Telephoto or Wide-angle Lens?

 
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 6400, ƒ/6.3, 1/100

Should you use a Telephoto lens or a Wide-Angle lens? Well, that all depends.

Here I walked across the street and up a small hill and shot back at all the First 100 Campers sleeping over the night in the parking lot for the Grand Opening of Chick-fil-A at Northeast 8th Street in Bellevue, Washington. The First 100 get free Chick-fil-A for a year.

I did a great job showing the campers in front of the store.

 
Nikon D4, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 9000, ƒ/8, 1/100

Here I walked a lot closer and shot it with the 14-24mm at 14mm to emphasize all the tents in the parking lot.

Which photo is better?

Well, that all depends on what you are trying to say. I am covering this story because Chick-fil-A is just now with this Grand Opening getting into the Seattle, Washington market.

I think the first photo shows the city of Bellevue and even the corporate offices of Microsoft just next door to Chick-fil-A. The lower photo could almost be shot anywhere because the emphasis is more about what is the same at the grand openings–tents in parking lots.

Now, if I only needed one photo, I would shoot the top photo, but I am a seasoned journalist and know to cover it completely, so I shoot them all and even more angles. Getting a variety of angles is critical when you are telling the story. The array of photos is especially true in multimedia, where you may show both with other images in a series. For example, you may talk about the campers and how this is in the city of Bellevue.

The question is not just which is best, but why not shoot both and then decide later as you figure out what you want to say? Maybe you will need both.

Sleepless in Seattle

 
Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 160, ƒ/8, 1/125

When you go to Seattle, go to Kerry Park [211 W Highland Dr, 98119] at sunset to get some great photos. I arrived early and shot the picture above with my Nikon D750.

Now you need to hang out till about 20 minutes after sunset; if you do, then it is with the wait.

Nikon D750, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 4 sec

I recommend bringing a tripod and a lens around the 100 – 150mm range. The 70-200mm works excellent, and I used it and the 28-300mm lens.

The clouds covered Mount Rainier this night, but the city looked marvelous.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/4

Here are some photos shot with the Nikon D4 and the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/1.2

I also shot some with the AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR on the Nikon D4.

Nikon D4, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 2.5 sec

You may have a better night than I when you shoot the Seattle Skyline. Perhaps you will see Mount Rainier.

The Kodak Carousel

 

I own a Kodak Carousel projector. The projector was a magic lantern to the past for me. I loved how simple it was to operate.

I used to put together slideshows regularly for my work where I would sync two or more projectors to a soundtrack. The audio tape had two tracks, left and right for stereo. For slide shows, one for mono sound and the other for code to control the projectors.

The other day I got hooked on the TV show, Mad Men. According to the show’s pilot, “Mad men” was a slang term coined in the 1950s by advertisers working on Madison Avenue to refer to themselves.

I watched the show yesterday about the agency working with Kodak on their new slide projector, which they wanted to promote the wheel aspect of the tray.

I think this scene is not just a masterfully written piece explaining what advertising executives do but gets to the heart of the power of photography.

Here is that scene for you to watch.

 

While the power of images is used all the time by Madison Avenue to hook us on products and services, I think Don Draper’s image selection in the pitch gets to the real power of photography for the individual.

I love this speech by Don Draper:

Technology is a glittering lure. But there is the rare occasion when the public can be engaged on a level beyond flash, if they have a sentimental bond with the product.

My first job, I was in house at a fur company with this old pro copywriter, Greek, named Teddy.

And Teddy told me the most important idea in advertising was ‘new.’ Creates an itch. You simply put your product in there as a kind of calamine lotion.

But he also talked about a deeper bond with the product: nostalgia. It’s delicate, but potent.

Teddy told me that in Greek nostalgia literally means ‘the pain from an old wound.’

It’s a twinge in your heart, far more powerful than memory alone.

This device isn’t a space ship. It’s a time machine. It goes backwards, forwards. Takes us to a place where we ache to go again.

It’s not called ‘The Wheel.’ It’s called ‘The Carousel.’

It lets us travel the way a child travels. Around and around and back home again to a place where we know we are loved.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/3.2, 1/220

Yesterday at our church, I took a few photos to preserve such a fun service. This photo I was sharing on my Facebook page, and many shared it as well. People loved it not just because their kids were in the picture but because of “nostalgia” of their own.

I loved it because this year’s church created a unique service for families. So often, parents of little toddlers feel pressured to keep their kids quiet in a “big church,” and here, they want the families to feel welcomed.

At our church, I have never seen this many kids during a Children’s Sermon.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/3.8, 1/500

I also captured my daughter singing as part of a quartet. I was incredibly proud.

Today’s photos help me remember and appreciate my wonderful family. This photo here is from Easter 2001. Fourteen years ago and my daughter was just two years old.

We might not be showing our photos on a Kodak Carousel projector anymore, but the image lets us travel the way a child travels. Around and around and back home again to a place where we know we are loved.

First Shoot with Sigma TC-2001 2x paired with Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S

 
Nikon D4, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/800

Ever since I heard about the new Sigma TC-2001 2x, I have been interested in getting one for my Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S.

Last night at 6:30 pm, UPS delivered the lens to my door, and by 6:45 pm, I was off to photograph a middle school baseball game that started at 7:30 pm.

Optimized for Nikon F-mount lenses in the Global Vision line, the TC-2001 2x Teleconverter from Sigma will offer an additional focal length of 2 times for select Global Vision lenses. In addition, this model offers full communication between the lens and camera and will allow autofocus to operate at up to f/8. The teleconverter also features two Special Low Dispersion elements for reducing the appearance of chromatic aberrations and maintaining quality. Additionally, for protection, the TC-2001 is both dust and splashproof. When attached, the 2x conversion results in a light loss of approximately two stops.

Nikon D4, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The second photo above I took while the players were warming up at 7:15 pm so that I could shoot at a lower ISO and higher shutter speed–It still had sunlight. Shooting with more light and then less makes this test a little skewed. The sharpness of the photos just 20 minutes later cost me almost 2-stops. I went from ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6 @ 1/2000 to ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6 @ 1/800.

You can see the ball in the second photo frozen in the air, but in the first photo, the player’s arms are blurred.

Nikon D4, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/800

I can tell you that I noticed more responsiveness with the lens focusing. That alone would be a great reason to upgrade from the older Sigma 2X.

I also believe there is better contrast and colors with this converter over the older one. Again this would be enough to upgrade.

I also noticed less chromatic aberration compared to the older Sigma 2X.

Nikon D4, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/500

Years ago, a young photographer asked an older photographer, “How many millimeters does your lens resolve?” The response was priceless. “About $5,000 worth.” The younger guy looked all puzzled, and then the photographer explained. “How the hell do I know how many millimeters is resolves, but I know I am selling my largest 40″ x 60″ prints with it for $5,000 regularly.”

I posted the photos for the client to download last night after the game. This morning I got this note from the client:

Thank you so much! Photos are great! I already put one on our home page. I’ll touch base with you before the soccer game.

I uploaded 198 images, and about halfway through the game, I needed to take the 2X off because the shutter speed was dropping too low. So there were only 79 images of the 198 shot with the Sigma 2X. Of all the photos, the client picked one this morning to post on their website. So I shot it with the Sigma 2X. While I would have chosen a different photo [everything is subjective], here is their pick. I think because you can read the team name, they picked it over some of the others.

Nikon D4, Sigma TC-2001 2x, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/800