Ireland is a fantastically varied place with a lot to offer the travelling landscape photographer. In this three page article, Carsten Krieger explains Ireland’s enduring appeal to photographers and as well as travel advice, he shares some of his own work, captured all over the ’emerald isle’. Click through to read his article, ‘Ireland: A Photographers’ Guide’.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
New York is a diverse city with gorgeous old architecture and sleek new skyscrapers, iconic landmarks of all types, hidden surprises around every corner, and a diversity of residents and visitors that is unrivaled. The energy, speed, and creativity that occurs on the streets every single day makes it a playground for all types of photographers.
While Manhattan is probably the most photographed place in the world, we’re not going to talk as much about photographing places like the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, or the Flatiron Building. No trip to New York is complete without visiting these landmarks, but there is so much more than that. This article is about delving a little deeper, seeing its most beautiful corners, and capturing the true essence of the city.
And before we go any further, remember that there are so many camera equipment rental shops, such as Foto Care, Calumet, Adorama, or CSI. So while you’re here, rent that lens or camera that you’ve always wanted for a week, rent a tripod, or even rent a Leica!
The oldest subway tunnel in the world.
Running under Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn is the oldest subway tunnel in the world, dating back to 1844. The tunnel was sealed up in 1861 and forgotten about it until a 19-year-old engineering student named Bob Diamond found it in 1980 after a year of searching. Diamond gave tours of the tunnel for 30 years through a manhole cover in the street, but they were unfortunately stopped recently by the Department of Transportation. However, there is a legal fight to get them re-opened, so hopefully they will resume soon. The tunnel has 17-foot ceilings and is a half-mile long and an old locomotive is even reported to be hidden behind the far, closed-off wall. Check here for more information about the tunnel and tours.
The Unused City Hall Subway Station
Another underground tour, run by the New York Transit Museum, visits the old and gorgeous, unused City Hall subway station, once the crown jewel of the MTA. Tours are infrequent and you must be a member of the Museum, however, there is an easy trick to see it on the 6-train. At the end of the line, the 6-train still passes this station to change directions and you can see it through the windows of the subway cars. Stay on the 6-train at its last stop (Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall) and look out the side of the train where the doors close. Get in one of the middle cars and pay attention because it passes quickly. You may want to do it twice since many people miss it the first time around. And don’t worry about staying on the train past its last stop as it was recently made legal by the city to do this.
American Standard Building, Chrysler Building Lobby, NY Public Library, Alwyn Court
Here are a few of my favorite buildings that you might not know about. On 42nd Street, next to Bryant Park you can see both the New York Public Library and the American Standard (Radiator) Building, which is now a hotel but was originally built for the American Radiator and Standard Sanitary Company in 1924. Nearby, you can do some street photography in Grand Central and a couple blocks away is the entrance to the Chrysler Building, which has the most magnificent art deco lobby in the city. It is covered in murals and is a must see. And the most ornate building in the city, a block south of Central Park on 7th avenue, is the Alwyn Court.
One of the views from the James Hotel rooftop bar.
You also can’t travel to New York without seeing a few cityscapes and there are so many spots. Of course there’s Top of the Rock and the Empire State Building but there are also a lot of rooftop bars with incredible views. Two of my favorites are at The James Hotel and Ink48. There’s nothing better than capturing a cityscape and having a drink at the same time. In addition, if you visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then make sure to visit the rooftop during the warmer months, which has one of the best views of the Central Park.
The Brooklyn Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge Park have incredible views of lower Manhattan, especially at night. And the Water Taxis will give you an great view as well if it’s warm enough to stand outside. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge, explore the park, and then take the water taxi back.
And finally, a place that I love to walk, but is a little out of the way, is the Manhattan Bridge, which has incredible views of the Brooklyn Bridge. Walk it and then walk back as there’s not much on the other side.
You can’t visit New York without trying some street photography. The people are the most important, creative, and interesting aspect of the city. Capture the life and fashion on the streets and you will photograph the true essence of the city. Here are a few of my favorite spots.
Lady in Red, 5th Avenue.
