Testing New Gear. Very Shallow Depth of Field

ValSans' Drummer
85mm, 1/1250s, f/1.2, ISO 12800
(Insane values! His hand is already way out of focus!)

For a week or so I have been testing new equipment. Some new lenses and especially new camera. I took a deep breath and leap and went for 1Dx. This camera is insane, not to mention that after two days of using it I got error 80 message on LCD screen, hehe. Was suspecting perhaps slower memory cards, but then reading through posts on internet I got some more details. Still have no idea what error 80 means, probably Canon will never reveal it but found links to new firmware and upgraded camera's software. Body out of the box had 1.0.2, quite fresh, now I am on 1.1.1, so quite a big jump. In any case I have sent a message to Canon support. On the other hand I was not really surprised about the error. It is new piece of gear and, having been in IT for over 20 years, I know shit can happen. 

Just came back from really low light situation, chosen on purpose, and have not faced error issue any more. Touch wood, firmware upgrade did the trick.

Assuming all issues are solved for now, at least for the time being, I am going through heavy learning curve with new buttons and functions. I got through the manual few times already, but every now and again when read some other topic, I keep finding new great features. The biggest changes are around auto focus system, for me at least. It is completely new world, especially when you switch from 5DMKII, which was (and is) a great camera but has had well known auto-focus issues, especially in low light situation.

Long Exposures - The Big Stopper Tests

I had proper quiet session with Lee's Big Stopper - neutral density filter stopping 10 stops of light. I have already had 10 stops filter from B+W but it was screw-on one with 77mm thread thus I was not able to use it on 16mm lens with 82mm thread diameter, and there were so many situations when I really could have done better with such strong filter on really wide angle. I simply had to get one.

Today's end of the session shot.
16mm, 280 seconds, f/16, ISO100
Filters: 3 stops ND, reds enhancer, 1 stop ND grad

The Big Stopper is really fantastic piece of glass. Extending exposure time to minutes during a day can alter photographed scene to something magical and mystical. I really like to work with long exposures.

So here's what I have done today.

To start with I chose so obvious and well known location - Lighthouse in Podersdorf by Neusiedlersee (Nuseidler Lake), that it would be difficult to find something more typical. The place have been photographed I think by every photographer in this country and millions of tourists just as well. I was after getting some different mood especially on grey and cold afternoon. The place looked so grey and dull and empty. With Big Stopper, this was exactly what I was looking for.

Jurassic Coast in Dorset Scouting

Portland Bill Lighthouse
60mm, 2s, f/16, ISO50, Polarizer, 3 stops ND ; 4:5 ratio

I drove to England last week and spent few days in different locations merely to have a look around for planned longer trip (2-4 weeks) in February or March next year.

I read an article the other day about Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of 153 kilometres.

Absolutely amazing location if you like coastlines, and rocks, and tides, and changing weather. 

I was aware that I might not come back with many great pictures as I had only 2-3 days time slot, and I had to move around, so I left everything to spontaneous shooting just to have reference for the future. 

I started with one of the most famous spots around, I believe, Durdle Door - natural limestone arch near Lulworth, and probably the most photographed as well. In any case I wanted to go there to get the feeling of the place and see where I can stay while waiting for good light.

There is huge camping located just by Durdle Door opened from March until end of October. However while driving through Lulworth I have passed some Bed & Breakfast signs and assume, I can find accommodation also in February.

Busy Shooting. Sort of Wrap-Up. Daily Schedule.

Sunrise (behind me) at Hohe Wand

Last few weeks were really busy, and coming period busy will still be.
I thought I would wrap up those bits and pieces.
Perhaps not so many new pictures are visible on my website, but there are quite a few new ones, however still on my disk and await their turn to be selected and published (I need new disks by the way...).

I have been torn apart quite a few live events at Vienna Gasometer Hall (see previous posts), and ((Szene)), and my ongoing landscapes project. On top of that I am preparing to UK trip this coming week with JBModel, and also plan to have few seascapes photo sessions.

Weather has been crap, and most of the time still is, and despite this well known fact I keep trying to make the most of it, especially chasing foggy and cold mornings and vivid autumn colours.

Since schedule has been so tight it happened on few occasions when I was heading for sunrise around 5-6 a.m., drove roughly 100 kilometres to a location, took pictures (better or worse depending on light conditions), drove back, and then on the same day I had a gig to shoot in the evening!

CRO Live @ Gasometer, Vienna

Then if you do it few days in a row, you must come up with some sort of new daily work plan.
Generally I like to get through at least first pictures selection right after the shoot even if it happens during the night or at other crazy hour.

So when I am back for instance now in Autumn at 10 a.m., I spend 1-2 hours looking at the pictures, building rough idea about results, some pop-up immediately, in some cases I need to leave it for later.
Then around noon or after lunch, I am going to sleep :)... the best part of the day. Depending on how tired I am I can fall into the land of dreams within a minute or it may take me a bit longer. In any case, even a nap will be a nap.

Most of concerts start around 8 or 9 in the evening. I need time to get myself sorted out thus my new wake-up alarm clock starts to scream around 6 in the afternoon. Food, get the gear ready and pack the lot, actually only what is essential. When running around the stage or pit, you do not want to have too much to carry and worry about.

Gig or show starts, full concentration, shooting for 15-20 minutes for support band, depending on the show and who you work for. Then main event starts, more shooting and typically with better light conditions. Might be you have to cover whole event, then you will be busy whole night. One night I had two shoots in 2 different places, music school concert and concert at Gasometer and had less than half an hour between them! It was CRO show, where I really had to rush to be on time... if you miss your 1st three songs, you will miss the shooting.