Despite camera manufacturers finding ways to keep increasing the ISO ratings of their cameras higher and higher, some of us still yearn for the low ISO shots. This means shooting at a very slow shutter speed. Having got myself a brand new 10-stop ND filter, I wanted to see what it could do.
One requirement is that you have a very steady tripod. The camera has to sit still for many seconds at a time. Not a breeze or vibration should affect it. The other dilemma I found, was that the camera meter couldn't calculate the exposure with the lack of light. So I had to work it out manually. Next tie, I'm bringing my light-meter.
Anyway, it's not a fantastic shot. I got rained on twice waiting for it to be clear enough to get the shot at Long Bay. But it shows what you can do with a very slow shutter speed (30 seconds)
It's the stream running into the sea down the beach by MERC. I've tried to compose the pic with three large stones mid-flow.
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Posts Tagged photo
The long long exposure Jun 12
No CommentsBird photo for Friday May 10
No CommentsIt really feels like winter has arrived in New Zealand. The recent torrential rain and dips in temperature have signaled the warm dry weather is at an end. With the onset of winter comes the local birds foraging for food. Their searches become increasingly demanding as their warm weather food sources wane.
This is the time of the year when we get the local groups of tauhou (silver-eyes) visiting. These small birds like the 'high octane' diet of nectar and fruit.
It’s a kereru surprise Mar 28
6 CommentsWe have a small population of wood pigeons (kereru) about us. These are a threatened species, but adaptable enough to use the small areas of bush around us for habitat. Photographing them however remains a challenge. They tend to perch up higher in the tree canopy, giving strange angles and unflattering views). Or if they're in a more exposed position, well outside the reach of my camera gear.
Nonetheless, one was kind enough to perch on a kanuka branch close to our house this morning. Not being slow to miss a chance, I took a series of pics of the bird.
Here's one fresh from the camera (no cropping, sharpening or similar PP effects)
Into the night Mar 26
No CommentsThe drought seems to have hit the local spider population hard in the bush around us. The number of nursery-web spiders has dropped off markedly. Likewise there seem to be fewer orbwebs and the like about than last year.
My expedition on Sunday night though, did catch a couple of spiders out. (One of the rationales for this trip was to use a Metz M28 flash in conjunction with the macro-flash. I'm trying to find an easy way to throw light into the background as well as the foreground around the subject).
Anyway, assuming you like spiders.
#1- The Deadly Embrace
#2- Surprise
While I’m locked in the world of reports … Feb 11
No CommentsWhile I'm locked in the world of reports and papers on elephant ivory, I thought another diversion with tigers might be a good break.
This is of a white tiger. Which I suppose doesn't really need a lot of explanation. Once again, it's a snap taken with my Nex-5 so, not an action shot. The slower CADF focusing mechanism and a budget telephoto lens, just doesn't work as a wildlife-photography rig. 
A tiger diversion Feb 01
No CommentsThe expedition to China was almost entirely focused on the trade in elephant ivory. This followed from the 2006 decision by the government to treat ivory carving as an intangible cultural asset, and the 2008 sale of ivory to China from Africa.
Not all the time was spent on ivory. We managed to squeeze in a short expedition to look at Siberian tigers (lao hu). China's northern most province (Heilong Jiang) reaches into the Siberian geographical region. And at -25 to -30 C, the evidence is very obvious.
Having the right contacts does make it easier. The -25 C temperatures though, add back some challenge :). Here's a couple of pics from the trip.
"Old Tiger"
"On Ice"
For those curious about the gear, these were actually taken with my Nex-5 rather than an SLR kit.
A natural Red Dawn Jan 11
No CommentsOne of the special sights the early morning photographer is sometimes privy to, is alpenglow. This occurs when the sun is still below the horizon, but its rays are able to reflect off appropriate surfaces. often this means snowy mountains. These white slopes are good at reflecting such pre-Dawn light. The more common mountainous source is where the term alpenglow comes from.
You can also get this effect in other conditions. Sometimes if the cloud cover is finely and thinly distributed, and the sea is still, you can see this on the Hauraki Gulf too. This shot was taken at Waiake Beach on the East Coast Bays. The volcanic looking island to the right, is the volcanic Rangitoto Island. 
Link to larger image
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The Snare:Tetragnathid Spider Jan 10
No CommentsOne of the types of spiders that builds orbwebs, are not true orbweb spiders (Araneids). Their webs are often aligned horizontally rather than vertically. The spider also much larger jaws (chelicerae) than orbweb spiders. These spiders are the tetragnathids.
One of the most common of these spiders is the indigenous Leucauge dromedaria. This spider is native to both NZ and Australia, and I've been trying to get a photo I like of it for a while.
One of the problems is getting close enough as it sits in the web, to actually fill the frame. I use a microscope adapter on my macro lens to increase the magnification, but this also means I have to get much closer. So any spiders in a large web, usually run off as I hit a warning thread. While I can crop the image later instead, that can leave a photo too small to print.
The other problem is that the air has to be quite still. These spiders make their snares in more open or exposed settings and even a very gentle breeze can add a motion blur to the final image. So, you need a very still day to work with.
You also benefit from an overcast day. The problem is that this spider has a conspicuous silver abdomen. That makes it easy to cause highlight 'blowout' of detail.
So this is a non-cropped shot, taken on an overcast and very still day, in a spider that has made a relatively small web. The other detail I like has been the very light recent rain, that has left tiny droplets in the web.
"The Snare"
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The other thing about this shot is that everything is on manual settings. The exposure has been set manually. The flash has been set manually (one flash head directed at background at high power). And the focus was all done manually. It's a very 'old school' pic :)
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Black-and-white Rata Jan 09
No CommentsWith the way the rata's trunk twists, along with the textures of the bark, this is the sort of tree that seems to suit a black-and-white interpretation. The effect is almost gothic.
Ratas are a mainland forest species that is also, highly palatable to the invasive possum. Their bright red flowers are unusually conspicuous in the more normal 'wall of green' vegetation that characterises NZ bush.
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The Embrace Jan 01
No CommentsThe reason for all those cicadas singing at the moment is of course, that it is time to make even more cicadas. This shot is a pair of cicadas embraced in a passionate moment. The larger of the two is the male. It's a very educational moment :)
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