Tag Archives: Nikon

Photographer’s Choice – Don Kimmer

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As Far South As You Can Go in the Continental US

Don Kimmer - Key West, Florida

Don Kimmer - Key West, Florida

If you’re looking for a great example of leading, converging lines and repeating patterns and colors in an image, look no further than this shot of Sunset Pier in Key West. A popular gathering spot for tourists and locals to gather for boat watching, sunsets and casual dining, the pier is decorated with all the trappings one associates with south Florida. This scene was captured at the end of April, 2007 at about 6:30 in the afternoon. It must be quite unusual to be so deserted at this time of day, with only a single person at the end of the pier where one’s eye inevitably lands.
This photograph is an example of why post processing is such an important part of any photographer’s life. The original shot was partially blocked in the upper right and left corners by dark overhanging umbrellas and the horizon was noticeably tilted. Also the color of the original had a slight green/yellow bias. But the scene was worth the time it took to correct these flaws to produce the final image above.
Don’s camera was a Nikon D80 with an 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 lens zoomed to it’s widest focal length. Exposure was 1/160 sec at f/9.0 with an ISO of 200.

Photographer’s Choice – Polly Terriberry

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A Magnificent Oak captured in the Infrared Spectrum

Polly Terriberry - Oak Tree in Fauquier County, Virginia

Polly Terriberry - Oak Tree in Fauquier County, Virginia

A standard DSLR has a filter mounted in front of the sensor that blocks the light in the infrared spectrum wavelength longer than that of visible light. It’s possible to replace this blocking filter with a different filter that allows photography in the infrared spectrum which is what Polly had done to a Nikon D70. It should be pointed out that once this change is made, the camera is no longer suitable for normal photography.
Polly had driven pass the oak tree above many times, thinking that it should be photographed. Finally she and a couple of photographer friends decided to meet at the site and take their different approaches to working with the tree. She chose a 28-80mm lens set to its widest angle with an aperture of f/11 and a shutter speed of 1/125 and an ISO of 200. In post processing, she dialed the clarity setting to a minus 100 to obtain the soft, dreamy look in the final image. The result is a totally different and dramatic look at a somewhat ordinary scene.