Another Shot at Light Painting Cherry Blossoms with the Nikon Df

Referring to my post from two days ago, I decided to get back out with the cherry blossoms after dark one more time this year. Fighting my allergies, last remaining vestiges of jet lag from the Japan trip, and worries that my neighbors would wonder why this crazy guy was shining his flashlight up into the trees for an hour or so, I went for it. Here are my favorite light painting shots of the cherry trees this spring.

 

Falling Blossoms #1, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 479 seconds

Falling Blossoms #2, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 357 seconds

 

Yes, it took me 6-8 minutes per shot to do all of the light painting you see here. I had to paint the trunks of all three trees, then the branches. Then, I did the falling blossoms (several per tree). All with one flashlight. I think it was worth it. I feel that I succeeded in making something unique if not beautiful. At least they're not just one more series of straight shots of cherry trees. And through the process, I learned some of what not to do as well as what kind of works in this type of photography.

 

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Everyone, I Mean Everyone, in Japan Loves Cherry Blossom Season

Even the dogs...

Dogs Enjoying Sakura, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens

 

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Cherry Blossoms, Light Painting, with the Nikon Df

I have the opportunity to shoot cherry blossoms every year, usually in both the Washington, DC area, and in Tokyo. Very different opportunities, of course, but each very nice.

 

I find that when a subject becomes routine to me, I am challenged to make pictures that are interesting to me, and probably to anyone else who's looking. A few years back, a friend and I started to experiment with light painting the cherry trees (using flashlights to artificially light the trees in the dark). I feel that I've gotten better at this over time. Here's the first shot I was happy with from a quick outing last night with the Nikon Df.

Light Painting, Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 131 secs exposure

 

Having gotten the first shot I had in mind, I started playing around with other ideas. First, I tried adding some red light (two small red light flashlights, one in each hand).

 

Light Painting, Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 231 secs exposure

 

Okay, I guess, but nothing special. Then, I got an idea. I've always wanted to photograph the blossoms falling from the trees, or at least represent that concept. So, I grabbed a small branch of blossoms and used the flashlight to light it as I simulated it falling from the tree. Here's what that looks like.

 

Light Painting, Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 35mm f2 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 202 secs exposure

 

Then, I decided to try more of that, switching from the 35mm to 24mm Nikkor.

 

Light Painting, Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 24mm f2.8 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 435 secs exposure

Light Painting, Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 24mm f2.8 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 384 secs exposure

These are kind of cool, and probably my favorites from the evening.

 

Then, I decided to put it all together. Maybe it's a bit much, but here it is.

 

Light Painting, Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Nikon Df, Nikkor 24mm f2.8 AF-D Lens

iso 100, f11, 486 secs exposure

 

This was an interesting evening of experimentation. It gives me ideas for some further exploration, but I have to do it fast; the cherry blossoms won't last long.

 

At least these aren't just like every other cherry blossom shot I see every year.

 

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Image of the Day From Japan

 

Spring Kimono, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100

iso 200, f2.8, 1/250 sec.

 

Well, faithful readers, I truly appreciate your dedication to reading my blog. My dedication to writing every day is certainly being tested by jet lag on this trip!

 

I really worked hard to get this shot, as the three girls in kimono were actually taking a selfie with a smart phone. As soon as the phone dropped from sight, I released the shutter. Unfortunately, the woman in the background "photo-bombed" me by walking into the scene. Oh well, the camera captures reality.

 

Our timing was perfect for the cherry blossoms in Japan, as you can see here.

 

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Springtime for a New Teenager

My daughter has just turned thirteen. So, as you can imagine, I had to bribe her to come out for some pictures with the cherry blossoms, which have just really started to bloom near our home. Here are a couple of shots I made with the Leica M9 and Elmarit 90mm f2.8 lens.

 

I haven't used this lens as much as I should. In fact, when I want a telephoto on my M9, I usually grab the amazingly good Canon LTM 135mm f3.5. But, the Elmarit is also so good. As a result of remembering that, the Elmarit is in my bag for the trip to Japan. I'm leaving today for that one.

 

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Luis Gomez Finds Spring in Washington, DC

Image Source: http://www.onephotographaday.com/2014/04/spring.html

 

So, first I need to tell you that I wrote this post on April 6. There's usually a delay between when I write and when the post goes up on DMC-365.

