Month: April 2016

Shooting Nikon D5 at an event with ISOs of 66535, 51200, 28800 etc

by Stanley LearyNikon D5
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, Neewer TT850, Neewer Wireless 16 Channel Remote, ISO 51200, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

This week I was shooting for the first time at high ISO numbers that I would have never used before for an event.

The event was in a restaurant/bar where the lighting was quite dark. The lights were spotlights from above, meaning natural light often inadequately lighted the subjects’ faces. Once I used a flash to correct the background went highly dark.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, Neewer TT850, Neewer Wireless 16 Channel Remote, ISO 66535, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

There were windows, but that meant an even more significant problem that only a flash could solve. So my assistant is holding a moment off to the side, and I am triggering it wirelessly.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, Neewer TT850, Neewer Wireless 16 Channel Remote, ISO 28800, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

Here are the camera settings for the Nikon D5

  • Aperture priority [ƒ/4 or ƒ/5.6]
  • Auto ISO
    • 100 – 102400
    • 1/100
 
When I was using the Neewer TT850 flash, it was too bright even at 1/128th power. To fix this, I was using the MagMod light modifier system. I put two Neutral Density Gels over the flash to wink a light while shooting at those highly high ISOs.
 
 
While it took me a couple of minutes to figure out this system, having done something similar in the past with lower ISO settings was helpful.
 
As you turn the ISO up, your flash needs very little power to do the job. Just remember this if you try something similar.
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, Neewer TT850, Neewer Wireless 16 Channel Remote, ISO 66535, ƒ/5.6, 1/100
The Nikon D5 is more than just a sports camera. It is a camera for every situation.
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, Neewer TT850, Neewer Wireless 16 Channel Remote, ISO 66535, ƒ/5.6, 1/100
I am thrilled with the quality of the high ISO of the Nikon D5. I now can do things not possible before with my Nikon D4.

Are your stories or visuals just flat?

by Stanley LearyNikon D3s / Nikon D4
 
Fujifilm X-E2, Fuji XF 55-200mm, ISO 3200, ƒ/3.9, 1/70

Do your stories/photos seem flat to you? I know many times, after working so hard on a story/photo, I feel like the results were not capturing something, but what was I missing?

Now when I cover sports, a short story where the winning team must overcome obstacles to win, I can see the problem with a balanced coverage. The teams just never put forth the effort that visually showed greatness.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Over the past few weeks, I received beautiful emails saying my daughter’s performance in the musical Into the Woods. At the same time, I would be proud of her no matter what as her dad; I was proud of her as an artist.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.6, 1/400

Some of those emails started to capture the nuance she could deliver in her performance. One said my daughter was “making the part your own, not a stereotype or a copy of another actor’s work, but an artful blending of jagged, mean, ugly, playful, quirky, needy, and finally, channeling the almighty in condemning flawed humanity to tend the garden alone. Your character arc was spot on.”

So precisely, what is a character arc? It is the transformation or inner journey of a character throughout the story. At the same time, many things may happen to a character in a theater performance as an actor’s portrayal. But unfortunately, the audience isn’t allowed to experience those changes.

Experiences the changes in the character are often the missing secret ingredient to a compelling story.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1250, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

When I often work with an NGO to tell their story, I must interview someone before the story’s climax. I often say to a success story, so I have missed the opportunity to show this main character struggling.

What I can do and often do is have them tell me about what it was like before. I want the subject of the story to articulate the struggle. After hearing this part of the interview, I can get a b-roll of others also going through this. I should be able to find this because most NGOs are raising funds to help others through their success story.

Nikon D3s, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 2200, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

The main plot for most of these stories I am doing is that the main character cannot overcome opposing forces because they lack the skills, knowledge, resources, or friends.

My audience is who I am appealing to be the ones who help with supplying the skills, knowledge, and resources and being the friend to help others like this person to overcome their obstacles. I must do an excellent job of articulating why they cannot do it alone.

The last part of the story shows the changes in the main subject. Today, for example, because of the changes they have gone through, their children can go to college and have a better life than the main subject.

The story is often flat because I have done a poor job of capturing the struggle and problems of the main character.

Don’t be the storyteller who only searches for those who take little effort on you to communicate their struggle. The stereotype is where you search for only stories that are often cliché. Instead, you find a person with significant physical deformities to help you capture the battle, so you don’t have to work at it as hard.

Everyone has a story if we take the time to get to know them!

