Paris in color

Well, I didn't really plan on doing this when I typed the last paragraph of my previous post, offering more images from Spain. I had already planned on traveling to Paris this summer (it's our 25th anniversary after all), but instead of packing my puny Fuji X-Pro 1 as I had initially considered, I chose the Nikon D700 in the last minute.  This is a city worth the pain of carrying a large rig, just to get the images I want, as opposed to capturing images that will leave me unsatisfied.  So, without further ado, here are some early testimonies of my travels with my Nikon D700 (this time, with the AF-S 24-120 VR f4 beast... just as beastly as the AF-S 24-70 f2.8 I have, but with a bit more reach).

Icon of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, in front of the Trocadero Palace.
 

Here comes another view, this time including the Pont de Iena.
 

Upon arriving to the Hotel de Ville...

I spotted this young lady and decided to try my lens at its longest.  See the result:

From the Hotel de Ville en route to Notre Dame I decided to photograph La Conciergerie. 

Waiting in line to enter Notre Dame... and here are its magnificent bell towers (with 2/3 overexposure).

I admit my shots aren't even postcard quality, but then, I don't pretend to sell them either.  My intention is to capture what I see as quirky, unique and singular in this beautiful city... things like the two ladies below, who were taking each other's photographs in front of the church.

That was a long walk for me (not for the family, their feet are made for walking), but fortunately it wasn't fruitless.  I continued with them to the Quartier Latin (home of the Sorbonne), in which streets and store fronts have a unique look to them.

This is the Rue Galande.

Store in Rue St Julien Le Pauvre.

Man in front of the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore.

That's all, folks, for now!  I promise to return soon with more images.  In the meanwhile, let's add a touch of class... 

Classy Parisian lady walks her bicycle on the Pont Au Double.

Cafe Concert!

While in Toledo, Spain, we visited several spots in the city and found one we became very fond of: the Plaza de San Justo.  

There is a beautiful atmosphere about the place, perhaps because it's right at the foot of San Justo's church.

In this particular spot there's a place called "Café Virtudes", where there's live music (they have a calendar and this website).  Here's an informal view...

In July 2016, while we were still in Toledo, they had a live concert with an Argentine tango singer.  Some view it was... under the beautiful night of Spain (boy, that sounds corny!). 

The stage lights added a touch to the evening.

 

The nicest thing is that there wasn't a stage, properly speaking, but rather the whole area near the cafe was the stage.

The attentive audience...  good food, good drinks, good music... what else can one ask for?

On our way back home we encountered another event: a rock concert.

 

It wasn't nearly half as good as the other... but, again, it speaks of the active cultural life in Toledo.  The best part of the evening was walking right under this landmark.

The "Arco de la catedral", which actually joins two different buildings (the Cardinal's palace and the cathedral, I believe), is a landmark and give a great view of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.  But at nights it can be a very discreet, charming and yet intriguing spot. 

I will return with images of a completely different nature, always from Spain.

Toledo, Spain, summer of 2016

New photographs from Toledo, Spain, including musicians, artisans, people walking the streets, and the streets themselves.  Let's see something from my this visit.

Smoking man in "Calle del Hombre de Palo."

In the "Solarejo" bar.

On the "Calle del Hombre de Palo" at night.

Door in the Jewish neighborhood.

Tourists admiring an artisan at work.

Lute player from the "Grupo Z" playing in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento.  He happened to be part of a group of Greek music, performing that evening...

... Along with this accordion player (algo Greek)...

... and this young lady, who was their singer, and came all the way...

... from Cyprus!!  But they loved her, and it showed.

On July 22 there was a tango concert at the café "Virtudes."  I'll post some photographs later.  I also will return with more Nikon D700 images from Madrid, Toledo, Salamanca or Avila (all of these places in Spain), or fresh off the Cornfest in DeKalb (which is coming up), there will be more stuff to talk about here.  

Musicians

I'm back... with musicians under different light conditions! These images were all done in May 2016 in DeKalb, with my D700 and 24-70 f2.8 lens.  No flash (of course!) and at ISO 6400.  I concentrated on composition mostly, thinking of getting a photograph that I'd like to see as a CD cover.  The performers are a good, local band, the Barb City Stompers, known for their repertoire of jazz and dixie and bluesy numbers. They're extraordinary performers and very well esteemed in this community.