The corner of 57th and 5th is one of the most iconic corners in Manhattan. At any given moment you will have a mix of very fashionable New Yorkers, both the wealthy and the everyday people and workers, and the interesting tourists from all over the world. This wide avenue also has incredible light throughout the day so use it to your advantage. Walk south on 5th Avenue, stopping at interesting corners and people watching until you get to the 42nd street, Bryant Park area. This stretch of Manhattan is one that is constantly captured by the famous New York Times fashion street photographer Bill Cunningham, so who knows, you might run into him as well.
Corner of Prince and Broadway.
SoHo is probably my favorite area for capturing people. You can venture anywhere and find interesting people and hidden corners, but the best corner is Prince and Broadway, right by the N R subway stop. The stretch of Broadway between this corner and Canal Street is my favorite. Also, for planning sake, remember that the Prince street corner is only 4 short blocks from Lombardi’s pizza.
The corner of Broadway and Canal (home of the fake purses) brings us to Chinatown, which is always bustling with people no matter the day or time. Travel southeast and make sure to see Doyers Street, nicknamed the “Bloody Angle” and seen in many movies and tv shows. Also nearby is Columbus Park, which is always filled with tables of old Chinese men and women gambling and playing music. It is such a fun place to be and capture. And while you are there, don’t forget to stop for some soup dumplings and fried dumplings at Joe’s Shanghai.
Cutting through the middle of Chinatown is the Bowery, one of the most amazing streets in the city and filled with so much diversity. The Bowery, quickly becoming a fashionable place to be, was once one of the most down and out streets in Manhattan. It was also the birthplace of Punk Rock and you can see the old CBGBs (now a John Varvatos store). Visit the photographer Jay Maisel’s stunning bank building and graffiti mecca on Bowery and Spring and walk until you end up on my other favorite street, St. Marks (8th Street), a main thoroughfare of the East Village.
Finally, we can’t forget the mecca of street photography, which is the New York Subway system. Set your camera on 1/200th of a second and ISO 3200 and make sure to take the subway everywhere. Stations such as Times Square and Grand Central are filled with people at almost any time of day. For some inspiration, check out the work of Bruce Davidson – and keep in mind that the subways are a lot less scary looking than when he did his work.
N-R Subway Train, Polka Dots and Pink Shoes
(To best follow this advice, download the “Central Park” app for your smartphone, which will provide you with a map with points of interest, along with your location.)
Poets Walk at Dusk.
Enter the Park by the Plaza Hotel at 59th Street and 5th and walk and explore the area of the Pond and Gapstow Bridge. The view of Gapstow Bridge with the Plaza behind it is an iconic view of the city. Walk north until you come upon Literary Walk (Poets’ Walk). There is nothing like the view here at dusk, so consider coming back when the sun is setting. Walk north until you arrive at Bethesda Terrace, which has a beautiful view of the Lake. To your right will be the boat rental area, so rent a rowboat, which is my favorite thing to do in the city. Travel under Bow Bridge, bring some sandwiches for a picnic on the boat, and spend an hour exploring the lake and it’s many hidden areas. You will most likely see a few couples getting engaged.
Rowboats and Bow Bridge.
After you return the boat, walk west to Bow Bridge, cross it and head back east around the Lake to the “Central Park Point.” Then walk all the way to the eastern edge of the park and head south to Dene Shelter, which has a stunning view of Central Park south. If you have kids, nearby is also the zoo, home to the Penguins of Madagascar.
The Modern Museum of Art (MOMA) on 53rd street has an unrivaled photography section with hundreds and hundreds of diverse and classic works. It is my favorite place to view photography in the city and it is constantly being updated and changed.
Three of my other favorites are the ICP Museum on 43rd and 6th (http://www.icp.org/museum), the Leica Gallery on Broadway and Bond Street (http://us.leica-camera.com/culture/galleries/gallery_new_york/) and the Howard Greenberg Gallery (http://www.howardgreenberg.com/) on East 57th Street. While the HG gallery has much more than photography, it has an amazing photography collection.
