Ship's Commissioning Ceremony

joie grl

Hi,
I have a Nikon D80, SB400 flash and the following Nikkor lenses: 50mm 1.8, 18-135 3.5-5.6G ED Dx w/ HB-32 hood, 70-300 4-5.6G w/ HB-26 hood. I just got the Tokina 12-24 F4 Dx w/ BH-779 hood for Christmas as well as the grip/battery pack which I am already seeing the benefits of!!!! Also have a manfrotto 190 XproB tripod with ball head.
My Husband, who is actually a Submariner, received orders to the Pre-com unit for the new carrier as his shore duty, the USS George H. W. Bush a few years ago. As you may know, this is to be commissioned this saturday. With him being a submariner, this is a once in a lifetime thing for us and pretty exciting photo-op to say the least.
My plans are to take my trustworthy 18-135 for candids on the ship, the 70-300 for the ceremony itself, and the 12-24 tokina for those great wide angles. My questions are as follows:
1. SB400 flash - as far as the ceremony itself, I'll be at least 100 yds away from the speaker, so I'll be using the 70-300. there's no need to use this flash during that time right? or, does it provide some sort of fill light for even those long shots?
2. If anyone has any tips on technique or ANYTHING at all for photographing this type of ceremony, please post them. I've been searching the net on past commissioning ceremonies, to get some ideas, but there's not much out there really.
These are once in a lifetime shots, and I want to make sure I am up to speed on anything and everything before Saturday.
Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!!!!:bow

Jo
www.captured-passion.smugmug.com

pathfinder

joie grl wrote:

Hi,
I have a Nikon D80, SB400 flash and the following Nikkor lenses: 50mm 1.8, 18-135 3.5-5.6G ED Dx w/ HB-32 hood, 70-300 4-5.6G w/ HB-26 hood. I just got the Tokina 12-24 F4 Dx w/ BH-779 hood for Christmas as well as the grip/battery pack which I am already seeing the benefits of!!!! Also have a manfrotto 190 XproB tripod with ball head.
My Husband, who is actually a Submariner, received orders to the Pre-com unit for the new carrier as his shore duty, the USS George H. W. Bush a few years ago. As you may know, this is to be commissioned this saturday. With him being a submariner, this is a once in a lifetime thing for us and pretty exciting photo-op to say the least.
My plans are to take my trustworthy 18-135 for candids on the ship, the 70-300 for the ceremony itself, and the 12-24 tokina for those great wide angles. My questions are as follows:
1. SB400 flash - as far as the ceremony itself, I'll be at least 100 yds away from the speaker, so I'll be using the 70-300. there's no need to use this flash during that time right? or, does it provide some sort of fill light for even those long shots?
2. If anyone has any tips on technique or ANYTHING at all for photographing this type of ceremony, please post them. I've been searching the net on past commissioning ceremonies, to get some ideas, but there's not much out there really.
These are once in a lifetime shots, and I want to make sure I am up to speed on anything and everything before Saturday.
Thanks in advance for all your suggestions and help!!!!

Jo
www.captured-passion.smugmug.com

Jo,

I have never been to a ship christening ceremony, so bear that in mind.
1) If you are over 100yds from the ceremony, leave flash off your camera, it is of no use at this distance. Indeed, 300mm may not be long enough either.

2) I would think you want a shot of the champagne bottle hitting the bow - Do they still do that?

Wide angle would be best for this IF you can get close, otherwise you will have to go with what you can use to reach the action.


Good luck and be sure and post a few shots so we can see what you got!

i_worship_the_King

This is the commissioning ceremony - not the christening ceremony. Christening is when it leaves Northrup Grumman and for the first time touches sea water - this is also when it receives it's champagne bath.

From there it undergoes a series of sea trials.

The commissioning ceremony is where Northrup officially turns over the keys to the US Navy for deployment.

Either way I would bet there is going to be lots of chairs for VIP's, then a big rope with MP's, and then where everyone else stands. If you're not lucky enough to be in the chairs you're going to want every mm of reach you can muster and then some.

As for positioning, sometimes the 'bad' spots make for the best photos - areas off to the side where you can get a clear view, etc. Just avoid the MP's - most are not the friendliest lot...

However the schedule of events says there is a party for crew members being deployed on it - maybe bringing along the shorter lens and flash is not a bad idea either.

joie grl

i_worship_the_King wrote:

This is the commissioning ceremony - not the christening ceremony. Christening is when it leaves Northrup Grumman and for the first time touches sea water - this is also when it receives it's champagne bath.

From there it undergoes a series of sea trials.

The commissioning ceremony is where Northrup officially turns over the keys to the US Navy for deployment.

Either way I would bet there is going to be lots of chairs for VIP's, then a big rope with MP's, and then where everyone else stands. If you're not lucky enough to be in the chairs you're going to want every mm of reach you can muster and then some.

As for positioning, sometimes the 'bad' spots make for the best photos - areas off to the side where you can get a clear view, etc. Just avoid the MP's - most are not the friendliest lot...

However the schedule of events says there is a party for crew members being deployed on it - maybe bringing along the shorter lens and flash is not a bad idea either.

you are right about the difference between the christening and the commissioning. however, the boat stayed at northrup grumman even after the christening. this ship is FAR from done. it's the first one to be delivered to the Navy unfinished. basically because of politics and Bush leaving office in a few days, this is why it was done this way. it hasn't been on sea trials yet. they are coming up, but can't mention dates here. but i will be seated in the chairs just in front of the action. my only concern is that i don't want to be shooting straight up so that i get bad angles. the action starts at 11 am but they will secure the pier at 9am so i plan on being there at like 7am to get the seat i want. the 300mm is the longest lens i have, and it becomes pretty soft at the high end.
i believe that the euipment doesn't make the photographer, it's the creativity in using what you have to get the best shot possible. that's what i hope to achieve. got some great tips from nikonians i plan on implementing. but i will post the pics to my site as soon as i get the chance. thanks for all your input!!!