This week I am looking at the issue we all face when we take what we think is a good photo - and then it turns out to be not so hot.

These two versions are the bland original and then the energized version.  (same exact file - just adjusted)

As you can see about 1 minute of tweaking can lead to a substantially better image and rescue one from the trash heap.  The original has the dreaded cyan digital sky.  When what I saw around 5:20p was a Velvia deep blue sky!

I always recommend doing your best to get a great image without a lot of adjustments - but sometimes you gotta help the camera file to see nature as we "see" it.

There are so many new features in all the cameras on the market today that I've decided to explore them and see which are helpful and which are marketing hype. 

Two features which I really like, and illustrate here are the incredible zoom range on a small camera, and the ability to shoot long exposures with a basic point and shoot camera.

The shot of the Empire State Bldg is from over a mile away.  I would guess about 5,470 ft or so since I was 20 blocks away (commonly felt to be a mile in nyc) and the building is about 1,450 feet high.  You can make out the people on the observation deck  (focal length 436mm).  Anyone remember the Pythagorean theorem?  (shot with the FinePix S200EXR)

The other is a 4 second exposure (F/9) in Columbus Circle looking north up Broadway.  The only thing I don't like about it was that it was 7:24p and dark!  (shot with the FinePix F70EXR)

This week I happened upon a neat scene motivated by several articles in the news on the Standard Hotel.  You can search for them and see what's going on in the windows looking out on the city.

So as I shot the hotel to capture the unique scene I thought i'd share the two very different looks you can capture of the same subject just by changing your perspective.

Just as a fyi these shots were made about 3 mins apart - so nothing major.  Just enough time to walk under the building and get two shots of the window area.  If you need to see more of the hotel I have that shot as well - let me know.