Monthly Shooting Assignment, July-Aug '14 - Public Spaces

[sly]

Hello again folks. Time for the newest MSA. The last one was terrific. Hope all of you can get rev'd up about the next one. Inspired by the Canada Day celebrations I attended yesterday, I've chosen "Public Spaces". Any place or space designed or designated for people to gather. Indoor or outdoor, full of people, or echoing emptily is up to you.
I always love to hear the story behind your photo - how you shot it, why you chose it, where it is, so please include some details with your submission.
Looking forward to some great entries!

 

[NedL]

This brought an idea to mind immediately! It will be a big challenge and I'll have fun trying to do it.

 

[TheToadMen]

And we're off again! Nice theme. I like it that every MSA takes me in a complete different direction.
"To infinity, and beyond!" as an inspiring hero once said ...

 

[mooseontheloose]

Well, it's Gion Festival time here in Kyoto and August is so full of festivals around the country that there really isn't any excuse as to not participating this round! (not that I need to do festivals or anything...)

Nice theme Lillian! I'm looking forward to what people will produce this round as well.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Here's one. The fountain in Dupont Circle at night is a very popular hangout in the summer, with people sitting, walking, making out in the shadows, or even playing chess on the chess tables around the circle until the wee hours. This was roughly 10pm when I shot this. 1 minute 30 seconds was the exposure I think. May have been just 45 seconds. Regardless, long exposure.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Starbucks Coffee, Dupont Circle. Where most of the folks retreat when they get too hot hanging out around the fountain. I think of this as being "public" because the windows there at the corner of the building are almost like a fishbowl and people are walking past at all hours, staring in at those inside, and those inside are watching the humanity flow by outside.

 

[sly]

Thank you for getting us off to a great start, Flying Camera. I like them both, but the Starbuck's one edges in front, I think. I would certainly consider this type of commercial space, as public. Lots of people in and out all day, as well as the fishbowl aspect.

 

[StoneNYC]

Starbucks Coffee, Dupont Circle. Where most of the folks retreat when they get too hot hanging out around the fountain. I think of this as being "public" because the windows there at the corner of the building are almost like a fishbowl and people are walking past at all hours, staring in at those inside, and those inside are watching the humanity flow by outside.

Darn, I literally was going to shoot a Starbucks image tomorrow afternoon! Gah!!! Now I won't look original anymore! Lol.

 

[NedL]

Day before yesterday we took our daughter to summer camp. This is the campfire circle they will all gather around each night to sing and tell stories. Their tent cabins are in the background through the forest.

Coffee can pinhole paper negative, in this scan and small jpeg it is hard to see there are neat almost zone plate specular effects in the trees.

I'm also working on something else for this MSA...

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

A Rolleiflex triptych panorama. Ektar 100, roughly 45 seconds per frame.

 

[StoneNYC]

A Rolleiflex triptych panorama. Ektar 100, roughly 45 seconds per frame.

Nice! Beware the shadow...

For some reason the middle frame seems brighter, also aren't you suppose to leave a seam in a tryptich? I'm asking as I don't know and have only seen collodion versions.

 

[NedL]

A Rolleiflex triptych panorama. Ektar 100, roughly 45 seconds per frame.

I like how well it feels like a warm pleasant night to be there.

 

[sly]

Flying camera - very nice! I like your shadow's inclusion in the image.
NedL - apparently we have some kind of spooky convergence going on. I just got back from camping with my sons and 2 granddaughters - where I took pictures of the circle where nature talks are offered for the youngsters.

 

[StoneNYC]

OK my first entry

shot on my 4x5 with a planned panoramic crop (I could have used my adapter back but didn't want to load a whole roll for one shot) to 6x12.

I failed miserably at recording, my dad was with me and was waiting for me to take this... but I'll guess the stats...

300mm f/22@1 minute, 9 stop ND filter, some front tilt and a tiny bit of swing to get both foreground and background rock jetty's in focus.

Delta 100 in Rodinal

As always I plan my images to be viewed big, and so I include a large version here, and a small version in the gallery.

Stillness in motion

 

[StoneNYC]

OH and this one is a failed attempt, it was my second 8x10 image I took with my new camera, and the fireflies were really heavy, so I took this exposure over the course of 20 minutes or so, with dim light thinking there would be little light painted streaks everywhere from the fireflies since they were so much brighter than the scene, and I started at f/22 but the light was fading fast so I was adjusting the aperture every 5 minutes and ended up wide open for the last 30 seconds or so... still I don't see any streaks, I was disappointed so this isn't a submission just sharing my endeavors

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Nice! Beware the shadow...

For some reason the middle frame seems brighter, also aren't you suppose to leave a seam in a tryptich? I'm asking as I don't know and have only seen collodion versions.

If you want to get anal-retentive picky about it, then a true triptych is yes, three discreet frames. I've chosen to stitch them all together because that was my vision of the scene, but they were in fact three separate original exposures. Some of the exposure difference is due to my scanning software refusing to lock the exposure from frame to frame so I had to play with it when stitching. I know better how to deal with it now, so I can go back and re-do it better with less exposure variation.

 

[StoneNYC]

If you want to get anal-retentive picky about it, then a true triptych is yes, three discreet frames. I've chosen to stitch them all together because that was my vision of the scene, but they were in fact three separate original exposures. Some of the exposure difference is due to my scanning software refusing to lock the exposure from frame to frame so I had to play with it when stitching. I know better how to deal with it now, so I can go back and re-do it better with less exposure variation.

Oh I see, thank you for explaining. It's still really nice. I had to go through the same thing when I shot my first pinhole 11 x 14 image because I had to scan it in four parts, what I did was write down the Scan level numbers from the first scan, And then would just change the numbers after the preview scan so that they all matched exactly for the real scan. Thanks again.

 

[eddie]

Scott- Have you used the Rolleiflex Panoramic head?

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Scott- Have you used the Rolleiflex Panoramic head?

Eddie- that's what I used to shoot my night-time three-frame panoramas. The bubble level on it is a bit tricky to see in the dark, even when using my iPhone as a flashlight. But when it works, it is nearly seamless... see below:

The only hiccup is from the flare caused by the street lamp between the left and center frames, and directly below it where the traffic streams didn't line up due to timing.

 

[eddie]

I wasn't sure if you used one. If you hadn't, I was ready to lend you mine. I've only used it once, or twice, but never got the hang of it.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I wasn't sure if you used one. If you hadn't, I was ready to lend you mine. I've only used it once, or twice, but never got the hang of it.

I want to take it back to Paris with me and shoot night-time panoramas of the courtyard at the Louvre. I think that would be beyond cool - a 180-degree panorama of the courtyard with the Pyramid lit up.

 

[eddie]

Well, if you get a second 2.8, you can borrow my pano adapter. Then, you can do stereo panoramics...

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Well, if you get a second 2.8, you can borrow my pano adapter. Then, you can do stereo panoramics...

Actually, I have a second 2.8E

 

[NedL]

...nearly seamless... see below:

Wow, that's really nice. The red truck on the left is just right!

 

[sly]

Stone, I really like your seascape, especially the blurry, but still recognizable, folks on the next outcropping.
Flying Camera - your night shot panoramas are impressive. Thanks for submitting another.