The Pixel Perfect Vacation Including: Digital Benefits, Tips and Travel Checklist Article rating: 7.50 |
Often when sightseeing, I get asked by a nice couple or a family to take their photograph. Maybe it¹s the hefty amount of Nikon camera bodies and lenses I have flung over my shoulders or that I look honest enough not to run away with their camera. At any rate, I consider it a privilege and happily oblige. These days I can't help but notice more and more point and shoot digital cameras in the hands of vacationers digital camera appealing to pack now for a special trip?
As a Nikon Technical Representative, I spend a lot of time in airports and passing through security screening. Since the advent of digital photography though, I can enjoy Quicker Airport Screening. Digital photography relies upon flashcard technology for recording images instead of film. Now I relish the timesavings and relief--of not having to wait for dozens of my film canisters to be hand inspected. Compact flashcards can go right through the x-ray machines.
Local festivals and religious celebrations (such as a First Holy Communion) are a great way to get a glimpse inside a culture. The D1x rendered this beautiful girl’s skin perfectly, plus retained all the detail in the white lace and jeweled necklace. A little bounce from a white tablecloth added just enough fill illumination.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 70-180mm f/4.5-5.6 D Micro Nikkor lens.
The air was so thick with moisture and clouds, it often seemed as if we had a giant soft box at our disposal when shooting outdoors in Ireland. I kept looking around the cemetery and tried different angles to arrange the objects in a diagonal pattern to drive the reader’s eye toward the variegated terrain off in the distance.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G Nikkor lens
A lively character, this affable gentleman sat in the cold dampness of the afternoon and entertained all those who walked along the footpath. Matrix balanced fill-flash made it possible to hold the color and detail in the foreground, yet not detract from the moody, overcast feel of the scene.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G Nikkor lens
When the sun was casting strong, harsh shadows, I turned my attention to inanimate objects and looked for interesting colors and textures. The 3D color matrix camera meter handled the complex tonal range of this frame with expertise.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G Nikkor lens
Remnants of a Celtic heritage are clearly seen in the predominance of fiery redheads with milk white complexions at every turn in Ireland. A little soft fill flash from an SB-80 caught this candid moment and provides a good example of why you should always have a flash on your camera – even on sunny days.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 70-180 f/4.5-5.6 D Micro Nikkor lens
Dappled late morning light washed over the hillside and illuminated patches of the countryside. Though a lovely scene, I wanted to make it more interesting and opted to use the natural frame the flowers created.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G Nikkor lens
If you experience inclement weather during the day and you’re disappointed with the light, go back at night! Slick, cobblestone streets lit with tungsten lamps at night create a far more interesting photograph than a grey, barren daytime scene.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 D Nikkor lens
The steeple of this church looked bold and majestic against the cobalt blue sky as the light faded. I bumped my ISO up and steadied myself against another building to slow my shutter speed as low as possible to capture the motion blur of the “traffic pattern” in the foreground.
Shooting Information: Nikon D1x, NEF file, 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5 D Nikkor lens
