How to Shoot: SpectroMagic

[Wingman]

Here are a few of mine. What is it for you that will change this year for getting good shots?

The Equipment

 

[10dedfish]

Good luck with the parade wingman. I have had only moderate success with the parade as well, but its mostly due to my cameras. And, as every red blooded male knows, you always need a good wingman!!!

10ded

 

[handicap18]

The Equipment

Are you going to leave us in suspense?

What were you using and what are you now using?

 

[Wingman]

Are you going to leave us in suspense?

What were you using and what are you now using?

Well, the past 5 years I have tried with my Canon Powershot A80 which has been passed down to my daughter now. This time I come armed with a Canon XTI, a fast 50mm and 8 months of learning and practice.

I also have a built in excuse to buy a new lens for next year if I blow it this year. Seems like win/win to me.

Care to share your set up and camera settings?

 

[Wingman]

And, as every red blooded male knows, you always need a good wingman!!!

Well, you need atleast one.

Where are your shots?

 

[J3nn78]

From April 08. Im going again next week, can't wait.

 

[Groucho]

This is an old thread with a lot of good SpectroMagic information, also.

I have seen at least one or two long-exposure Spectro shots but it's been a couple years. I tried one on my Jan 06 trip and was unhappy enough that I haven't tried it again since! I will probably try again sometime. The spinning floats may work best for such a photo.

As for metering... IMHO, it depends on the look you're going for. My best shots have been ones where I've added some positive exposure compensation, otherwise you tend to get good lights but a lot of darkness. I prefer to risk having the lights slightly blown out in order to capture more detail in the darker areas. This has worked quite well for seeing the performers themselves well without "revealing" too much that you're not supposed to see.

 

[Groucho]

Ahh, if only it were as easy as just buying more equipment.

Mark just started a Spectro thread, perhaps some of the talk should go over there... but really it's also important to set your camera up correctly, and maybe experiment with different modes to decide which works best. I would probably lean toward shutter priority, but your focal length may affect what speed you can get away with.

Regardless, it's definitely something that takes a bit of practice and experimenting. I've seen a lot of Spectro shots on here and honestly, very, very few of them are really what I would consider "great" shots (no offense to anyone!) - and yes, I most definitely feel the same way about my own shots! Even if they turn out well on a technical level (and that's tough enough, no matter what equipment you have), they are very rarely interesting photos. That may be one of my challenges for my next trip, try to come up with a way to make a few really interesting photos of things that are difficult to shoot at all. I'll probably fail miserably, but what the heck.

 

[JR6ooo4]

all shot with a rebel XT and the canon 50mm f1.8

and my favorite

ap priority
ISO 1600
and a negative exposure of 1/3 resulted in a 1/400 shutter

Mikeeee

 

[10dedfish]

All right Wingman,

You asked for some of my shots. These are the two best out of several shots I tried. That doesnt mean that these are good, only that they were the best out of a not so great poole. My wife and I walked up on the parade during our 15 anniversary/honeymoon trip.

I am hoping to learn more prior to my next trip (which is tbd)


10ded

 

[Mckymousefn]

A tripod of some sort (garbage can, ect) would also help... correct? I know i don't have hands that are still enough.

 

[RBennett]

I would recommend a tripod or something, but if you're shutter speed isn't going to be that quick then you might want to brush up on your panning skills.

 

[Gdad]

One interesting shot that I've never seen of this parade is a very long exposure shot. It would be fun to take some shots with the camera on a tripod that last 5 to 20 seconds. The lights on the parade would make an interesting abstract pattern.

THAT is brilliant my friend. From the train station platform looking down Main St. would be perfect.

 

[handicap18]

A tripod wont help.

Keep in mind that your photographing a moving subject in very low light. Since you want to keep the subject still in your photo you need a shutter speed of probably at least 1/60th. To get this you need to have a lens that has a VERY wide aperture, ie: f/1.8 or f/1.4 and combine it with a high ISO like 1600. I used the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 lens wide open. When the floats were in thier colored light mode the shutter speeds were between 1/40th and 1/80th. When the floats were in their white light mode, the shutter speeds were higher, upwards of 1/200th. If you end up with a shutter speed of less than 1/60th or so you'll get a blurred image due to the movement of the floats. Because of this, a tripod wont help.

You can use a flash, but the extra light from the flash will wash out much of the pretty colors the floats offer. Also most flashes on digital camera's only give off enough light to go 8-12 feet at best. The further away you are the less light the subject will get.

