More shots with my Sigma 10-20

Took these just a few days before Christmas with my new Sigma 10-20, there is NO other lens that would get me that level of width and perspective. Maybe not the best shots ever, but it was simply too cold to play more....

One quick note about processing. Both of these necessitated some serious processing. About 2 hours worth. I took 6 exposures of each, 3 for the statues in the foreground and 3 for the temple all from the same spot, just different shutter speeds. I then did HDR/Tone Mapping for the sets of 3 for the front and 3 for the background, then brought in the foreground on top of the background and masked/trimmed the edges of the statues. A LOT of work!!!! But I like what it looks like!

A Hoar Frost Morning: Brrrrr.......

Awoke to a cold and foggy morning, I first thought it had unexpectedly snowed, but I soon realized that it was in fact just a heavy frost. As soon as I decently could (i.e. got the kids off to school) I ran out to play before the fog burned off and the frost went away, pyjamas and all. Bet a few people got a giggle out of somebody running around with a camera in flannel pyjama bottoms and a coat lying on the ground taking pictures....

Anyway, these were taken with a combination of my Sigma 10-20 and my Sigma 17-70. It was freezing but fun, the freezing part leads into some of the more interesting compositions. When you are really cold it tends to focus your thoughts... and make your hands shake!

Playing with my New Sigma 10-20

I finally got my new lens, haven't had much time to play with it, but I got to take a couple of shots Tuesday Morning on my way to work. I am really liking this lens, REALLY!!! Will post a more thorough review later.

This first shot is of a sculpture near my house, a 3 shot HDR, it needs some color correction and layer work to make the snow NOT look orange. But it shows the depth of field and field of view of this lens. Self Portrait at the view point looking South Southeast. COLD MORNING for sure.

Frieda's Felines

Was at my sisters house on Sunday and took my camera gear with me... what you don't? Decided it was time to play with bounce flash and my two flashes. I set one up on optical slave15 ft away on top of the fish tank 1 ft from a wall pointing straight up. The other was on top of my camera pointing straight up. Used manual mode with a K-50mm f1.4 at f2.0 or 2.8, can't remember, for the first one.

This was taken with the same flash set-up, but with my Sigma 17-70 at 28mm and f5.6. This was terribly underexposed but was rescued.

One Late Fall/Early Winter Morning

Took a day off of work prior to undertaking Full Time HouseHusband duty for two days. Needed to go out and take pictures for fun. This, big surprise, is what I got, an interesting series of photos that I enjoyed taking but that will not rock your world. And I'm OK with that.

This first shot is of the lower part of Bridal Veil Falls, as you can tell by the watermark, it is a HDR done with Photomatix. One day I will need to pay for the full license and get rid of that watermark. I plan to go back next fall, when the leaves are right and the sunset lights everything. Should be fantastic!

This is the Tate Barn on the grounds of Soldier Hollow State Park in Utah, it was a venue for the 2002 Olympics, the park not the barn.

These are the cockleburrs (or whatever the heck they are) that got on my boots while I was wandering taking the preceeding shots.

Midway Cemetary, nothing on or in the little enclosure was straight, made for some interesting shooting. These were all taken with my Trusty K-50mm f1.4 with a Polarizer my Sister/Bro-In-Law gave me that was on an old Sears lens they had, along with a collapsible Rubber hood that doesn't vignette on either my 28mm or 50mm lenses. LOVING IT!

The textures on this rusting fence were just lots of fun to shoot. Most of these shots were at f2.0 or 2.8.

Think this was f4.0
My reward at the end of the day, Biscuits and Gravy with HashBrowns at Chick's in Heber City, that was a great breakfast!

Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon: "Attu Warrior"

Was on my way back from Heber City when I noticed this plane taxiing at the local SMALL airport. Being the curious guy I am I pulled over and started shooting. Looks like a fun airplane.... especially if the guns still work............ ;-}

Playing with a New/Rental Lens: Simga 70-200 f2.8

Let me start by giving a little background. As I have previously posted I recently shot a concert for a friend of mine. One of the "lacks" in my lens line up for that gig was a long focal length lens that was Auto Focus. discussing the shoot with Jason later on, we decided to have me shoot another concert with a longer lens and focusing more on the band members and for tighter head shots. So I made a reservation with www.cameralensrentals.com and waited for it's arrival. Once it got here I spent a little time outside playing with it, and also another morning on my way to work. I really wish I would have had more time to spend with it getting to know it's quirks. I'm not sure that I would buy this instead of the Sigma 100-300 f4 I want to buy, but I wouldn't mind owning it either.

The lens itself is very solidly built (As you would expect from Sigma's EX or "ProGrade" line of lenses) and is a good sized lens for carrying around. Not too big, but not so small it feels like a toy, on my K200d with Battery Grip attached it looks like a serious piece of glass. Interestingly the zoom ring turns opposite of my Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4.5, I'm not sure why a manufacturer wouldn't be consistent with that, but I can live with it, though it is irksome. My real nitpick is that f2.8 is not particularly sharp, and in fact is downright not quite useable for me. Now this could be the fault of technique, I was shooting handheld, and or back/front focusing issues etc... I just figure that in broad daylight I should be able to get a sharp shot at shutterspeeds more than twice the focal length of the lens... sigh.... It does perk up at F3.5, and gets quite good at F4, but the 100-300 is supposed to be stellar wide open at F4.... Anyway, I really enjoyed this lens, and here are a few shots.

This is at the closest focus distance, handheld, 200mm.

F2.8

F4
F4 Re-Focused
F5.6
F8
F11
F2.8
F3.5
F4
F4 Auto Focus snared the husk on the front left.
F4 Hand Focused on the flower in the middle.
F5.6, 1/800" ISO 400, Cropped and Cleaned up with NeatImage
F4, 1/1000" ISO 400, 200mm
F4, 1/1600, ISO 400, 93mm
F4, 1/2000", ISO 400, 70mm
F8, 20s, ISO 100, tripod with Cable Release.