 

Nikon D5 Sports Photos @ 1:1

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 360, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

While I talked about covering the Lacrosse game, I didn’t show you the files very well. So this is a full frame from the coverage.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 360, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

The enlargement is close to a 1:1 crop of the above photograph.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 640, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Here is another photo from the game. It is also a full framed image.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 640, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Again this is a 1:1 crop as close as I could approximate.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 2000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000 [Click to see full size]
You can click on this photo and see the full-size image. Now, this is ISO 2000. 
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 2800, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000 [click to see larger file]
Here is one more for you to analyze. I love now shooting at 1/4000 to help freeze the ball. 
 
Now, shooting with a camera for just a couple of weeks is still not enough for me. I have yet to shoot a video with it and can’t wait for those projects to test the 4K. Stay tuned.
 
 

Testing the Nikon D5 on College Lacrosse

by Stanley LearySports
 
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 400, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

The past two days, I shot two Lacrosse games. The Citadel was playing in the SELC Southwest Division tournament.

I tried different settings with the camera and still haven’t settled on all my settings.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 320, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I tried the 3D focusing on regular and then comprehensive. However, the players running around the goal and having people in front and behind the subject made it hard to stay focused in this setting. I also didn’t modify the long versus short delay on continuous focus.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 2000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

The camera was staying on the player I focused on with 3D. I might have them covered up by so many for a long time for sports.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 900, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

No question, the Nikon D5 was locking in faster, shooting so much faster frame rate, and giving me superior results over the Nikon D4. So yes, it is a real upgrade for a sports camera.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 720, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I think there are two sports I am so comfortable shooting that I will know even more when I shoot those sports. However, basketball and football are not in season. I did shoot some baseball at the Citadel earlier with the camera, but I don’t think this is quite the same challenge as Lacrosse, where the focus would be a significant factor.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 640, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I think the dynamic range is also better than the Nikon D4. It is holding together highlights to shadows on a bright sunny day. That is a wide ƒ–stop content for sure.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 800, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I look forward to shooting more sports to test the camera’s capabilities in the coming months.

One more thing that I did notice is the buffer is enormous. I never once had the camera slow down the following faster XQD cards, and the camera’s processor let me shoot 12 fps without ever having to wait on the camera.

I also shot about 30% more than I would typically shoot due to how quick the camera was handling.

To see more images go here to the gallery, I have online http://www.stanleylearystoryteller.com/gallery/Citadel-Lacrosse/G0000RauPQOuPQGM

How to give light to the darkness with volunteers working with NGOs

by Stanley LearyOff Camera Flash
 
Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 400, ƒ/8, 1/100–Neewer TT850, Neewer 433MHz Wireless 16 Channel transmitter [Exposure Bias: -4/6 EV]

This morning I was shooting volunteers pulling nails out of 2’x4’s. We started early morning because it was sprinkling and a downpour was coming. Meteorologists were predicting a stormy overcast day.

When people bend over and have on ball caps, this is the worst possible situation I can think of shooting where the natural light is working against you.

This morning I avoided getting this type of photo that I had at a football game. See how you cannot see the people’s faces. The light is from above, and when they are facing down, you have total black under those helmets, just like you have under the visor of a baseball cap.

My assistant took one of the Neewer TT850 flashes, and I had the transmitter that controls my camera’s power. Sometimes I was at 1/8 power and other times only needed about 1/64 power to fill in those shadows of the people working.

My camera is on the ground so that I can see their faces, and so is the flash. I asked the assistant to try and stay 45º to 90º from me to create a triangle. I am one corner, the subject is another, and the flash is the 3rd corner of the triangle.

I am also slightly under-exposing from 1/3 to 2/3 and even up to -1. The flash is kicking in and becomes the leading light on the faces.

Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED, ISO 180, ƒ/8, 1/100–Neewer TT850, Neewer 433MHz Wireless 16 Channel transmitter [Exposure Bias: -4/6 EV]

Had I used an on-camera flash, I would have gotten much better results than without a flash, but by getting the flash off the camera, I created more skin modeling and depth.

Just remember always to have a flash in case you need to do something similar to help the audience connect with the subject.

PR Case Study with Musical Into the Woods

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 

Great News!!

The PR effort my wife and a few other parents put into the musical Into the Woods helped to sell more tickets.

We put this poster up in front of the school, and we had a family driven by the school from Habersham County for the play. So that is almost 2 hours one way for the play.

My parents were in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, and ran into people talking about the musical from just seeing the banner.

We made 8.5″ x 11″ postcards with photos on the front that businesses could display in town and the rates for buying an ad in the program on the backside.

Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 2500, ƒ/6.3, 1/5000–HSS with Alienbees and Pocketwizard TTL system

When we shot the banner, we also did individuals we could use on social media.

