Calm Maui Sunrise

Calm Maui Sunrise, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

This is exactly the type of calm seas I hoped for on the day of our scuba trip. The weather gods smiled upon us, and it was a wonderful trip.

 

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Leaving Molokini

Leaving Molokini, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Taken from our dive boat as we motored toward our second dive location.

 

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Broken Pattern of Color

Broken Pattern, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

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Final Day at the Beach

And it already looks like this in my mind... Taken with the Lumix DMC-LX100 and built-in soft focus filter. I think the effect works well in this shot.

 

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That Faded, Old Film Print Look

Waikiki Beach, by Reed A. George

 

I have no idea why I occasionally find it fun to take a decent digital photo and do my best to make it look like it was taken with a toy camera with cheap plastic lens. But, I do.

 

I wonder how long this type of manipulation will remain in demand? It seems like as soon as no one (or very few people) know the true look of old faded film images, this will go away.

 

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Some Aquatic Life

I shot these images with my Lumix DMC-TS5 underwater camera. This time, I did not bring an external light source, so had to rely on natural light, the tiny in-camera flash, and in the case of the eel, I benefited from our dive master's powerful flashlight. So, these aren't near professional quality, but do get the point across.

 

 

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Our Annual Scuba Diving Trip

The Descent, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

I only get to go scuba diving about once per year. This time, I found myself anxious about the trip, kind of obsessing about how big the waves would be. You see, our last trip, in Belize, had us getting in and out of the boat in very rough seas. While the diving turned out to be spectacular, I did not enjoy the boat ride.

 

This time, I spent too much time reading the marine forecast for Maui. There is a hurricane approaching the islands, and the forecast called for 4-6 foot seas. Less than what we experienced in Belize, but still too much for comfort. I awoke this morning thinking that maybe I'm just too old for diving.

 

Well, when we showed up at the boat ramp this morning, the Maui coast looked more like a placid lake. I have to say the waves here were zero, non-existent. A quick, smooth ride out to Molokini, and we were diving! The little Lumix DMC-TS5 once again did a great job for me.

 

After thinking about this experience, a couple of things occurred to me. First, had I had the chance to cancel this dive based on the marine forecast, I would have taken it; that would have meant missing a wonderful experience. Second, I'm not too old for diving. I'm just not doing it often enough. I'm sure my anxiety level would be much lower if I dove more often.

A-OK, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

 

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Maui Sunset, Lumix LX100

Maui Sunset, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

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Haleakala Crater

Haleakala Crater, by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-GX7, Lumix 20mm f1.7 Lens

Graduated ND Filter

 

What an amazing, nearly-alien landscape this is...

 

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Sunrise on Haleakala

 

Sun Worship, Haleakala, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

 

Long drive up to 10,000 feet of elevation to witness sunrise at Haleakala, Maui this morning. Up at 3:30 AM, back at sea level six hours later.

 

Shooting directly into the sun with the LX100 produces unavoidable flare; I decided to go with it rather than fighting it.

 

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Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii

 

Our single morning at Waikiki. Off to Maui this afternoon! All shot with the DMC-TS5.

 

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Preparing for Some Travel

Belizean Scene, by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-G1, 100-300mm f4-5.6 Lens at 100mm

iso 2000, f5.6, 1/400 sec

 

I'm mentally gearing up for my trip to Maui and California. This is mostly a family trip, followed by a couple of days of hiking in the Northern California mountains. I'm trying to figure out how little gear I can get away with and be happy on the trip. We'll be in transport quite a bit, especially flying the small airlines between Hawaiian islands.

 

For the camping portion of the trip, it's already decided. I'll be taking my Panasonic DMC-LX100 and Fujifilm GS645S. The LX100 is the super-compact, super-capable solution. With its Micro 4/3 sensor and 24-75mm equivalent, fast (f1.7 at the wide end) lens, I'm almost convinced it's all I need for the entire trip. The GS645S will fill my need for a more manual camera, and as a bonus, it shoots medium format film.

 

For the Hawaiian portion of the trip, I'm tempted to take a camera with a longer focal length lens. Since the GS645S is a wide 60mm (35mm equivalent on 35mm format), the longest I'll have is the 75mm equivalent on the LX100. As you can see above, sometimes I like to shoot longer lenses on travel. So, this has me considering a small Micro 4/3 interchangeable lens kit.

 

For some travel gear tips from a real pro, (Click Here) to check out an article and video on B&H's "Explora" website.

 

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Going Back to Maui!

Summer vacation is planned. We were considering going some place new, but decided to go back to Maui, Hawaii, mainly because it allows us to meet up with my mother-in-law, who will be flying in from Tokyo. And, we love Maui. what's not to love? Scuba, nature, great food, beach, ...

 

Maui, by Reed A. George

Leica M6 Titanium

 

We'll be heading there in August. I will try to go somewhere new while I'm there, expanding my photography on the island. That could be a new small town, a locals-only beach, or a new mountain trail. I'm sure I can find something that I have yet to explore.

 

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Lucky Shot - One With the World in Maui

 

One With the World, by Reed A. George

Leica M6, Leica Summicron 50mm f2 Lens

Kodak Tmax 400 Film

 

Well, I'm waiting for my negatives from Maui to arrive back in the mail from The Darkroom. I usually only spring for the cheapest scans from The Darkroom, as I like to scan my own selected images. However, this one looks so good to me in the online scans that I decided to go ahead and post it.

 

I shot this on the way back into town after a walk to the Buddhist temple in Lahaina Town. I didn't know this person, and just happened to catch the moment, as his family continued on down the beach by the Lahaina breakwall. I love the feel of this image.

