Long Island's Christmas Tree

[moose135]

Braved the cold tonight and went down to the Reckson Plaza (formerly EAB Plaza) for some shots of Long Island's Christmas Tree.

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/231784123-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/231784150-L.jpg

I liked the tree's reflection in the windows here:
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/231784751-L.jpg

Played with some longer shutter speeds to blur the skaters:
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/231784293-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/231784973-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/231785246-L.jpg

I want to go back out there one night and shoot right after sunset to get some color in the sky.

[PhilDernerJr]

Why didn't they get the big one? :shock:

[Derf]

I also went the other night and got these :borat:

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/231906930-L.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/231906765-L.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/231906438-L.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/231906126-L.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/231905980-L.jpg

http://derf.smugmug.com/photos/231906980-L.jpg

[AirtrafficController]

Great shots you two. Moose, what camera settings did you use?

[NIKV69]

Nice stuff John and Fred, in fact the only downside to being able to get out of NY earlier is that I miss the Xmas shoot with Fred Miller. Would have been enjoyable to do the Duck again or Reckson Plaza.

[moose135]

Great shots you two. Moose, what camera settings did you use?

Thanks. The shots of the tree (without the skaters) were all taken at ISO 100, aperture in the f/7.1 range, with shutter speeds between 1 to 8 seconds. The ones with the skaters were shorter shutter speeds, around 1/4 second, with the aperture and ISO bumped a little to compensate. I wanted a little faster shutter for those, to get a little blur, but at slower speeds all you get is a ghostly blur of motion, without any real substance. I was also experimenting with some flash (Canon 580EX) playing with some second curtain shutter sync on the flash, although I don't know that it made much of a difference at this distance.

[adam613]

Thanks. The shots of the tree (without the skaters) were all taken at ISO 100, aperture in the f/7.1 range, with shutter speeds between 1 to 8 seconds. The ones with the skaters were shorter shutter speeds, around 1/4 second, with the aperture and ISO bumped a little to compensate. I wanted a little faster shutter for those, to get a little blur, but at slower speeds all you get is a ghostly blur of motion, without any real substance. I was also experimenting with some flash (Canon 580EX) playing with some second curtain shutter sync on the flash, although I don't know that it made much of a difference at this distance.

Interesting...do you always shoot at ISO100 when you're on a tripod? Do you have a remote control for your camera? I was trying to do some night photography on a tripod this week, but when the shutter speed got slower than half a second, I kept getting motion blur from hitting the shutter button. So I bumped the ISO up to 800 and still ended up with usable pics :D I'm trying to figure out whether a remote would help...it looks like I can pick one up for $40 or so...

[moose135]

Yes, if I can, I try to keep the ISO down as low as I can. If I'm shooting at 30 seconds or less (above Bulb mode) I just used the self-timer. On a few of these (with the skaters) where I didn't want to use the timer, I used mirror-lockup - when you hit the shutter button the first time, it moves the mirror up without opening the shutter. Then next time you hit the button, it trips the shutter. This results in much less camera shake (on the tripod of course). I also have a remote, which I mostly use when in Bulb mode.

[adam613]

Ah, the self-timer! Brilliant! I'll give that a try on the next clear night...