Weekly Email - 9-30-11 -Zoom In

This week while biking down the Hudson river path I brought a small point n shoot camera and mounted it on a super clamp on the handlebars.  There is a neat feature in some of the new cameras which allows you to set the camera to automatically shoot a photo when the camera "sees" a smile in the frame.  So I decided to set it and ride down the path and every now and then I'd look down for a shot and smile.  Now as much as I know you'd like to see the 27 photos looking up my nose - I've decided to focus on the images with the camera after I stopped for a sunset view across to New Jersey.  I just wanted to mention the smile feature and perhaps you can use it in your images - great for a family portrait since it will keep shooting as long as you give it a smile.

The images here were shot from NYC looking over to Hoboken NJ.  The F550 I used has a 15x zoom which is quite common in today's cameras.  So you can really appreciate the zoom distance from a mile away.  You can spot the red top of the PATH station across the water in the wide angle shot.
The moon made an appearance over Jersey City as well.

FinePix F550EXR ISO 100 at approx 340mm & 25mm 5 seconds @ F/5.6

BOATLIFT, An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience

This is a moving video you should not miss on the activities on the water on 9-11-01.

Weekly Email 9-23-11 Wide Angle Overview

This week while downtown I took a monopod and two ultra-wide angle lenses to do some overviews of the scene.  I thought the memorial pools would be great from a bit higher vantage point.
There was also the ongoing anarchist protest to check out.  There are many people camped out around Liberty Plaza and I noticed one person who took his nap on the bench along with an alarm clock sign.  I wonder if someone woke him at 4pm - and could you fall asleep in that position in that place?

Getting the Right Shot

A week ago I wrote about my images made down at the WTC Memorial.  After having an afternoon there to shoot I thought of an idea of how to get a unique view of the fountains with a 15mm fisheye and 14mm lens so I went back to try it out. 
Having the extra height and angle made for a dramatic shot.  Hope you enjoy it.

ISO 200 1/200th @ F/9.0 14mm lens

© 2011 Peter Waisnor

Fujifilm X100 & EF-20 Gets it Right

One of the joys of digital we all take for granted now is the ability to shoot an almost unlimited amount of images and see them all instantaneously.  The image preview helps us tweak images to get the exposure just right.  The difference between an OK image and a very good one could be a couple stops away or the addition of some flash or other light modification.  
In the images below I began the scene with a general shot and realized the scene needed flash and compensation.
I shot it again and saw that I needed to balance the ambient and flash a little tighter - it looked good - but not quite as realistic.  Then for the last shot I noticed if I lifted the EF-20 flash head up just a smidge I could avoid the hotspot on the rock below his feet.  I think this looks the most realistic.  Of course several of them are acceptable and the choice is subjective.
I began with ISO 500 and 1/85th @ F/2.0 and ended at 1/60th @ F/5.0. 

Natural light with no flash.  Scene is ugly for highlight detail and hat shadow

Not as natural as can be

Note light on rock below feet

Rock now naturally lit

Weekly Email 9-16-11 WTC Memorial

This week I was lucky enough to get into the WTC Memorial Park for a look at the amazing design there. 
Although the memorial is a rather simple approach, it is brilliant and is a photographic paradise with so many angles and emotional subjects to capture.

When you stand and watch the waterfall ebb and flow with the wind there is a calm sense in the area with all who are sharing the moment with you.  In some of the names there are items such as plane wings, photos, medallions, flowers etc placed in the memorial.  The park also offers name etching kits so you see folks making those, similar to the Vietnam Memorial.

Have a good weekend.

Vegas Baby!

Last weekend I was in Vegas for a bachelor party.  Clearly that city is built for that kind of fun.  There were 16 of us and we tore it up pretty good!  I decided to use my FinePix F550EXR and FinePix XP-30 for the trip and they were the perfect combo.
When I arrived at the pool at the Palms for Ditch Friday I knew the XP-30 was a great call.  Having a camera that goes in and under the water is key for the party there.  So many images I'd like to share, but you'll just have to use your imagination.  The key to many great images is getting close to your subject and the XP-30 certainly allows that in the pool.
The feature-packed F550EXR with its 24-360mm zoom lens was great for day events and late night parties.  The extreme zoom worked well at paintball and general scenics.  Here are a few shots from the trip.

Weekly Email - 9-9-11 WTC Experience

As we approach the 10 year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks the moments of introspection are with us all in a myriad of thoughts.

The WTC area is still nowhere near complete - but the amazing memorial designed by Michael Arad is going to open on 9-11-11.  His design incorporates the footprints of the twin towers and builds waterfalls in the space with the names of the victims located around each of the two openings.  In the photos below you can make out the footprint and waterfall of the north tower and just barely see the south tower area.  What is also amazing and mesmerizing is to be there and watch the water ebb and flow with the wind and run endlessly. 

The names are inscribed based on the victim's work location and their connections to other victims.  If you would like to explore the list and see more I encourage you to download the ipad app or of course make an appointment to go to the site and see the park and memorial.

One of the new office towers is being built - One World Trade Center - known as the Freedom Tower it is now about 800 feet high and will grow to be 1776 feet.  There are four other buildings which are part of the WTC area, and only 7 WTC is completed.

You can see the other towers's footprints in the below image.
The green arch in front of the crane is the new travel hub and the museum is clearly visible though not opening until 9-12-12.
I also included an image looking east from the water of the WTC before and after.

Rendering of final WTC area

Reflections on the World Trade Center Site

As we approach the 10 year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks I was looking through my archive to see which images evoke memories of the past 10 years.  I thought I would share some shots from above and around the twin towers area.
The first photo is tweaked looking north from the tip of the battery.  Then you see the ramp into the bowl which was used for construction.  You also see a portion of the retaining wall which along with the ramp and the photo of the last piece of steel removed are part of the new museum, which opens 9-11-12.
The some images from above showing the area after the buildings are gone, and then some images of the towers I shot around 1993.  The image with the moon is a double exposure on fujichrome.  I used an 85mm lens for the city then put a 400mm with a 2x on for the moon and did the overlap in camera. 
The memorial area and park opens to the public on 9-12-11 and it is shaping up to be an amazing space to experience.