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Learn more about this workshop here. |
ESP: Extrasensory perception? Nope: Eastern State Penitentiary. From the ESP website: Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world’s first true “penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of the convicts. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone.
Denise Ippolito has led several A Creative Adventure Workshops to the derelict prison and has another scheduled for September 8, 2012, less than two weeks from now. And the best news? She still has a few openings. You can learn more and see a selection of her evocative images here.
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Submarine Cell Block From an 8-frame (manually) bracketed sequence with the Canon EOS-5D (that I borrowed from Denise Ippolito) and the 15mm fisheye lens. (Be sure to change only the shutter speed while keeping the aperture constant.) I had great fun on Denise’s Eastern State Penitentiary workshop last September. Giotto’s tiny ballhead, Wimberley P-5 camera body plate, and Gitzo 3530 LS tripod. This quasi-HDR Grunge was created in Photomatix. To purchase Photomatix and save 15% click here and be sure to enter birdsasart as the coupon code. You can download and use a trial copy of Photomatix before you buy. (It is fully operational; the processed images will have a visible watermark on them.) I was intimidated by both HDR and HDR Grunge for several years but once I tried each I quickly got the hang of it. And it is great fun. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it. |
5D Mark III
I wish that I could stay for this year’s ESP workshop as I would love to use the 5D Mark III’s great in-camera HDR feature…. In the pre-publication version of my 5D Mark III User’s Guide I share everything that I know about this great camera including complete details on both the HDR and Multiple Exposure features. And you can still save $10 by clicking here. For those who learn best in person do know that Denise will have her 5D III along and will be glad to teach you how to use the HDR feature; she prefers Natural and I prefer Art Vivid.
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This image was also created on Denise Ippolito’s Creative Photography workshop last year at the now derelict Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA with the Canon 24-105mm L IS lens at 24mm and the EOS-1D Mark IV. ISO 200. Evaluative metering: 7-frame AEB +/- 1 stop around -1 stop: 1.6 seconds at f/16. 2 sec. self timer. Live View (for Mirror Lock). Gitzo 3530 LS CF tripod, Giottos MH 1302-655 BallHead, Wimberley P-5 camera body plate. For a greater appreciation of the image, click on the photo. Then click on the enlarged version to close it. Learn about Denise’s next ESP workshop (October 15, 2011) here. |
NYC Seminar
Do consider joining Denise and me for a great weekend nature photography seminar in Staten Island, NY in mid-December. For complete details including registration and discount info, click here.
Shopper’s Guide
Support both the Bulletins and the Blog by making all your B & H purchases here. Below is a list of the gear used to create the images in today’s blog post. Thanks a stack to all who have used the Shopper’s Guide links to purchase their gear as a thank you for all the free information that we bring you on the Blog and in the Bulletins. Before you purchase anything be sure to check out the advice in our Shopper’s Guide.
15mm fisheye lens. Takes time to learn you use this little one but when you do it is too much fun.
Canon 24-105mm L IS lens. I never head into the field without this versatile B-roll lens in my X-trahand vest.
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital Camera. This full-frame body with killer video replaces the old 5D; great for landscapes and wide angle lenses.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. Unfortunately discontinued.
And from the BAA On-line Store:
LensCoats. I have a LensCoat on each of my big lenses to protect them from nicks and thus increase their re-sales value. All my big lens LensCoat stuff is in Hardwood Snow pattern.
LegCoat Tripod Leg Covers. I have four tripods active and each has a Hardwood Snow LegCoat on it to help prevent further damage to my tender shoulders 🙂
Double Bubble Level. You will find one in my camera’s hot shoe whenever I am not using flash.
Be sure to check out our camera body User’s Guides here.
The Lens Align Mark II. I use the Lens Align Mark II pretty much religiously to micro-adjust all of my gear an average of once a month and always before a major trip. Enjoy our free comprehensive tutorial here.
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV User’s Guide. Learn to use your Mark IV the way that I use mine.
Thanks, Denise, I will look into that!