If you’re a fan of the photography of Jacob Riis, visit the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side and transport yourself back in time to see what living in an old tenement was like. After, visit the fantastic Tenement Museum Bookstore and then go for a walk and enjoy the gorgeous tenement exteriors and fire escapes in the neighborhood. Stop at the nearby Katz’ Delicatessen or Russ & Daughters for lunch.
And while this technically doesn’t count as a museum, it might as well be. The Strand Bookstore on Broadway and 12th street is the best bookstore I’ve ever been to and it has by far the best photography book section that I’ve ever seen. To say it has everything is an understatement. I know time is often of the essence when visiting the city, but if you are a fan of photography, the Strand is a must see and has the same weight as any photo exhibit.
This article is focused mostly on Manhattan, yet Brooklyn is a borough that needs to be seen and explored. It deserves its own article and there are incredible locations for photography.
Quickly, a few things to see are the waterfront (with amazing views of Manhattan), the area of DUMBO, Get lost in Prospect Park and see the nearby Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Gardens, and visit Coney Island. And if you are a fan of Brownstones, then Brooklyn is the place to be. Go brownstone touring through the neighborhoods of Park Slope, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights, and Cobble Hill.
Central Park South.
A final thought. If ever there was a fact about photographing New York, it’s this – while the city may look beautiful during the day, there is nothing that comes close to capturing it at night. When I meet people or give tours for visitors I try to stress this, but I feel like many people don’t take advantage of it. I suggest that when you plan your trip, schedule one night of the trip to explore at night. Do something easier on the legs during the day, grab a quick dinner from a hole in the wall pizza place, and go for a very long walk. Central Park is generally very safe at night as long as you stick to the well travelled areas and stay south of Bow Bridge. Even if you don’t you’ll be fine, but better to be somewhat careful. You will be surprised with how crowded the park is at night during the warmer months. Other areas that are amazing at night are anywhere in Midtown, the Brooklyn Bridge, anywhere along 5th Avenue, SoHo, Chinatown, and the East Village.
Hope to see you soon!
Post originally from: Digital Photography Tips.
Check out our more Photography Tips at Photography Tips for Beginners, Portrait Photography Tips and Wedding Photography Tips.
A Photographic Tour of New York
Ein Beitrag von: Mathias Rehberg
Schroffe Landschaft, idyllische Dörfer, leckeres Essen und nette Menschen: Das ist die Bretagne. Angespornt durch teils großartige Bilder anderer Fotografen und durch die Liebe zur Natur entschieden meine Frau und ich uns, im Juni letzten Jahres einen Trip durch die Bretagne zu machen.
Kein Pauschalurlaub an einem sonnigen Plätzchen. Nein, dieses Mal sollte es anders sein. Eines war klar: Wir wollten immer die Küste entlang und so nah wie möglich am Meer übernachten.
So entschlossen wir uns, unsere Nächte im Zelt zu verbringen und unser Lager immer wieder an anderen Orten aufzuschlagen, ohne vorher Hotels oder Pensionen zu buchen. Für uns war das etwas vollkommen Neues und Aufregendes, zumal keiner von uns die Sprache versteht, geschweige denn spricht.
Planung
Ich fing also mit der Planung an. Ich besuchte zunächst mehrere Foren und Bilderdienste wie die Fotocommunity und 500px, um mir einen Überblick zu verschaffen. Alle auch nur irgendwie relevanten Punkte übertrug ich in eine Karte bei GoogleMaps.
Danach habe ich die Orte priorisiert, vor allem nach persönlichem Geschmack und dem voraussichtlichen Stand der Sonne. Denn ein gutes Landschaftsfoto lebt vom Licht.
Dafür hat mir das Tool SunCalc wertvolle Dienste geleistet. Für mein Smartphone nutze ich die App Sundroid.
Zu guter Letzt habe ich alles ganz altmodisch in eine Karte übertragen. Das gab mir ein Gefühl der Sicherheit. Und das war auch gut so, denn die Karte haben wir dann mehr als alles andere benutzt. Wir hatten zwar auch ein Navigationsgerät dabei, aber auf einer Landkarte lässt es sich doch anders sehen.