We kept this in front of our students and parents all the time and then did what we could to impact the community and our social media connections worldwide.

Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 50, ƒ/4.5, 1/160

We did headshots of all the cast and crew, which we then put in the program and the auditorium’s lobby.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 14400, ƒ/5.6, 1/400

The production quality was going up in every way. I believe that as we brought our “A” Game, it challenged everyone to do their very best.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.3, 1/400

The reviews were great for everything. Each night the word got out that this was a great show to see. I believed if they had done it the following weekend that the word getting out would have sold even more tickets.

Our ticket sales were 123% higher than our goal. So I think the percentage jump of actual attendance over the previous year was much more than 20%.

Time to take a bow

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 4500, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

Moral of this story

Marketing works, and if it can work for this musical, it can work for your business, nonprofit, or event that you are involved in doing. Are you putting in your best effort to promote your project?

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/400

Fuji X-E2 the camera system for Live Theater

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm, ISO 1600, ƒ/4.8, 1/100

For the last performance of Into The Woods, I shot with my Fuji X-E2. I was shooting with the electronic shutter mode, so it was utterly silent. I also learned from earlier tests that I needed to shoot below 1/100 with this stage lighting to avoid blurring the image.

The spotlight is tricky lighting, but I could tweak the image before I shot it. I was seeing the results I would be getting and in theater the lighting changes so much that this is a blessing to shoot with the mirrorless Fuji X-E2.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/4.2, 1/100

I dialed in the best white balance using the Kelvin settings. I knew from a past custom white balance that the Kelvin was around 2900º K, so I just set the camera to it.

I had confirmation because I could see the results before shooting in the viewfinder.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/4.8, 1/100

Silence Your Phones & No Texting

During theater productions, texting will light up your face to everyone around you. So to avoid this problem with the camera’s LCD, I turned that off, just used the EVF, and had it set only to work when my eye was at the viewfinder.

Since I had done the latest firmware upgrade for the Fuji X-E2, I now had the electronic shutter, which allowed for to shoot in total silence.

I also put a small piece of gaffer tape over the light showing the files written on the SD card.

I wanted to not draw any attention to me shooting the performance.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm, ISO 5000, ƒ/4.8, 1/100

I am convinced that I can shoot this setup in any theater and also due to fully silent use this on movie sets in the future. So there is no need to use a Blimp to put your DSLR in to remain silent.

The Fuji X-E2 is my go-to camera for live theater.

Are you preserving your stories and the stories of your family?

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.6, 1/400

Last night I enjoyed watching my daughter playing the Witch in the musical Into the Woods at her high school.

It made me think of my high school musical Lil’ Abner thirty-four years earlier. 


Here is one of two photos I have of me from that performance. I gave my camera to a friend and asked them to take some photos. They took maybe three photos total. When shooting a film, people were careful because each time you pushed the button, it was like spending a dollar.

It is just a copy of the print from that show that I could find.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/125

The main characters in the musical Into the Woods are Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and several others. Into the Woods ties all those other stories into a story of a baker and his wife. But, unfortunately, the Witch cast a spell on the couple.

It makes you think about the next generation. As I am watching this, I realize I am now watching the next generation as actors on the stage as my friends, and I did years ago. Some of my friends went on to Broadway from that cast in high school.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 7200, ƒ/4, 1/80

My daughter has our family flying in from all over the country to see her as the Witch. I hope that in thirty-four years, all these photos and videos I have been making of my daughter will help her tell her story to her children.

What I hope to do with my photos of our family is to help preserve the story of our family so that the generations to come will be able to look back and see the legacy.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-1401 2x, ISO 7200, ƒ/4, 1/400

What are you doing to help preserve your family’s story? Are you capturing some moments you can share in the future?

Today’s cameras let us capture situations that were so challenging to capture on film when I was in high school.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-1401 2x, ISO 7200, ƒ/4, 1/400

Tips

  • Take photos of live performances and events of your family
  • Share the images now through social media
  • Store images – have the pictures of at least three places. With today’s Cloud solutions, I recommend putting the photos here as one way to preserve them.
  • Create hard copies
    • Prints
    • Photo Books
  • Include Text!!!!! Take the time to write down things like who is in the picture and what is happening. Think of writing a caption as you would see in a newspaper or magazine. Could you attach it to the photo? [metadata]
  • Have a plan on how you will pass your photos to future generations for them to have and cherish.

Nikon D5 shooting Theater

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

There are specific lighting situations where the latest and most excellent camera will not make all that much difference.