I think I switched the image from FX to DX for this shot. It was the only way to get the framing I wanted.

Same here: I went from FX to DX.  Something one can only do with an FX body!

I like the effect of the dead space and the positioning of the player here. Not only is it unusual, it creates a contrast between the background and the idea of the music the player is performing. At least, that's what it does to me.

I will come back with another set of photographs from the Barb City Stompers... under very different lighting conditions.  In the meanwhile, let me get my newer Toledo shots ready too!

Sports Ain't Easy!

On November 6th 2015, we all attended a volleyball game at the Convocation Center of Northern Illinois University (where I teach). There was a game: home vs. U of Toledo (OH). Our reason was that my wife (also a professor) was going to get an award at the half-time ceremony.  Not one of us had attended a game, even though we had played volleyball in our lives, so we went and I discovered that shooting sports is twice as hard... no, three times harder than I thought.

First, when one has no choice in seating, there's the problem of location.  Then, when exactly should one shoot?  Ball in the air, ball in the hands of a player, being hit, on the floor?  And, finally (to get technical... it had to happen), when and how does one focus?  On the darn ball?  On the players?

Fortunately, I let the camera make two choices: exposure and white balance (although, in the end, I decided that in the future I'll check with Live View first about the white balance).  The problem I ended up having was composition.  See for yourself...

 Where is the ball?

Isn't that a desk in the lower left corner?  When did that happen?

Half volleyball in the air...

Well... I guess there's only so much one can do with an AF 24-120 that has been cropped to show only a frame the size of an APS sensor.  But then, not everything was that bad.  At least I took some moderately decent photographs... See below.

 This is a fait accompli and the point was scored.

 And the ball in the air, right in the middle...

I really liked the two pairs of hands up in the air... and far, far away from the volleyball!

So, I learned to be happy with my results... and that I'm not in any way, a sports photographer.  How can one show the excitement of the game in one or two shots?  I guess sports shooters already know how to get their images... and, if it's not them, their editors know what to pick.  In any event, we enjoyed the evening so much we're planning on returning...

And I'll be there, with my camera and lens.  

Coming soon... Snow!!  We had lots last weekend, but I wasn't going to step out and shoot icicles like I've done in the past.  No... I have something nicer... but it's still in the card.  So long!

Fairs and festivals

The midwest (where I live) is rich in local festivals and fairs, so, considering this fact, here are some illustrations of the one that takes place in my town, DeKalb, Illinois.

It's called the Cornfest.

Photobomb attempt.  In the end, she knew I was photographing her not by accident.

Two men running a food stand were making a small fortune thanks to their idea of posting their dishes in front of their window... and that was real food, not plastic imitations. See them on the right edge of the frame.

I always have liked this sign, and it looked even more cheerful against the background of the beautiful dusk sky. 

People checking out the Cornfest, walking about, hanging out... 

One ride I'd like to do: the Freak-Out.  Looks interesting... 

I will return with more photographs from other festivals, and, if I can, with the result of more experiments and other hints I may find in the vast Menu files of this camera.  Granted, it may be a few generations behind, but that doesn't mean it has to disappear.  Lots of people are still using their D700 bodies through their paces, so... let's keep it going!

Christmas Past...

I have had this camera for a long time.  So long it's been "replaced" by several newer models, like the D800, the D600, the D610 and the D750.  All of them are heavy shooters, high caliber contenders, big MP guns... but nowhere near the practicality of the D700.

Given that I've had my D700 for about six years (starting in November 2008), I think it's only fair to celebrate one more year with a look backwards.  Hence, let's go to Christmas past!

Ben, gazing at the Christmas tree, December 2008

Christmas tree decorations, December 2009.  Some things just never change...

Alley in between two buildings in DeKalb, IL (Dec 2010)

View from a hill in Valparaíso, Chile, on December 2011.

Waterman Christmas Train arriving in the station.  December 2012.

I wasn't too active in 2013, so this is a later view of some deer (center, very small) in our street in DeKalb in March 2013.

There are some photographs from this month stored somewhere in the future... and I hope to have a few images worth sharing.  In the meanwhile, let's enjoy the weather, the music and the food this holidays offer, and let's not forget to make some memories on photographic media... Merry Christmas to all!