BajaNomad

Ensenada

WideAngleWandering - 8-19-2012 at 09:50 AM

While I'm hanging out in Ensenada with el broken axle, I've been experimenting with my newfangled digital camera (Sony NEX5) combined with my old Canon manual focus lenses.

Freelensing Ensenada Ships


[Edited on 2012-8-19 by WideAngleWandering]

WideAngleWandering - 8-19-2012 at 09:52 AM

Ensenada Ships at Night

WideAngleWandering - 8-19-2012 at 09:55 AM

Ensenada Sunset


[Edited on 2012-8-19 by WideAngleWandering]

DENNIS - 8-19-2012 at 10:12 AM

Nice........
How about some expementals inside Anthony's? :yes:

WideAngleWandering - 8-19-2012 at 10:29 AM

Something tells me I'd be tossed on my ass if I set up a tripod and and started shooting that scenery.

Ateo - 8-19-2012 at 12:39 PM

My favorite is Ensenada Ships at Night.

WideAngleWandering - 8-19-2012 at 12:46 PM

Thank you kindly.

Here's a couple more from yesterday.

Farmacia


Hole


[Edited on 2012-8-19 by WideAngleWandering]

WideAngleWandering - 8-23-2012 at 06:26 PM

Once the clouds rolled in I thought I'd try some more night shots under the new light.

Ensenada Marina and Sky


Canival

David K - 8-23-2012 at 06:29 PM

NICE!:cool:

WideAngleWandering - 8-23-2012 at 06:44 PM

Thanks. I'll pretend that was a request for one more :)

Ensenada Marina

WideAngleWandering - 9-4-2012 at 09:55 PM

The security dweebs on the malecon told me I couldn't take photos anymore. I argued for a moment but it wasn't going anywhere. They said my photos were "too serious" and therefore "prohibited". While they were discussing me on their walkie talkies I grabbed my gear and walked off, figuring they didn't care enough to follow me.

Tomorrow I'll be back ...


Forbidden Cargo by WideAngleWandering, on Flickr

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 12:17 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
The security dweebs on the malecon told me I couldn't take photos anymore. I argued for a moment but it wasn't going anywhere. They said my photos were "too serious" and therefore "prohibited".


I don't get it. What were you shooting, and who were the security people?

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 12:24 AM

The cargo ship above.

The security dweebs are the folks walking around the malécon in reflective vests. I see them out there from time to time but it was too dark to read their insignia.

They looked like private port security guards.

This sort of thing happens fairly often in the states where various authority and pseudo-authority figures think photographing stuff is a sign of OMG TERRAR and wrongly think they have any authority to stop the photographer.

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 12:36 AM

You should take this to the department of tourism....just for laughs anyway. It is over-the-line absurd.

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 12:37 AM

If there is anybody I can complain to I will happily devote 20 minutes of my life to raising a stink.

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 12:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
If there is anybody I can complain to I will happily devote 20 minutes of my life to raising a stink.

Probably no one who really matters or cares, but if you put together a story explaining your indignation, such as these restrictions bringing to a sudden stop your plans to organize an international symposium for night photography that promised to draw thousands of afficianados to Ensenada for a couple of weeks,....it might ruin someone's day.
Wouldn't that be fun.

Another issue...it's long been known that most drugs transiting the area to points north are moving in containers.
Just a thought.

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 12:51 AM

Well, if the sky looks promising I'll be back out there tomorrow and I'll try and get a better look at their uniforms.

As long as they appear to have no arresting authority I'll take their photos and ask for their names. Then we'll really find out how much they care about photography.

bajaguy - 9-5-2012 at 07:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
If there is anybody I can complain to I will happily devote 20 minutes of my life to raising a stink.