Whenever the ISO is around 3200, I believe the differences are not as noticeable at first glance as when your ISO is, say at ISO 16000, for example.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 16000, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

There are moments like this when the stage during the theater performance is dark, and the ISO 16000 gives me a spotless file.

If you shoot a lot of stage performances, then you know, sometimes the lighting isn’t all that great. A lighting tech forgets a lighting cue, and the light isn’t correct, but you still need a photo. Hey, the Nikon D5 will now let you get those moments.

Now, if you are shooting studio strobes like these headshots, there is minimal difference.

 
Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/200

The headshot here is a great film, but so was the Nikon D4 file I shot earlier.

Nikon D4, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/200

By the way, I shot the Nikon D5 after the actor went to the beach last week.

If you are in situations with good light, you will not necessarily see a big difference in the camera upgrade.

 
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1100, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

I shot this photo in the Flat Picture Control setting. I think the dynamic range is much better over earlier Nikon models. Shooting a dress rehearsal gave me some pretty extreme situations because I didn’t set the lighting for the witch to make her as visible to the audience as Rapunzel in the tower. So you can see that is quite a range.

Now I can say that the results using the Highlight-weighted metering mode compared to the Nikon D750 aren’t giving me the same results.

Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 2800, ƒ/4, 1/400

In this situation where there was a lot of black, the Nikon D5 Highlight-weighted metering mode worked great. But the exposures were way underexposed unless the frame is mainly black with a spotlight.

I think I trust the Nikon D750 Highlight-weighted metering mode more than the Nikon D5 at this moment. First, however, let me say that this is just a preliminary comment. I believe every new camera takes a little while to run through all the situations many times before I can rule out my errors using the new tool.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.6, 1/400

Conclusion

Unless you need those higher ISOs, then in general, you will not benefit from the Nikon D5 say over the Nikon D4. However, as you can see for theater, you will see a noticeable difference.

If you are primarily a studio shooter, then I hadn’t seen any significant differences except when it came to a resolution. Higher resolution will let you make more oversized prints, and as we know, you can sell a giant print for a lot more money.

Nikon D5, AF-S NIKKOR 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, ISO 9000, ƒ/5.3, 1/400

I included this last photo to highlight how much background can impact an image. The first night I shot the dress rehearsal, they didn’t have the woods background. I think the background made a HUGE difference and helped to visually take the level of production of the musical to a different level.

Just like in real estate LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION makes a big difference. For photography, it is often the same thing, but we say it this way: BACKGROUND, BACKGROUND, BACKGROUND.

Independent Photographers Anxiety and How I deal with it

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/800

The Knobs of The Citadel, also known as freshmen, had to walk the gutter to and from class.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/500

Only the upper class could use the sidewalks. It is part of what they call the 4th Class System. Here is the official explanation below. However, the next day was Recognition Day, where the cadre announced the system as over after a grueling event.

THE CITADEL’S FOURTH CLASS SYSTEM

The purpose of The Citadel’s Fourth Class system is to develop and graduate the “whole person.”

The Fourth Class System hinges on the completeness with which it matures, refines, trains, and schools the totality of a young cadet’s character. This finely balanced process provides the foundation of the “whole person” concept. During their four years as part of the Corps, cadets will develop academically, physically, militarily, and spiritually.

Anxiety is an Altered State of Consciousness

Each day our brain is thinking and processing our thoughts. We know the difference between our thoughts and actions; however, anxiety changes all that for us.

Everyday thoughts consider things that could happen when we make confident choices. We understand life has risks and make those choices where we diminish the possibility of terrible consequences. Anxious Thinking cannot accept any risks. It continually asks for reassurances and demands that we avoid situations that frighten us. Anxious Thinking distinguishes between feeling frightened because of catastrophic images in our mind and the fear of being in actual danger.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Many Knobs have trouble sleeping Friday night because they know that the next day is Recognition Day. Recognition Day is where for the very last time, they will be pushed physically and mentally by the upper class.

As I walked around the campus, I could hear upper-level students, parents, and friends reassuring the Knobs not to overthink it and leave their best effort on the field.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 2000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I’ll Admit It–I Get Anxious

When things happen to me that I have no control over, it is widespread for me to get caught in anxious thoughts. While I haven’t had a major meltdown with an anxiety attack like some people, I can tell you I fully understand how that can happen.

While just about anything can trigger these anxious thoughts, it is when I have a few things that happen to me in a row that my ability to manage these anxious thoughts becomes increasingly tricky.

Recently we have experienced a series of medical expenses. We also had to replace a transmission in our van. Also, while it is good news you have to pay more in taxes [means you made more money], it can produce more anxiety.