 

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Another Wildlife Shot From An Unlikely Camera and Lens - Leica M9 and Canon LTM 135mm f3.5

Black-Crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Canon LTM 135mm f3.5 Lens

iso 320, f4.8, 1/180 sec.

 

I took this shot last week in Maui. I was driving to a likely beach for my sunrise walk when I saw this guy in a pool of water next to the road. I pulled over, put the longest lens I had on my M9, which was the 135mm Canon, and started slowly approaching. He flew off, but then later returned. Waiting long enough made him less sensitive to my presence. Patience paid off, and he finally approached me this time, staying long enough for me to get a few shots.

 

Using a rangefinder and relatively short telephoto lens is not the proven method of shooting birds. It worked here.

 

I didn't really appreciate this shot until I took a longer look on a big monitor. I decided to print it at 13"x19", and that's when it really came to life for me. In addition to the awesome detail rendered in the bird's eye and feathers, the circular ripples in the water surface (rain? I don't remember) are an important element. Finally, the bird's reflection in the water surface is another nice secondary element. Overall, I'm quite pleased with this shot.

 

For me the bottom line is that different gear leads to different images. For example, if I shot this with a longer telephoto lens on an SLR, I'd probably miss the water ripples altogether, and using a wider aperture would prevent me from getting both the eye and feathers in sharp detail. So, I'm glad my choice of equipment challenged me to get what I did, perhaps even better than a more traditional birding rig would have allowed. Or maybe next time that I do have a longer lens, I'll be sure to include more of the surroundings, and get more depth of field. Either way, I'm learning about alternative compositions and elements.

 

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Can't Beat the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 at the Beach!

If you're getting tired of beach shots, you'll be happy to know that this is my final day of vacation.

 

I have really enjoyed the Lumix TS5 on this trip. I have also used my LX7, Leicas, and SFTC camera for this month, the Agfa Record III, but the TS5 is just so easy. It has seen a lot if use. I'll post some pictures from the other cameras after I return home, get film developed, etc.

 

Wave, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

Beach Panoramas, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

 

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DMC-LX7 Landscape in Two Versions - Which Do You Prefer?

Here's a shot I took in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii:

Lahaina Seawall's End, by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-LX7

 

I used Snapseed on the iPad to crop and straighten it. The square format worked much better than the original rectangular composition. I like the shot, but don't love it. The fence in the shadows is a major drawback in my opinion.

 

As I sometimes do, I took this image quite a bit further with some of Snapseed's effects. Here's the result:

 

Same Shot, Manipulated

 

Personally, I think the modified version has more feel to it. The fence is still there, but doesn't bother me nearly as much. I hate to admit that I enjoy manipulating images, as I consider myself a "straight" photographer. I also find it ironic to add imperfections to a perfectly good digital image. But, I do like the outcome.

 

Opinions?

 

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Small Churches

Another quick post, since I'm on vacation and filling my days with fun, sun, and some photography here and there.

 

Here's a shot of a church that I took in Lanai, Hawaii today:

 

Koele Church, Lanai, Hawaii (now on the property of the Four Seasons Koele Resort)

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

 

And here it is in a panorama:

Lanai Panorama

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

 

The in-camera panorama function in the LX7 is just amazing.

 

(Click Here) to see another nice rural church, this one in Iceland, on the blog Mute.

 

Thanks again for hanging in with my quick posts this week.

 

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Another Long Day on Maui, Short Post

 

Sunrise at Iao Valley, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

 

I had a long day of photography today. The girls went off to shop and go to the Maui Aquarium. I hiked around the Iao Needle, then hung out in Wailuku and Paia Town.

 

While Hiking, I carried my Leica M9 (with WLL lens for August, the Summicron 35mm f2), SFTC camera (Agfa Record III), and the LX7. The LX7 was out and around my neck the whole time. I used the built-in HDR quite a bit. The LX7 is so versatile, I had to remind myself to bring out the other cameras. Each did well in its own way. I'm looking forward to seeing the Agfa Record pictures, but those will take a while to get developed.

 

Anyway, just wanted to make sure I get a post in before going to bed for the night. Maui is a blast!

 

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Green Sea Turtle - Scuba Diving With Panasonic's Underwater Camera, the Lumix DMC-TS5

 

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) From Below, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5

 

I am mid-vacation now, and battling jet lag, mostly unsuccessfully. Lucky for me, our scuba trip this morning was scheduled for early morning. We had to be at the Maalea Harbor at around 6:30AM. No problem there. We were up by 5:00, and it was actually a challenge to sleep that long. It will also be a challenge to stay awake long enough to see the sunset tonight.

 

I'm pretty wiped out, so I picked a single picture from our dives today to share. I have a lot more to share later.

 

We did two dives with Maui Divers, the first on a wreck called the St. Anthony, the second on Molokini. Both were outstanding!

 

(Click Here) to check out Maui Divers. They run a great shop, and made us comfortable every step of the way, including taking my newly-certified twelve year old daughter on here deepest dives ever.

 

The DMC-TS5 performed very well. I'm learning more about how to set it for diving. The Advanced Underwater mode works well at avoiding too much blue, but the tiny on-camera flash is only good for closeups. Otherwise, it causes reflections from particulates in the water to diffuse the image. An off-camera light would really help. I may look into an LED for that purpose.

 

(Click Here) to read my user report on this great little camera.

 

I have more to share, but it will have to wait until I'm more awake...

 

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