Another thing is that because of the low light, many camera's will have a harder time locking in on focus so you may miss some shots too.

 

[J3nn78]

Regardless, it's definitely something that takes a bit of practice and experimenting. I've seen a lot of Spectro shots on here and honestly, very, very few of them are really what I would consider "great" shots (no offense to anyone!) - and yes, I most definitely feel the same way about my own shots! Even if they turn out well on a technical level (and that's tough enough, no matter what equipment you have), they are very rarely interesting photos. That may be one of my challenges for my next trip, try to come up with a way to make a few really interesting photos of things that are difficult to shoot at all. I'll probably fail miserably, but what the heck.

Spectro also has the challenge of finding a position that allows some variety in perspective. One thing I think makes it hard is being generally "stuck" at a single distance unless you want to run out onto mainstreet. I too want to really look at how to get a DIFFERENT shot during spectromagic, more than I want to get a "correct" shot of the same old same old.

 

[clearskies]

Wingman

You should be able to get some good shots. When I went , I had the previous model of your camera. I didn't use my "fast" 50mm and instead opted for a 24-70 f/2.8 lens since I wanted to be able to zoom in and out.
Though it may not have been necessary, I used a monopod for a little extra stability. Overall, though I have seen better, I was pleased with the results for my first attempt. I saw a shot posted by someone where the lit castle was in the background that I thought was a very nice shot. If you can find a spot like that, it could add to the picture.

Post processing, especially noise reduction will definitely help.

f/3.2 1/100 sec ISO 1600

f/3.5 1/50 sec ISO 1600

f/2.8 1/125 ISO 1600

f/2.8 1/200 ISO 1600

f/2.8 1/200 ISO 1600

 

[Groucho]

Spectro also has the challenge of finding a position that allows some variety in perspective. One thing I think makes it hard is being generally "stuck" at a single distance unless you want to run out onto mainstreet. I too want to really look at how to get a DIFFERENT shot during spectromagic, more than I want to get a "correct" shot of the same old same old.

Exactly what I'm thinking. Myself, I've never seen the parade anywhere but on Main St, and then usually by the loop by the train station. Another location may work better, I think one thing that may be interesting, too, is a high-focal-length shot, which is only really possible from a few locations. The downside to that is I'd want a very fast lens like that, and my fastest/longest lens is my 50mm F1.4. I'd love an 85mm F1.4 but they go for big money used, and the 77mm F1.8 is very nice but I just haven't justified that purchase yet.

I did almost convince myself to pick up a Jupiter 9 a couple days ago, which is a Russian-made 85mm F2.0 that's a Zeiss copy, but just couldn't justify it!

 

[MHolleman]

Here are my favorites shots that I got from this one. Not great shots, but they are the best of my first attempt at this one.

 

[handicap18]

Exactly what I'm thinking. Myself, I've never seen the parade anywhere but on Main St, and then usually by the loop by the train station. Another location may work better, I think one thing that may be interesting, too, is a high-focal-length shot, which is only really possible from a few locations. The downside to that is I'd want a very fast lens like that, and my fastest/longest lens is my 50mm F1.4. I'd love an 85mm F1.4 but they go for big money used, and the 77mm F1.8 is very nice but I just haven't justified that purchase yet.

I did almost convince myself to pick up a Jupiter 9 a couple days ago, which is a Russian-made 85mm F2.0 that's a Zeiss copy, but just couldn't justify it!

Cameralensrentals.com rents Pentax lenses. They have the 77mm f/1.8 in their lineup. $96 for 3 weeks. $70 for 2 weeks. They also have the 100mm f/2.8 for $57 for 3 weeks.

Something to think about.

 

[Groucho]

Cameralensrentals.com rents Pentax lenses. They have the 77mm f/1.8 in their lineup. $96 for 3 weeks. $70 for 2 weeks. They also have the 100mm f/2.8 for $57 for 3 weeks.

Something to think about.

I dunno, that's still a good-sized chunk of money that I'd hate to part with for only a short-term use of a lens. I have no doubt that I'd want one, but I've never been one to rent instead of buy. (You should see my DVD collection - in the early days, I had more than most stores did. ) The 100mm doesn't interest me as it's a macro lens and I already have my 105mm macro, it's manual focus but that's fine for macro and it's probably a better overall lens. No doubt the OEM one is great but the Kiron-built 105mm 1:1 macro lens like I've got is one of the finest macros ever by most accounts. Fortunately I got mine before word really got out and prices quickly doubled on them!