Unterwegs
Und los ging’s: Das Auto vollgepackt und von Hamburg nach Étretat in der Normandie in einem Ritt. Klar – Normandie ist nicht Bretagne, aber hier wollten wir unsere erste Nacht verbringen. Da wir wussten, dass wir nach der langen Fahrt platt sein würden, haben wir uns für die erste Nacht ein Hotel am Strand gesucht.
Dann ging es sofort ans Meer: Abschalten, genießen, die Seeluft einatmen, staunen. Der Abend war sensationell. Wir hatten einen Minigrill dabei und haben erst einmal am menschenleeren Steinstrand entspannt. Was für ein großartiger Moment.
Danach erkundeten wir die Felsen am Ende des Strandes. Kamera und Stativ waren immer dabei, man weiß ja nie. Dann folgte ein toller Sonnenuntergang an kaum zu überbietender Kulisse.
Am nächsten Tag fuhren wir weiter in die Bretagne. Unser erstes Ziel war Le Mont-Saint-Michel. Was hatte ich da schon für tolle Bilder von gesehen und wie toll musste diese Location sein!
Nun, für uns war es schlichtweg enttäuschend. Warum? Es war von vorn bis hinten Baustelle. Und überall hat man nur die Hand aufgehalten und abkassiert. Okay, das ist sicherlich gerechtfertigt, denn der Ort muss irgendwie erhalten werden. Aber für uns war das nichts.
Also haben wir uns im Anschluss einen Campingplatz bei Cancale gesucht. Traumhaft, direkt am Meer. Eine Aussicht, wie man sie besser von einem Hotel aus nicht haben könnte.
Einen Tag später trudelten wir in Le Gouffre ein. Diese Gegend ist berühmt für das Haus zwischen den Felsen.
Wirklich ein nettes Plätzchen und schön anzuschauen. Richtig interessant fand ich allerdings eher die schroffe Landschaft drumherum. Hier hätten wir uns stundenlang aufhalten können.
Einen guten Campingplatz fanden wir schließlich in der Nähe von Ploumanac’h an der Côte de Granit Rose. Somit stand das abendliche Ziel auch schon fest. Und das hatte es wirklich in sich.
Der Leuchtturm von Ploumanac’h ist absolut beeindruckend. Wir standen wahrscheinlich erst einmal eine Weile mit offenem Mund da. Was für eine bizarre Landschaft. Zudem war es sehr stürmisch an diesem Abend. Die Brecher, die da über den Atlantik rollten und mit gnadenloser Wucht an die Granitfelsen klatschten, ließen uns aus dem Staunen nicht wieder herauskommen.
Um hier zu guten Fotos zu kommen, sollte man auf jeden Fall ein Stativ nutzen. Der Wind war so stark, dass wahrscheinlich jede andere Form der Aufnahme vollkommen verwackelt gewesen wäre.
Ein Stativ ist in meinen Augen unerlässlich für die Landschaftsfotografie. So kann ich mich nach dem Einstellen der Blende oder Veschlusszeit in Ruhe um die Komposition kümmern oder mit Filtern hantieren.
Auch die nächsten Tage verbrachten wir in der Gegend, genauer gesagt bei Trebeurden an den Côtes d’Armor.
An einem Abend hatte ich das Glück, einen tollen Sonnenuntergang zu erleben. Meine Frau traf sich mit neuen Bekannten auf dem Campingplatz, so dass ich die Zeit ganz für mich und meine Kamera hatte.
Fast hätte ich allerdings die Aufnahmen vergeigt, weil ich zuerst gar nicht wusste, wo ich mich positionieren sollte. So bin ich wie ein Verrückter umhergerannt, um noch ein vernünftiges Motiv zu finden. Das ist dann die Strafe dafür, wenn man sich nicht richtig vorbereitet.
Trotzdem bin ich an einer sehr schönen Stelle gelandet.
Vielleicht fragen sich ja einige von Euch, wie ich mit den teils sehr großen Dynamikbereichen in meinen Fotos umgehe. Die Antwort ist ganz einfach: Grauverlaufsfilter. Dabei wird eine nach oben zunehmend abgedunkelte Scheibe vor das Objektiv gesteckt.
