Some Pics from this week!

[Chikabowa]

Just back at 11pm last night! These are just a few that I pulled off cards this morning. I've got sooooooo much to catch up on here at home that I doubt I'll get to proofing pictures for a couple of weeks. But I wanted to share these at the very least.

Spectro last Thursday evening.

Illuminations last Friday evening (we got our spot an hour 15 prior and STILL didn't get a prime spot. And the park wasn't even full!!!)

Little Mermaid on Saturday

Before opening on Monday

Tuesday morning (My 3 year old's first right on BTM!! For the record... she loved it!)

This is kind of pathetic... but a TOTAL grab shot. I just held my camera up in the air, pointed behind me, and snapped. Not bad!! LOL!! It's a little crooked... but whatever. Tuesday night after the rain and during MNSSHP.

Hallo-Wishes on Tuesday night.

 

[Pugrpooh]

Beautiful shots! We leave in a week and my challenge this trip is to take a lot of different kinds of shots. I have so many of the standard castle pics, etc. that I've got to force myself to look at things in a different way.

Love your first shot of Spectro!

 

[annnewjerz]

Very nice work, as always, Susan. Love the Spectro shot the most, but the morning monorail shot is a close second.

Hope to see more in the upcoming weeks!

 

[Steve's Girl]

Very nice! I'll be eagerly awaiting more!

 

[My2Girls66]

Beautiful!!

 

[YesDear]

Great pictures. You might get good one day with a little practice and some quality equipment!!!!
Spectro was my favorite as well!

 

[Quicklabs]

Oh, you are ROCKING that D-3! Great shots!

 

[Evad]

Great shots!!! Love the Spectro and the mermaid shot!!

 

[Chikabowa]

Thanks everyone!
I should mention... All these shots (with the exception of the monorail shot) were all taken with my 24-70. I did a client honeymoon session inside the park on Monday morning (shhh.... don't tell anyone...) and I used my 70-200 on that one exception. But otherwise, it was so hot that I had no interest in hauling a bunch of stuff with me. So I stuck that lens on, put an extra memory card in the stroller, and went into the park. Sometimes it's fun just to use one lens and make it all work!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Beautiful shots! You're so talented!

 

[Gretchasketch]

These are amazing! How do you get such crisp shots? I just got a new lens (canon f 1.8 50mm) and I'm hoping I'll be able to get better night shots but I struggle. Any tips for taking pictures at night?

 

[KarenAylwood]

Thanks everyone!
I should mention... All these shots (with the exception of the monorail shot) were all taken with my 24-70. I did a client honeymoon session inside the park on Monday morning (shhh.... don't tell anyone...) and I used my 70-200 on that one exception. But otherwise, it was so hot that I had no interest in hauling a bunch of stuff with me. So I stuck that lens on, put an extra memory card in the stroller, and went into the park. Sometimes it's fun just to use one lens and make it all work!

Grrrrr. You had to say that didn't you?

I'm currently debating between the 24-70 and the 24-105 and keep waffling back and forth!! I'm saving up (and buying the Tokina 11-16 first) so I've got some more time, but these pics definitely give me another argument for the 24-70!! Do you find the lack of image stabilization or the weight a problem/burden?

 

[Gretchasketch]

I am also looking to get a 24-70mm soon and would love your thoughts!

 

[Chikabowa]

How do you get such crisp shots? I just got a new lens (canon f 1.8 50mm) and I'm hoping I'll be able to get better night shots but I struggle. Any tips for taking pictures at night?

Couple of things... I pick my own focus points. This alone solves a lot of the 'crispness' issue. I shoot in manual exposure 100% of the time, which allows me to pick my exposures, which also helps with the crisp look. When you dial in a good exposure, it solves a TON of issues.

I will tell you though... I do have the luxury of having an extended ISO range camera that has very low-noise factors. Both the spectro and ariel pictures were taken at ISO 2500 and are straight out of camera with only a resize/watermark/sharpen for web. All the rest are taken at ISO 200. Only the BTMR and the monorail pic had a little post process on them (some burning), otherwise the rest are all straight out of camera with, again, resize/watermark/sharpen for web.

Do you find the lack of image stabilization or the weight a problem/burden?

No I don't. I have a REALLY steady hand though... I can take my D3 + 24-70 + SB800 + Pocket Wizard down to 1/13 of a second before I get camera shake. Most of the time, my issue isn't that I can't hold steady, but more that my subject can't hold steady!

However, I'm really practiced in carrying around my equipment, which makes a huge difference. So to me, traveling light = just a D3 + 24-70 w/ an extra memory card in my pocket.

I am also looking to get a 24-70mm soon and would love your thoughts!

I have a Love/Hate relationship with this lens. It's a workhorse for me. I use it all.the.time. It's just got that perfect focal length and honestly it's a great lens. However.... I am just not a wide-angle kind of person - and this one isn't really even considered a wide angle lens!! While I'm learning to embrace the wide-angle distortion look, it still isn't my favorite and probably never will be. I would shoot 100% of my work with a 70-200 if it was practical... but it's not... so I live with the 24-70 when needed.

However, it's fast to focus, great focal length, reliable and durable. It's a must-have in a good lens arsenal.

 

[YesDear]

What Susan is so aptly displaying is what practice, practice, practice and more practice will get you. Photography is also her career not a hobby and she is very good at it. We are lucky she is willing to share with us!