Vacation/Travel Thread.

[Y2HH]

A pic from our weekend camping trip (last week) -- somewhere in Central IL.

 

[southsider2k5]

A pic from our weekend camping trip (last week) -- somewhere in Central IL.

 

 

That is a great picture. I am going to derail the thread a bit, but how do you get such good pics in low light? Do you need an expensive camera?

[Y2HH]

That is a great picture. I am going to derail the thread a bit, but how do you get such good pics in low light? Do you need an expensive camera?

 

Obviously the camera quality helps, but mostly, you need a tripod, ideal conditions and a bit of time...all it is, is a long exposure in the proper conditions.

 

For example, you don't want a moon in the sky...a moon is not ideal conditions for that, as it casts too much available light.

 

More often than not, when you see a picture you like, download it and view it's meta data...it will show you practically everything about the shot unless the photographer deleted it.

 

For example:

That's a EOS-1D Mark IV (Obviously expensive, but this can also be done with inexpensive cameras)

Shutter : 25 sec

Aperture: F/2.8

Exposure: 25 sec

ISO : 12800

Focal Length : 14mm

Edited September 14, 2012 by Y2HH

[southsider2k5]

Obviously the camera quality helps, but mostly, you need a tripod, ideal conditions and a bit of time...all it is, is a long exposure in the proper conditions.

 

For example, you don't want a moon in the sky...a moon is not ideal conditions for that, as it casts too much available light.

 

This is what I have got.

 

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_U...uctID.221644300

[Y2HH]

This is what I have got.

 

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_U...uctID.221644300

 

You can try it...experiment with your results, try to use the settings I wrote up there (you won't be able to get them that high, obviously, the 1D is a 5000$ camera, but get them as high as you can).

 

You can learn a LOT with the camera you have...and when you do eventually upgrade to a newer camera, you will be that much better.

[Y2HH]

My friends are professional photographers, so I learned a lot from them.

 

If you want to do something super cool with a camera, try this:

 

Get a tripod, and do this at night. It's a long exposure shot, so when you push the button, you'll want to keep the shutter open for a designated amount of time, say 20 seconds. Make sure you don't touch or shake the camera during this time.

 

Have someone take a flashlight of some sort, and tilt it slightly down, so it's not shining directly into the camera -- you don't want the open shutter to pick up direct light -- and have them walk through your shot, slowly, but not too slow, and wave the flashlight at the same angle as they walk (again, not shining it directly into the camera).

 

When the shot comes out, the person walking will be invisible, and you will see a laser like trail of light (the flashlight). Experiment with this until you get it to work.

 

After you get it to work, you can have someone sit in your photo (as still as they can), and then have someone do that same thing, and walk around or near them with the light...it will look like they have halos, or electricity flowing around their bodies. Just make sure whoever walks with the light doesn't block it with their own body.

 

If anything can get a person interested in low light photography, it's this.

 

If you do it right, this is the effect you will get:

Edited September 14, 2012 by Y2HH

[southsider2k5]

Cool. Thanks!

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

My friends are professional photographers, so I learned a lot from them.

 

If you want to do something super cool with a camera, try this:

 

Get a tripod, and do this at night. It's a long exposure shot, so when you push the button, you'll want to keep the shutter open for a designated amount of time, say 20 seconds. Make sure you don't touch or shake the camera during this time.

 

Have someone take a flashlight of some sort, and tilt it slightly down, so it's not shining directly into the camera -- you don't want the open shutter to pick up direct light -- and have them walk through your shot, slowly, but not too slow, and wave the flashlight at the same angle as they walk (again, not shining it directly into the camera).

 

When the shot comes out, the person walking will be invisible, and you will see a laser like trail of light (the flashlight). Experiment with this until you get it to work.

 

After you get it to work, you can have someone sit in your photo (as still as they can), and then have someone do that same thing, and walk around or near them with the light...it will look like they have halos, or electricity flowing around their bodies. Just make sure whoever walks with the light doesn't block it with their own body.

 

If anything can get a person interested in low light photography, it's this.

 

If you do it right, this is the effect you will get:

 

That is sweet. So the person w/ the flashlight is walking BEHIND the person crouching down, yes? What if you did a laser pointer that has a focused beam that comes out of it?

[Y2HH]

That is sweet. So the person w/ the flashlight is walking BEHIND the person crouching down, yes? What if you did a laser pointer that has a focused beam that comes out of it?

 

They're just walking all over...not necessarily behind. They can even walk in front of the person, they won't show up in the shot until they stay still or move too slow.

 

I've never tried it with a laser pointer, it might make it a much finer beam of light, however.

[IlliniKrush]

Thoughts on Denver for a weekend getaway trip? Good/bad? Things to do/places to go?

[DrunkBomber]

I didnt even know this thread existed. Im going to Beijing from March 5th-12th. Just got my Visa yesterday. Anyone ever been to China?

[justBLAZE]

I'll be visiting a friend in Miami, March 7th to March 12. Partey!

[witesoxfan]

I didnt even know this thread existed. Im going to Beijing from March 5th-12th. Just got my Visa yesterday. Anyone ever been to China?