Wie das genau geht, könnt Ihr in Raik Krotofils Artikel aus dem letzten Jahr nachlesen, der hier bereits ausführlich zum Thema Grauverlaufsfilter eine mögliche Vorgehensweise beschrieben hat.
Man kann aber auch einfach meine Methode ausprobieren: Ich stelle meine Kamera auf Zeitautomatik, wähle meist eine Blende um f/11 und messe den Vordergrund ein. Als nächstes halte ich einen Filter so vor die Linse, dass der Himmel abgedunkelt wird. Testschuss.
Nun noch schnell das Histogramm prüfen und das Foto auf dem Display anschauen. So kann ich mich bestens und vor allem sehr schnell an die richtige Belichtung und den passenden Filter heranarbeiten.
So vergingen einige Tage, in denen wir ein paar tolle Orte und Landschaften besucht haben.
Morgens war ich fast nie fotografieren, da mir Regen oder grauer Himmel schon entgegenschlugen, sobald ich kurz aus dem Zelt sah. Also schnell wieder zuziehen, weitschlafen und den Urlaub genießen.
Überhaupt haben wir alle Facetten von grau kennengelernt, die es im Himmel wohl so geben kann. Eines Morgens bin ich bei der Île Louët wider die Vernunft doch losgezogen.
Es wurde aber nur immer grauer und von Sonne war nichts zu sehen. Kurzerhand wurden einige Ziele gekappt, da die Wettervorschau auch nichts Gutes erahnen ließ.
So ging es quer durch die Bretagne und wir erreichten nach nicht allzu langer Fahrt den Wald von Huelgoat. Auch bei noch so schlechtem Wetter lässt es sich hier bestens aushalten.
Durch den Einsatz eines Polfilters konnte ich die Grüntöne wunderbar verstärken und zudem die Reflexionen in den zahlreichen Bächlein gut kontrollieren.
Aus Mangel an Campingplätzen sind wir aber am gleichen Abend noch weitergefahren. Unser letztes großes Ziel war die Halbinsel Crozon. Allein hier würden wir beim nächsten Mal gern mindestens eine Woche bleiben. Es gibt so viel zu entdecken, dass es den Rahmen sprengen würde, hier alles aufzuzählen oder zu zeigen.
Es brauchte nicht viel, um das Wasser in diesem Foto verwischt darzustellen. Solche Effekte ergeben sich schon bei einer Verschlusszeit von 1/10 Sekunde. Unbedingte Voraussetzung war die Verwendung eines Stativs. Nasse Füsse gehören bei so einem Foto ebenfalls dazu. Die gelegentlichen Spritzer an der Kamera entfernte ich sofort mit einem Mikrofasertuch.
Zum Abschluss unseres wundervollen Urlaubs in der Bretagne sind wir noch für ein paar Tage auf „unseren“ Campingplatz in Cancale zurückgekehrt. An einem Morgen hatten wir noch einen tollen Sonnenaufgang, den ich natürlich mitnehmen musste.
Ich hoffe, mein kleiner Bericht hat Euch gefallen. Wenn Ihr mehr Bilder sehen möchtet, besucht meine Webseite oder meine Facebookseite.
Bei meiner Frau möchte ich mich auf diesem Wege auch ganz herzlich bedanken. Ohne ihr Verständnis wären die meisten Fotos wohl nicht entstanden, denn wer will schon frierend und bibbernd im Wind sitzen und warten, bis der „Fotoheini“ endlich mit dem Knipsen fertig ist. So manches Mal hat sie mir auch in den Hintern getreten, damit ich noch ein paar gute Bilder mit nach Hause bringen kann.
kwerfeldein – Fotografie Magazin
A German artist is planning on creating a mobile version of IMAGO1:1 – the only camera in the world capable of true 1:1 reproduction for full-length self-portraits. Originally built in 1970, the camera works like a photo booth, projecting a true-to-life 1:1 portrait onto 60cm x 200cm sheets of black-and-white direct positive paper. Artist Susanna Kraus, daughter of original IMAGO1:1 co-inventor Werner Kraus is seeking £95,000 to fund the development of a mobile version of this famous camera to tour around the world. Click through for more information on the camera and the Kickstarter-funding link.