 

I put some effort into finding cherry blossoms, the official sign of spring coming to Washington DC, this weekend. First, I went to Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, Virginia. Nothing. Nadda. I was surprised. Today, my lovely wife and I fought the traffic to get into DC proper. While I must admit there are some trees blooming, it's very far from peak (or at least what peak has looked like in past years). In fact, we decided not to park after all that, and instead drove to Georgetown for some nice tea and conversation. I shot a few film images there, so more on that in a week or two.

 

I'm heading to Tokyo in about a week. We try to go every year to visit family. My usual routine is to see the blossoms here in DC, hop on a plane, then see them in Tokyo. That may not happen this year. It seems like the peak has already passed in Tokyo. Oh well, you can't win them all.

 

By the way, Luis Gomez (who took the picture above) runs a very consistent 365 day photo posting blog from Washington, DC. I've been enjoying his work for a couple of years now.

 

(Click Here) to go to Luis' blog.

 

Oh, and (Click Here) to see some gorgeous cherry blossom shots from Yahoo Japan.

 

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Cherry Blossoms From A Different Perspective - Leica M9 and Voigtlander 12mm f5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar

I live in the Northern Virginia, about an hour from Washington, DC. DC's cherry blossoms are really quite impressive, but as in other places, they don't last long. They are currently at their peak, but I just haven't been able to find the energy to get downtown on a weekday evening to shoot them. Maybe this weekend.

 

The good news is that I have some nice cherry trees in my neighborhood. Small, but nice.

 

On the way home from work today, I decided to try to capture them from a different perspective - up high, with an ultra wide angle lens. So, I mounted up my Voigtlander LTM 12mm f5.6 Ultra Wide Heliar lens on my Leica M9, and connected both to a monopod. Then I grabbed a step ladder and headed out. These three shots are the result of putting the camera right into the cherry blossoms with the monopod, and using the self-timer to trigger the shutter.

 

Sakura Up High #1, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Voigtlander Ultra Wide Heliar 12mm f5.6 Lens

iso 640, f9.5, 1/60 sec.

 

Sakura Up High #2, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Voigtlander Ultra Wide Heliar 12mm f5.6 Lens

iso 1250, f6.7, 1/180 sec.

 

Sakura Up High #3, by Reed A. George

Leica M9, Voigtlander Ultra Wide Heliar 12mm f5.6 Lens

iso 640, f4.8, 1/90 sec.

 

The Ultra Wide Heliar is a very specialized lens. Advertised as the widest rectilinear (non-fisheye) lens for full-frame 35mm cameras, it's not a lens that gets every day use. It's so wide that you nearly have to touch the subject with the lens for it to take up any significant portion of the image area. It is also pretty slow, with a maximum aperture of f5.6. But, it has basically infinite depth of field, so the fact that focusing is not accomplished through coupling to the Leica rangefinder is really not an issue. Just set the focus and forget it.

 

It also has pretty significant color shifting (magenta and blue at the extreme image edges) and some vignetting (darkening in the image corners). For both reasons, and because I like the composition this way, I decided to crop the images as squares. I set the lens code on the M9 for the Wide Angle Tri-Elmar (16-18-21mm) at 16mm, which is the widest angle lens setting in the camera.

 

I found a website that describes software ("Cornerfix") that elminates the color shifting. They also suggest selecting the 21mm f2.8 lens code in the M9 when using the Ultra Wide Heliar. I'll have to try that.

 

(Click Here) to read about Cornerfix. I have not tried it.

 

You can also see that I applied some negative vignetting to get the white corners. Again, just because I like it that way.

 

A nice diversion for shooting an hour or so after work in the evening. I hope you enjoy the view.

 

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My Ultra Wide Heliar is the older Leica Thread Mount (LTM) version. Here's a link to the newer Leica M-mount version. Either is adaptable to Micro 4/3, yielding a nice but not crazy-wide 24mm equivalent field of view.

 

 

Springtime Closeups with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

I'm preparing to leave on a trip to Japan (will be back by the time this posts), and plan to rely heavily on my new LX7 for shooting while I'm there. Yes, I'll have other equipment with me, but the LX7 will likely get a lot of use.