 

Yes. It's an incredible experience. Beijing is an incredible city, huge and vibrant with life. You get a far better feel for everyday Chinese life there than you do in Shanghai (think Chicago vs LA/NYC). There are about a million different things you can do too. We were there for 5 days.

 

We made it to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City (literally in the Tiananmen area), the Temple of Heaven (kind of a cool, open area), the Olympics site (aka Bird's Nest), the Beijing Zoo, Gulou and Zhonglou (the Drum and Bell Towers of Beijing), and the Great Wall.

 

The Great Wall is a necessity; the Forbidden City was cool but seemingly, after the first few areas you see, there really isn't much else that is going to amaze or shock you (but still awesome to consider you are walking within an incredibly historical place; Temple of Heaven had some great scenery and was a really nice, open area to just take in some fresh air; the Olympics site was cool because it was the site of the Olympics; the zoo was really an eye-opening experience in comparing the way animals are handled and cared for between America and China (China is a little less humane, unless it's pandas...and pandas suck); as I recall, Gulou and Zhonglou was one of my favorite areas within the city because the towers themselves are really cool (they served as signals for the city) and I seem to remember there being a little bayside area there with a lot of small little shops and restaurants to eat and drink at which was a blast to just walk around. We actually had to cut that one short because it started raining, but I could have stayed in that area all night.

 

Oh yeah, we went to the Pearl Market too (and I seem to recall something else nearby there) where you can buy legit knockoff goods. I think we also went to Beihai Park too. If you are planning on going out, The Mix is legit and was recently featured in CNN Photos (#5). Otherwise, just make sure and/or request that your beer is served chilled, because they will give it to you warm otherwise.

 

Oh, and with 99% of anything, haggle. Unless you are in a corporate chain, a restaurant, or a bar, the price is not set. I think the only thing I didn't haggle down was a pack of cigarettes. And start really, really low. They want you to buy, just don't pay too much. I got a decent suitcase for 100 RMB (~$15.65) plus any number of other really cool things for really decent reasonable prices. Everything is dirt, dirt cheap over there, so you really don't want to spend much at all.

 

If you have any other questions, I can answer them the best I can. I absolutely loved China and want to go back again some day.

 

---

 

Going to Miami in 2 weeks and then on a cruise from March 9-16. March 6th can't get here soon enough.

[witesoxfan]

I'll be visiting a friend in Miami, March 7th to March 12. Partey!

 

We are planning on going to the Heat game on the 8th.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Has anyone been to Disneyland Paris? We're goign there for two days next march and I'd love any advice you could provide. We plan on flying into London, train to DLP, a few days there, then a train into Pisa to visit my sister and her husband.

[GoSox05]

Thoughts on Denver for a weekend getaway trip? Good/bad? Things to do/places to go?

 

If you like beer there is a ton of awesome breweries.

 

 

There is also this really cool bar called 1up. That has tons of old video games.

[Jenksismyhero]

I'd head up to Fort Collins myself and do the brewery tours there - New Belgium being my favorite (Fat Tire). http://www.visitftcollins.com/brewery-tours

 

Edit: Just make sure to bring your ID's. They are assholes up there. We had a group fly out to meet a friend who lives in Denver. One of the guys' Illinois drivers license had expired the day before we did the tour and they wouldn't serve him. We're all 30-31. I yelled like crazy at the hippy behind the counter, but no luck. That was at the Odell brewery, so skip that one.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Jenksismybitch

[ChiSox_Sonix]

If you like beer there is a ton of awesome breweries.

 

 

There is also this really cool bar called 1up. That has tons of old video games.

 

I forget the name of it when I was there in the spring but I went to a bar in downtown Denver that literally had 150+ beers on tap

[Swingandalongonetoleft]

A pic from our weekend camping trip (last week) -- somewhere in Central IL.

 

 

Amazing Picture. I could stare at that for hours.

 

I was only a kid at the time (12-ish?), but the most visually stunning night sky that I've ever seen was during the summer months in Crivitz, Wi (the northeastern-most point of Wiscinsin, right under Michigan's UP.). I actually think back to that night from time to time, and at times it almost feels like my mind is exaggerating what I remember, but I know it's not.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Swingandalongonetoleft

[IlliniKrush]

I forget the name of it when I was there in the spring but I went to a bar in downtown Denver that literally had 150+ beers on tap

I have to make sure to find this place

[bigklita]

Next week I'm going to Hilton Head Island for a long weekend. Anyone ever been there?

[justBLAZE]

We are planning on going to the Heat game on the 8th.

 

We might be up for the same, my friend is a huge sports (and White Sox) fan.

[EvilMonkey]

Amazing Picture. I could stare at that for hours.

 

I was only a kid at the time (12-ish?), but the most visually stunning night sky that I've ever seen was during the summer months in Crivitz, Wi (the northeastern-most point of Wiscinsin, right under Michigan's UP.). I actually think back to that night from time to time, and at times it almost feels like my mind is exaggerating what I remember, but I know it's not.

Amazing what you can see without lights around. Awesome picture.

[GoSox05]

I have to make sure to find this place

 

I don't know if it's the same place, but Falling Rock Taphouse has like 75 beers on tap.

[witesoxfan]

We might be up for the same, my friend is a huge sports (and White Sox) fan.

 

If you're interested, maybe we can meet up before the game for a beer or something, assuming we do go.