News: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
*Originally uploaded to Sibling’s Vimeo Account – vimeo.com Sibling skateboards expanded their business to neighbour country, Indonesia. The tour was joined by Foo Art, Alif Suhaimi, Wan Irman and Akyb Afandi. They went to Jakarta and Bandung for 1 week from the 9th of Feb 2012 to 15th of Feb 2012. Also featured in this video, Locals Pro – Denny Lizam TX (Puppet Skateboards) – Absar Lebeh (Substance) – Indra DomDom (Hello Skateboards) Music: Fun. ft Janelle Monae : We Are Young Filmed & Edited by: Munir Muhammad Record using : Canon EOS 60D GoPro HD2 Samyang 8mm Tamron 18-270mm Nikkor 50mm F1.8 www.FB.com
A quick blast around the massive Nikon display stand at the FOCUS Photography show, The NEC, Birmingham, 2012. A huge display, with a live conference & photography tips, all the latest Coolpix and DSLR range to try out and lots and lots of helpful Nikon staff. You could also try Binoculars and some massively expensively Nikon Lenses. www.lordsphotodigital.co.uk http www.facebook.com www.youtube.com www.flickr.com All your photography needs, Lords PhotoDigital, Commercial Street, Brighouse, West Yorkshire Filmed using a Sony Alpha 35, 18-55mm Lens, AVCHD Full HD 1080p
This video takes you around the streets of Downtown Miami and in the South Beach district of Miami Beach. Along the way, you’ll see the Rickenbacker Causeway, Brickell Financial District, American Airlines Arena, Art Deco District, and the MacArthur Causeway. Music: Believer (Summer of Pride Mix) by Freemasons (ft. Wynter Gordon)
the Homebrew crew spend a day doing Radio Promo to promote their music video FUNdraising party. Only to find it is in fact thirsty work. Shot by chris graham on the D90 SLR. Chopped & Edited by Nathan Pickles. Directed by chris graham of goodLife. www.goodlifefilms.co.nz
Video Rating: 4 / 5
elsewhere – Flight Facilities ‘Foreign Language’ Tour Flight Facilities at elsewhere on November 11, 2011. Track – Flight Facilities – “Foreign Language” Filmed and edited by Tori Jackson
Video Rating: 4 / 5
As well as inheriting the finest features of the highly acclaimed D300, the D300S boasts many innovative enhancements and is designed to meet an even broader scope of creative demands from serious photographers. First and foremost, the D300S possesses the superb product quality required of the flagship of Nikon’s DX-format digital SLR camera line: 7 frames-per-second high-speed continuous shooting, exceptional accuracy thanks to the 51-point AF system and approx. 100% viewfinder coverage, plus dual card slots and the rugged durability that enables the camera to work under extreme conditions. What’s more, an enhanced D-Movie function provides new features, like an external microphone input for stereo sound recording and AF capability with contrast-detect AF during movie recording. Such outstanding specifications in a trim, responsive, versatile DX-format digital SLR will give any serious photographer an extra measure of agility, for traveling and shooting with greater ease. On top of this, users can choose from the extraordinary range of more than 60 NIKKOR lenses, and Nikon’s Total Imaging System benefits that give the D300S a special advantage in terms of creative D-SLR versatility.
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Ski and snowboard video covering our trip to France and one week of amazingly sunny weather in Evasion Mont Blanc ski resort. Remember to watch in HD! Shot by Nikon D300 and GoPro HeroHD cam. Edited in iMovie and LRtimelapse. Music used (in order of appearance): MGMT – Time to Pretend LMFAO – Sexy and I Know it Glitch Mob – We Can Make The World Stop Deadmau5 Feat Rob Swire – Ghosts N Stuff (Nero Remix) Gotye – Somebody That I Used to Know Photos at www.dvarga.net Created by: David Varga
Video Rating: 5 / 5
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