 

I'll also be shooting my M9 a lot, and my Skeletons From The Closet camera for March, the Ikonta, when I get the chance. Neither of these has closeup capability, which I frequently find useful on travel. So, I decided to play around a little with shooting closeups last night.

 

Since Spring is officially here, I grabbed a low-hanging branch of blossoms from a neighborhood tree. Yes, I know, if everyone did it, that would be bad. Not everyone will. And I will only do it once a year. :)

 

Anyway, here are a couple of results:

Spring Traditions, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 200, f2.1, 1/40 sec.

 

"Bokeh" of Flowers, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7

iso 200, f1.5, 1/60 sec.

 

I have to admit, I stole the name "Bokeh" of Flowers from a commenter on Google+. If you don't know, "bokeh" is a Japanese word for "out of focus areas." It's broadly (too broadly) used in the camera tech world.

 

I like the second shot much more than the first. The regular patterned background of the cloth that the vase was sitting on works for me, just out of focus. The opening in the vase provides a second area of interest that doesn't compete too much with the blossoms. Both of these shots felt better in square format than rectangular.

 

Anyway, I'm feeling pretty good about the LX7 being along with me on this trip.

 

And don't forget! I wrote an ebook about the LX7 which can be yours for only $2.99! Thirty pages of time-saving hints and details. See the Amazon link below, or search for "DMC-LX7" under Books on Amazon. Support your friendly blogger!

 

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G3 Shots from Springtime in Japan (Sakura)

 

Sakura, by xellz on mu-43.com

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f56/uploaded-several-sakura-views-30847/#post302139

 
xellz posted a few shots from last spring in Japan, shot with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3.
 
(Click Here) to see the whole post on mu-43.com.
 
I think the framing in the shot above is expertly done. The exposure here must have been tough. The sakura (cherry blossoms) in the foreground could be a little brighter, but with the full sun in the frame, it would be difficult to accomplish that without blowing out the exposure throughout the whole sky. In fact, this shot would be an excellent candidate for high dynamic range (HDR) imaging - where you combine mulitiple shots to get the exposure you want in each portion of the image.
 
Here's a shot I took in Japan last spring:
 

Contemplating Springtime, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 25mm f1.4 Summilux

iso 160, f2, 1/2500 sec

 
I could have benefitted from a slightly smaller aperture on this shot. I would like the hand to be in sharp focus, as the face is. However, I wanted the sakura to be out of focus as they are. In fact, I love how they turned out.
 
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Fun Little Article About Wildlife in Tokyo

 

Mandarin Ducks (Oshidori in Japanese)

Image Source:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/ek20120430a1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+japantimes+%28The+Japan+Times%3A+All+Stories%29

The Japan Times recently ran a bilingual piece about wildlife in Tokyo. It explains the Japanese concept of an annual awakening day for wildlife (keichitsu in Japanese), which usually occurs around March 4 or 5. It is surprising how much wildlife really does exist in Tokyo, with its heavily developed land and industry-lined waterways.

(Click Here) to read the full story.

Of course, there are typical pests in the city, including the ubiquitous crows (karasu in Japanese), but the parks do still harbor many species of waterfowl, and at least three species of turtles are found within the city limits.

 
Here are a couple of wildlife shots I took on my recent trip to Tokyo:
 
 

Tokyo Turtles, by Reed A. George

Taken at Kiyosumi Garden Park

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5, iso80, f3.5, 1/400 sec

Waterfowl, Ueno Park, Tokyo, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit

iso400, f2.8, 1/2500 sec

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Love Gun! Something in Common to Laugh About With a Stranger.

 

Love Gun! by Reed A. George

Panasonic DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8 Macro-Elmarit

iso160, f2.8, 1/320 sec

I've told you before that one of my objectives is to better connect with people in the places I visit. Well, here is an example.

Japan is not the easiest place in the world to meet people casually. This guy was the exception. We met in Hibiya Park in Tokyo, where we were both admiring the spring bloom (see the background). He was happy to practice a little English, and was surprised to find that I could speak a little Japanese. "You have shocked me," I believe was his expression.

Anyway, in quickly looking for things we may have in common to talk about, he brought up the rock and roll band "Kiss." He then proceeded to sing me the lyrics from their song "Love Gun," which I had all but forgotten. He was a little shy about letting me take his picture, but by the second exposure, above, he had gone back into his Paul Stanley (Kiss guitarist and vocalist) act.

