Tappan Zee Bridge and Big Money Politics

I've always wondered why the Tappan Zee Bridge is where it is and this week one of my favorite podcasts covered this question.  Planet Money is a terrific podcast and when you hear why the bridge was put where it is you may scream or say - oh ok whatever.  

Planet Money Podcast
Thomas Dewey who was the governor at the time, in what seems to be a slightly ego-based maneuver, places the Tappan Zee Bridge at one of the widest parts of the Hudson River in order to maintain control of the TOLLS of the NYS Thruway and not give up the money to the Port Authority.  It turns out that the Port Authority of NY/NJ have jurisdiction of these projects in a 25 mile radius from the Statue of Liberty.  So the Tappan Zee is about half a mile north of their control.  The bridge is about 3.2 miles when it could have been about 1.1 mile like the George Washington just a bit further south (perhaps near Dobbs Ferry).
Thus Dewey retains control and his super highway which is known to most as the NYS Thruway - is actually the Thomas E Dewey Thurway.  Seems things haven't changed much in 55 years with money and politics.

Fujifilm X100 AF Correction Frame

One of the least used custom function choices on the X100 may be the last item on the SET-UP Menu.  On Page 6 of 6 the last selection allows you turn on the extra frame you will see when using the OVF.  This shows the AF parallax adjustment depending on your focus distance.  This is different than the outline box showing the total frame.  This is handy especially when shooting closer subjects.  See what you think - you may like it and enjoy having the OVF information.  The beauty of the X100 is that you have little excuse to carry it everywhere.

All shots here are at ISO 800.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 with EF-20 Flash

I like to try and experiment with new shooting techniques with the X100 when I have the opportunity. 
The other night I decided to try the high speed flash sync at sunset with some birds that were flying overhead.  The images are fun and certainly it is fun to get these images from a compact camera with a fixed 35mm lens.  Exposure was approximately 1/500th at F/5.6 with the EF-20 flash, ISO varied from 200-320 just before sunset around 7:45pm.

FinePix X100 and a Flashlight Make an Image

There are some scenes you have to work to improve as we all know.

I knew I was limited to a 35mm lens with the X100 so the trick was how to make the scene more pleasing when I was looking out at an open lake and an interesting building across the way?

I decided to frame the scene with a willow tree and light it with my flashlight to add more depth.  

I love using the flashlight at night in this way.

Weekly Email 8-12-11 Chrysler Close Up

I have always wanted to be able to capture some of the City's tallest buildings close up.  We've all seen many angles of the great skyscrapers and I knew one day I would get a chance to get a bit closer.  This week I shot the Chrysler Building close up and it is an amazing structure.

I read that when they built it they put up about four floors a week and manually laid approximately 3,800,000 bricks and used 400,000 rivets.  It is still the world's tallest steel supported brick building and the third tallest in NYC.

Exposure ISO 640 - F/4.0 @ .6" - 200mm (top spire image)
Exposure ISO 250 - F/5.6 @ .6" - 700mm (close up)

Rooftop Fun with a 500mm Lens

I am sure anyone reading this would love the chance to shoot an exotic telephoto from a great vantage point.  Last night I had that opportunity with a 500mm lens looking out at New York City.

The pano was done with the X100 and then the 500mm shots were done with the 5DII.  The first four after the pano are all IN the pano shot - can you spot them?  Then the buildings are each NYC landmarks which should be familiar.  Hope you dig them.

Random Camera Shots for Comparison

It was a quiet day on the camera front and the sun was shining so I decided to gather eight cameras and make one shot with each and see what I thought of each.  They were all set in Program.  I've done this on an earlier post with a few cameras and here is a different scene.  There really is quite a difference from a $200 camera to a $2500 camera.  As there should be!  Click them to enlarge if you like.  
So then I ask myself - what's the point?  Well I like to tell people they should buy a camera based on what feels good in your hand and your budget - but the image sensor does of course play a part - but not every detail is critical to every photographer (talking basic consumer here not pro).  Some want a super zoom - some want super compact - some want water resistant etc.  My guess is that to most basic users these all look virtually identical - but to a more sophisticated user there are dramatic performance differences.

Weekly Email 8-5-11 Colorado Camera Choices

Whenever I go on vacation it is always a tough to decide which cameras to bring with me.  There are so many great cameras out there now and I want to be able to have a good tool for any scene.

This week while in Colorado I brought the cameras in the photo above and thus I am sharing a photo from each of them to show off what they each did for me.

Fujifilm FinePix X100 was my carry around all the time choice - and I shot a neat sweep pano
Canon EOS 5D II was my telephoto version of the X100 - captured a lightning storm at sunset
Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR was my lightweight long zoom for hiking - captured the gondolas at sunset
Fujfilm FinePix XP-30 is my rugged underwater camera which is essential for any beach or swim vacation - underwater portrait for ya!
iPhone 4 - Always have it anyway - so used it at 10,270 ft for the camera line up !

Hope you dig the shots and capture some great ones this weekend.

 

Gillman Colorado Mining Town History

On a very scenic ride from Minturn to Leadville CO there is a small abandoned mining town called Gillman.

Driving on Rte 24 West with Aspens zipping by

Founded in 1886 during the Colorado Silver Boom, the town later became a center of lead and zinc mining in Colorado, centered around the now-flooded Eagle Mine. It was abandoned in 1984 by order of the Environmental Protection Agency because of toxic pollutants, including contamination of the ground water, as well as unprofitability of the mines. It is currently a ghost town on private property and is strictly off limits to the public. At the time of the abandonment, the mining operations were owned by Viacom International.

Main part of Gillman town which was designated an EPA Superfund Site

After the closure of the mine and the abandonment of the town, a 235-acre area, which included 8 million tons of mine waste, were designated a Superfund site by the EPA and placed on the National Priorities List in 1986. According to the EPA, the mining operations left large amounts of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc in the soil, and led to large fish kills in the Eagle River and threatened drinking water in the town of Minturn downstream on the Eagle River. 

The clean-up plan, implemented beginning in 1988 included plugging and flooding the Eagle Mine, collecting and treating mine and ground water in a new treatment plant, as well as removing, treating and capping the mine waste products. A report by the EPA in 2000 concluded that clean-up operations had substantially reduced public health risks and improved the water quality in the Eagle River. The State of Colorado also has pursued separate parallel efforts at cleanup and has reached agreements with Viacom regarding treatment of the site.
 

Abandoned homes in the town as they were left decades ago

The main mine production area.

Red Cliff Bridge over the Eagle River on Rte 24

Scenic Area surrounding the town

Back from the Wild West with FinePix X100

It is great to travel with the X100.  Having a camera like this is perfect for the times when you don't want to carry heavier gear.  Sure I need a zoom now and then - but not often.  I am going through the edits now and after the first cut I'm down to 950 images from 1150.  Of course many more deletes to happen soon.  Look at how sharp that flower pic is.  This is what I love to see.  Don't we all crave sharp images with digital without lengthy time in CS5??  None of these images are sharpened in CS5.  All processed in Aperture and exported.

The X100 is also a terrific conversation starter.  It's amazing how many people want to know what it is.  Have you all experienced this as well?  I am sure you have and are proud of the camera and its performance.
X100 accessories have shipped this week and more cameras should be here for shipment next week as we continue to ramp up production.