Over the years, I have understood that one of my fears is having to go into debt to cover unexpected expenses. Another real fear with medical procedures is they usually involve some pain in recovery.

Suppose you find yourself shutting down and avoiding situations because of your fear. In that case, I highly recommend seeing a counselor and psychiatrist who can help you manage these anxiety attacks.

Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 800, ƒ/8, 1/2000

After breakfast, the cadets all changed into their workout clothes. Then, I saw them running out of the barracks onto the parade field, where they would be challenged and tested.

While many had trouble sleeping the night before, they embraced the fears and knew they would do their best at the moment.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 900, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

I was surprised to watch many of the cadets smiling and having fun. I think they were the ones who could dismiss the thoughts of what could happen and deal with what was happening.

Call it Anxiety

One of the best things you can do is to realize when you are feeling overwhelmed and anxious that these fears affect you the same way as if you were in actual danger. But, unfortunately, this makes it extremely difficult for you to think clearly.

Call it what it is anxiety. By you name it, you have a better chance of dealing with it. Then deal with the facts. I had to think out what was the worst thing that could happen.

Now, to be simple, logic alone doesn’t work for me. I had to use my faith to help me. So I meditate on these scriptures many times in times of anxiety.

Philippians 4:6-7 

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

John 14:27

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Now I don’t jump straight to prayer and give this all to God. I always first experience some anxiety. I think about what I am feeling, try to understand the emotion, and pray for wisdom.

I need the wisdom to think through what is causing anxiety and get to the root. Insight also helps me to know if there is anything I can do other than avoidance of the situation. Of course, I want to be proactive if there is something I can do, but I also am asking for the wisdom to know the difference between what I can do and what I have no control over.

Nikon D4, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 1/250

After that morning, the cadre announced to the 4th Class System that it was no longer in effect. The Knobs now joined the upper-level students as fully integrated into the corp.

 
The marchers depart from The Citadel’s main gate, down Moultrie St., and then turn right on King St. to Marion Square. The cadets take the oath – a tradition for more than 100 years. 

Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. – Corrie ten Boom

Tested the Nikon D5 shooting event: The Citadel’s Recognition Day for the Class of 2019

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1100, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Today I was covering The Citadel’s Recognition Day for the class of 2019. I love the Nikon D5 for covering events.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 16000, ƒ/5.6, 1/100

I was just blown away by the quality of higher ISOs for just simple event photography. The colors look great at ISO 16000 in this photo. And the noise is very acceptable for this type of photography.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 32000, ƒ/9, 1/100

I enjoyed shooting with ISO 32000 for people just sitting around a table.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 900, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

However, I enjoyed shooting at 1/4000 and nailing the razor-sharp photos due to eliminating the camera movement.

I was also enjoying the dynamic range of the files as well.

The files are a significant improvement over the Nikon D4. The Nikon D5 has a 20-megapixel camera, and the Nikon D4 is a 16-megapixel camera.

Nikon D5, Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM Art Lens, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/800

Hopefully, these are just a taste of what the camera does. I hope to continue to understand more of its capabilities and how they can help me do things not possible before with the Nikon D4.

Test driving the Nikon D5 with College Baseball

by Stanley LearySports
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1400, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000

Today I took the D5 for a test drive with college baseball. First, I started shooting the game as I did with my Nikon D4, which used 1/2000 for shutter speed.

Also, when I set up the camera for one of the Shooting Banks. When I did this, I forgot that the Quality of the file set would be default for JPEGs and not RAW. So I shot the first batch of images in JPEG mode.

Frankly, those images were pretty awesome. Here is one of the first bases that were JPEG.

Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 640, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The Nikon D5 is so good with ISO I decided to crank the shutter speed to 1/4000. You can see in the first frame at the top how excellent the results were, even at an ISO 1400.

 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1400, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000
I can tell you one thing for sure if you want your images to look sharp, one of the best things you can do with sports is crank the shutter speed up. So next time I have a day game, I think I will go for 1/8000.
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 1000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000
Here you can see that at 1/4000, you can see how hitting the ball was bending the bat. 
 
Nikon D5, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 2800, ƒ/8, 1/4000
I wanted the ball and the pitcher tact sharp, so I increased the depth-of-field to ƒ/8. I think the Quality of the ISO 2800 was excellent for these photos.
 
Once I get all the calibrating done on my settings for sports, I will post those and more images in the future. The game at The Citadel was the test drive, and I can tell you I am impressed with the larger picture, dynamic range, high ISO, and focus on the camera. All of these are upgrades over a stellar Nikon D4 camera.
 
I think my clients will get a better image due to the camera. I believe Nikon hit this one out of the park with the Nikon D5.