Lately, I've been experimenting a lot more with long exposures. Whether it's capturing scenic landscapes or city shots, the anticipation of hearing the click of the shutter and seeing the final product is exhilarating. Last night I attended the Sacramento Kings vs Los Angeles Lakers game at the new Golden 1 Center. Despite my Kings loss, I was pleased with the photos I walked away with. Below you will see some of the shots and the gradual setting changes I made to get the final photo. I decided to use my Sony Alpha a6000 because it is more compact than my Canon and delivers great quality. Unfortunately, security does not permit tripods so I settled with resting the Sony on some rails outside the arena. If you grew up in Sacramento like I did, you already know the importance around the arena and what it means to the city. My goal was to capture the beauty of the new building while also getting some of the old skyline in the background. The lighting added some nice accents to the photo and the bustling crowd shows the city's life.
Before I end this post, I wanted to say thank you to all of our veterans for their time in service and I hope you all have a great weekend ahead. Until next time... Leave a comment | Follow @shotarchives | Email miyasaki@shotarchives.com
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Last week I mentioned I would be heading to the Bay Area for a spontaneous weekend of shooting, but soon after my plans changed. Saturday, I was asked to shoot a fundraiser event at Whitney Oaks Golf Course in Rocklin, CA, and so I brought along my girlfriend Vanessa (pictured above). I jokingly introduce her as my assistant because the more she has come with me to these events, the more enjoyable the process has become. Most of the time I'm using her as a model to get my settings just right, but this time she also got to be my golf cart driver. And keep in mind, this golf cart was tricked out with all the bells and whistles. Basically this shoot involved her driving us up and down the golf course while I snapped shots of the golfers and scenery. The photos came out great and was a nice mixture of group and scenic shots. I really enjoy shooting in the outdoors because it gives me a chance to mess with the lighting to get some really crisp and dramatic effects. Lighting can be your best friend or worst enemy until you learn to embrace it.
Sunday I was on my own and had some time to kill during sunset. I drove over to Clarksburg and posted up along a river bank not too far from one of the commuter bridges. Honestly, the Sacramento River is kind of nasty. It flows with murky water, floats with litter, and it doesn't smell the best. Nonetheless, I wanted to get some long exposure shots of the area because it contains some of my favorite elements to capture: water, clouds, and architecture. In the second photo above, you'll see all three of these elements. I waited on the river bank for about 45 minutes for the sun to go down. Settings [ISO 100 | 19mm | f/22.0 | 13sec] I sacrificed my legs to some bug bites, but after some quick editing was pleased with the final result. In the photo, I had to time the cars on the bridge to get some clean light trails and liked the reflection on the water below. I also liked how the water in the forefront stayed clear while the water in the background has that glazed effect. Combined, all the elements helped to bring different aspects to the photo. The third photo above was facing away from the bridge where the sunlight was more prominent. Settings [ISO 100 | 18mm | f/22.0 | 0.6sec] My main goal was to capture the wake of a boat passing by and get that nice blur effect on the shoreline. I increased the saturation of the yellows and oranges, and it helped create the warm final product. I'll be sure to show before and afters and even some of the setups I use to get my shots in future posts. In both river photos I had forgotten to bring a tripod so I found a nice sturdy rock to place my Canon on, which I don't recommend for obvious reasons. All in all, this weekend was great practice and produced some great results. Whether it was speeding down the front nine of a golf course snapping shots at noon or chilling by a river bank for 45 minutes at sunset, I enjoyed both experiences. I encourage all of you to keep experimenting and push yourself to create. Tonight I'll be attending a Sacramento Kings game and will be bringing my Sony a6000. The Sony a6000 is a small mirror less camera with removable lenses. I'm not sure if the venue allows for the public to bring removable lens cameras in so the a6000 let's me fly under the radar. Until next time... Leave a comment | Follow @shotarchives | Email miyasaki@shotarchives.com What are your plans this weekend? I hope it involves clearing your head and creating. Typically throughout the week I am thinking of new projects and locations to visit. This weekend I'll be headed to the Bay Area to capture some Golden Gate shots and whatever spontaneous nonsense my girlfriend and I get lost in. I'm looking forward to it.
As Shot Archives continues to evolve and gain exposure, I want it to serve as a platform for my fellow photographers, videographers, and graphic designers. Please tag @shotarchives or #shotarchives for a feature. I know, I know, it sounds like most social media accounts today that feature others work, but let's take it one step further. Behind each shot, video, or piece of work is a story that is unique to its creator. Be sure to let us know your inspiration, your equipment, and any other details you'd like to share. TGIF. Now go out there and create. It's a beautiful thing. Stay tuned for my photos coming up. Leave a comment | Follow @shotarchives | Email miyasaki@shotarchives.com |
AuthorBrandon Miyasaki Archives
December 2016
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