Mr Xavier Rivas,
Director of Tourism and International Relations
Municipality of Ensenada
xavier@rivas.com

Sub Official Luis Alberto Tolosa Espinoza
Director of Policia y Transito
Municipality of Ensenada
(646)176-4343, extension 2707
9th and Espinosa, Ensenada, BC

[Edited on 9-5-2012 by bajaguy]

shari - 9-5-2012 at 07:19 AM

I LOVE the last one you posted...you are getting really good at night port portraits...practise makes perfect! How long are you going to be stuck in Ensenada? My daughter Sirena is there now and would be fun to hang with her a bit...she can show you some secret spots!

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 08:36 AM

Thank you - appreciate the kind thoughts.

I gave up on the upgraded parts I ordered from the states and instead ordered a junkyard axle. It should be here today (waiting to hear from Monchie) in which case I'll be on the road tomorrow, but, like everything in México, vamos a ver. I'll U2U my contact info.

[Edited on 2012-9-5 by WideAngleWandering]

David K - 9-5-2012 at 09:44 AM

Great photo... color reflections in water really dramatic to see.

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 09:51 AM

Thanks. I'm trying to learn a new way of metering exposure (using a sekonic spot meter). I think at that point I had given up and gone back to guessing and using the in-camera meter.

Geekery:
Exposed for 30 seconds (to get smooth reflections on the water) at f16 (for the starry points) on ISO 200 (lowest noise), focused on the ship.

I imported the RAW file into UFRAW and adjusted the exposure down about 1/4 and enabled color smearing to handle any noise in the shadows. In GIMP I gave it a slight s-curve to blacken some of the orange in the sky/water. I then dodged the name on the ship a little bit to bring back the tones lost in the s-curve.

Aside from the dodging, that bit of post-processing takes about 10 minutes and makes all the difference. Always shoot raw! :)

The only thing I definitely wish I'd done differently is brought a better tripod. This could have been sharper but my good tripod is in Punta Banda.

[Edited on 2012-9-5 by WideAngleWandering]

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 10:34 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
Thanks. I'm trying to learn a new way of metering exposure (using a sekonic spot meter). I think at that point I had given up and gone back to guessing and using the in-camera meter.



Pretty much impossible without light.

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 10:37 AM

Probably - I should have a list of tables in my head for situations like this.

I was trying to to meter the reflections in the water and then open up a couple stops (like I would for shooting landscape slides) but even the 1 degree spot meter couldn't land right on the narrow reflections ... but it's probably not the right technique anyway as you said.

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 11:51 AM

Just rely on the scientific method of "Poke and Hope"....kinda like shooting bank shots in pool.

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 01:42 PM

That works great when shooting digital but I hate wasting so much film :) I bracket the tricky shots but my fail rate is still a bit higher than I like. Here's hoping the Sekonic improves that ...

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 01:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
That works great when shooting digital but I hate wasting so much film :) I bracket the tricky shots but my fail rate is still a bit higher than I like. Here's hoping the Sekonic improves that ...


Film?? I know what you mean. I can't get away from it either.
I'm starting a new adventure....4x5 B/W with proper filtration....then scan the negs to digital. Trying to do away with the enlarger.
With B/W I use a spot meter religously.

WideAngleWandering - 9-5-2012 at 02:02 PM

That's the next step I want to take - 4x5 or larger - oh the details - but I've been holding off until I feel more confident with 35mm. It's much cheaper to waste.

I scan my negatives & slides (Nikon CoolScan 35mm scanner) and treat the computer like a digital darkroom.

If you happen to actually be in Punta Banda, maybe I can swing by and buy you a beer in exchange for some exposure advice ... faster and more entertaining than waiting for people to respond to my various forum posts on APUG and photo.net.

DENNIS - 9-5-2012 at 02:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by WideAngleWandering
That's the next step I want to take - 4x5 or larger -


4x5 is a good choice. Most accessories are made for that size camera.

I just saw that Kodak is selling their film division. I like T-Max.

I'm headin out for a while, but I'll get back to you.

WideAngleWandering - 9-12-2012 at 09:27 PM

Punta Banda:


Punta Banda by WideAngleWandering, on Flickr


Clouds over Punta Banda by WideAngleWandering, on Flickr