the image as well as our eye does but if you can convey the feeling to someone else thats as good as you can expect. I have never been to that harbor but the picture captured got the idea across... its hard to explain but I really liked the photo and thats really all you can ask for. Someone who has never been there felt like they have been... ...........Red



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