It brightened my day to have this little conversation, and get this picture of him. We walked away not knowing each other's names, but both with smiles on our faces. Good fun.

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Manipulated Images - "Grunged Japan" by Reed A. George

I warned you - this post contains manipulated images. I just arrived home from Japan. For most of my trip, I had weak or no internet connection, so you can expect to see several posts about Japan now that I'm back and reconnected. On the airplane ride home, I experimented with some fun manipulations of Lumix images I took on the trip, using an iPad app called Snapseed.

 

(Click Here) to find out more about Snapseed.

 

Here are some examples:

 

Grunged Japan #1, by Reed A. George

 

 

Grunged Japan #2, by Reed A. George

 

 

Grunged Japan #3, by Reed A. George

Grunged Japan #4, by Reed A. George

Grunged Japan #5, by Reed A. George

 

Grunged Japan #6, by Reed A. George

 

Now I know these are not my normal images. That's the point. I wanted to do something a little different. Snapseed was just the ticket to accomplish that. I've used a pretty stochastic approach to these, and didn't follow any recipe. They include combinations of "Vintage Film," "Organic Frames," "Center Focus," and "Grunge" (hence the name of the series).

 

They are so manipulated, I think it suffices to say that all are Lumix photographs, taken with either a DMC-G3 or DMC-TS3.

 

Grunged Japan #7, by Reed A. George

 

I hope you don't mind indulging a little break from my normal style with me. I wouldn't want to use these effects every day, but they were a nice little diversion on the flight home.

 

Let me know what you think!

 

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Help A Guy Out! - Vote For One of My Images for People's Choice!

One of My Three Entries in the National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest

I have entered three images in the National Cherry Blossom Photo Contest.

Do me a favor and vote for one of my images for the "People's Choice" award:

(Click Here) to vote for one of my images.

Thanks!

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And The Weather Report Told Me To Stay Inside! Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC.

 

Jefferson Memorial, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 25mm Summilux f1.4

iso160, f11, 0.3 sec

 

Well, it is a rainy weekend here in Washington, DC. But, I knew that overcast weather would make for some nice diffuse lighting. And, since I will be out of town soon, I don't have many more opportunities to see the cherry blossoms in DC this year. So, I decided to brave the weather, and be there at sunrise. I hope you'll agree that the trip was worth it.

 

By the way, it is the 100th anniversary of the original gift of cherry trees from Japan.

 

 

Cherry Blossoms, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 45mm Macro_Elmarit f2.8

iso400, f4, 1/30 sec

The foggy morning light really allowed the subtle colors of the cherry blossoms to pop. In fact, I had to tone them down a little in post-processing, as they looked a little cartoonish to me.

Cherry Blossom Bouquet, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14mm f2.5

iso160, f2.5, 1/40 sec

I think the image above is my favorite of the morning. Those blossoms on the tree trunk were completely natural, but looked like a florist had arranged them there. Of course, as I was shooting it, another photographer walked right up with his DSLR and snapped it over my shoulder. Oh well, I guess I don't own DC, do I? Actually, I hope he got a nice shot.

Petals in the Tidal Basin, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14mm f2.5

iso160, f16, 1 sec

 

In the shot above, the water looked very grungy. So, I changed the white balance a little blue to compensate; I may have gone too far.

 

 

Contrasting Reds, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Lumix 14-140mm f4-5.8 at 140mm

iso400, f5.8, 1/50 sec

In the image above, I enjoy the way the tree trunks in the boke in the background form a leading line. Without that, this image would be very flat.

Vintage Postcard Look, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3, "Pinhole Camera" scene mode

On Camera Flash, iso640, f5, 1/60 sec

I also took the opportunity to play with the DMC-TS3 this morning, using a preset called "Pinhole Camera." This made the image have a dark vignette around the edges, which I replaced in Lightroom with white. I like the effect. Not to be used every day, but kind of cool in this case.

 

 

Soft Pinks, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica 45mm Macro_Elmarit f2.8

iso400, f2.8, 1/500 sec

I like how this image shows blossoms that range from right at their peak bloom to those already missing their petals. I also love the soft pink colors, and the nice out of focus areas. That is why I chose this as the closer for this post.

I sure am glad I didn't listen to the weather report's advice! This was a couple of hours well-spent.

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