Hi Andrea, I manually bracket all of my images in a place like ESP. I work in Manual mode so I adjust my exposures using my shutter speed. Promote Control allows automatic bracketing for up to 45 shots in a row. I think if you go over 30 seconds during your exposure it will put the camera on bulb mode automatically. David Crandall told me about this at my Grand Central Terminal Workshop. Just google Promote Control.
OK, question: When I am in AP mode, my Canon 7D only brackets 3 before I have to touch the camera to extend the bracket. When you are doing this in Manual, you are adjusting the speed on every shot, right? Is there anything on the market that will allow you to program a Canon to shoot multiple exposure brackets while in Aperture priority mode without having to touch the camera? From what I understand the Nikons have a 5 or 7 frame bracketing system set up in the camera. I have too much invested in lenses and camera gear to switch and I love HDR photography. Any thoughts or suggestions would be helpful…
Hi Andrea, Sorry to be late to the party. Thanks to Lady D for chiming in. And I am confused by your question(s)…. You asked, “Is there anything on the market that will allow you to program a Canon to shoot multiple exposure brackets while in Aperture priority mode without having to touch the camera?”
I am confused because the 7D has an Automatic Exposure Bracketing feature that allows you to make 3-frame AEBs automatically. If you are in either continuous drive mode you can press and hold the shutter button once and the camera will make the three bracketed images…. It will continue to do so until you either turn off the camera or manually set the AEB value back to zero.
The 7D, however, can only do 3-frame AEBs. Other Canon cameras off you a choice of 3, 5, and 7 (and possibly more) AEB sequences. If you wish to create more than a 3 image AEB you need to do that manually. If you are on a tripod as you should be that is a simple task….
BTW, did you mean P for Program or Av for Aperture Priority when you wrote AP?
Below is an excerpt from page 13 of our killer 7D User’s Guide. Do you have a copy? The first paragraph is for your information only, the second paragraph is somewhat relevant to your questions.
On “Shooting 2,” the second red menu (with the camera set to P, Tv, Av, or M):
Exp.Comp./AEB: With this menu item active you can set Exposure Compensation by first pressing the Set button in the center of the thumb wheel (the large round dial on the back of the camera that Canon calls the Quick Control Dial) and then rotating the thumb wheel clockwise to add light in 1/3 stop increments or counter-clockwise to subtract light in third stop increments. This however makes no sense to me at all. It is far easier to simply press the shutter button halfway without activating the menu and then dial in exposure compensation as above with the thumb wheel. Just to be clear on that: after you evaluate a scene or a histogram and wish to add or subtract light, simply press the shutter button half way and then turn the thumb wheel clockwise to add light in 1/3 stop increments or counter-clockwise to subtract light in third stop increments. There is no need to utilize the Exp.Comp./AEB menu function to set exposure compensation during the course of normal shooting.
It is, however, necessary to utilize the Exp.Comp./AEB menu function should you wish to set Automatic Exposure Bracketing with the 7D. To do so, press the Set button with the Exp.Comp./AEB menu item active and then set the amount of bracketing that you desire by turning the index finger dial (Canon calls this the Main Dial) clockwise to set AEB in third stop increments. You can reduce the amount of AEB that you have set in third stop increments by turning the index finger dial counter-clockwise. When you have set the desired amount of bracketing you must remember to press the Set button. You can cancel AEB either by turning the camera off and on (easiest and recommended) or by activating the menu item, pressing Set, turning the Index Finger Dial until the indicator returns to the null value. You can bracket around a compensated exposure by entering the desired amount of compensation either before or after setting the AEB. Note: AEB is most commonly used in nature photography when creating High Dynamic Range (HDR) imagery.
A final note: if you like to do HDR stuff start saving for a 5D Mark III or shoot an e-mail to Santa. It offers tons of great AEB and HDR options plus in-camera Multiple Exposure.
Thanks for your long reply! And yes, I do set my 7D to bracket 3 shots in AEB while in Aperature Priority. I just wish it could be programmed to take 5-7 shots. Denise’s suggestion is one I will follow up on as it may be a solution. And your solution to buy a 5D Mark III is one I will be working on as well!