Took a trip and got some goodies back home.

jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
edited March 22, 2011 in Street and Documentary
My family took a trip to San Antonio, TX to bring the kids to SeaWorld. Of course, I took along with me my trusted Nikon D70 and my only 18-70mm zoom lens. During the ride, I got so disappointed with myself for missing a lot of very, very nice opportunity to stop along the highway and take a shot on those very fleeting photographic moments (Wife won't let me mad.png). One of those shots would have been a vast expanse of open field with only 3 dark colored cows in the field bathe in these small ray of light from a small opening in the sky. It was really surreal due to the way the sky just opened up and with how the cows was lighted by that small ray of light. I was really disappointed for about 5 minutes while driving but safety first so I just told myself "maybe I'll find another chance next time." :cry

Anyway, we arrived in San Antonio safely, got a hotel to stay in, and rested before we brought the kids to SeaWorld. While we were in downtown area and waiting for our turn to cross the street, I noticed this rider on the stop line. I liked the way he handled his bike and his presence. I waited for the chance that he'll see me and he did. Upon eye contact I made a hand gesture pointing to my camera to take a shot. He pointed at me and signaled an OK sign. Woohoo! Without hesitation, as if by instinct, I set my camera to aperture priority, dialed f8 in the opening and fired some shots. I think I was able to take 3 shots before they got their green light and he was gone. What a cool guy!

5547618886_195e0ba570_b.jpg
The Biker in San Antonio TX by jiro bau, on Flickr

Thank you very much for viewing. :D
Nikon D70, 18-70mm lens set at 50mm, exposure set at Aperture Priority at ISO 200, f8 at 1/125 second, Matrix Metering, Conversion to b&w at lightroom 3.3, Pseudo HDR using -2 EV, and +3 EV from the actual exposure values. The 3 shots was then processed via NIKSoftware HDR Efex Pro inside Photoshop CS5. Bokeh added inside Photoshop. :wink
Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
http://500px.com/williebau

Comments

  • JocoJoco Registered Users Posts: 86 Big grins
    edited March 21, 2011
    What an awesome bike and biker to match. Excellent processing, what detail! The bokeh however I am not sure about.
    Joco's pictures
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,961 moderator
    edited March 21, 2011
    Yeah, I agree. The blur makes the shot look unnatural. The bike and biker are great.
    My Pics
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2011
    Joco wrote: »
    What an awesome bike and biker to match. Excellent processing, what detail! The bokeh however I am not sure about.

    Thanks for viewing and for the nice comment, Joco. The background was really busy so I thought I'd add some small amount of bokeh to make the biker stand out better. :D
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2011
    Here's the shot without the added bokeh. mwink.gif Better? rolleyes1.gif

    5547221331_24c96c13fd_b.jpg
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited March 21, 2011
    Richard wrote: »
    Yeah, I agree. The blur makes the shot look unnatural. The bike and biker are great.

    Thanks for the comment, Richard. thumb.gif
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,961 moderator
    edited March 21, 2011
    jiro wrote: »
    Here's the shot without the added bokeh. mwink.gif Better? rolleyes1.gif
    OK, I see why you took the approach you did. But I think you could do better. Since this is not Finishing School, I'll send you a couple of ideas by PM.
    My Pics
  • 00SS00SS Registered Users Posts: 730 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    nice shot of the bike/rider - love the detail and the bw processing.
    my only question is what his headlight would be lighting up at night.. looks like he did a rake on the front end and forgot to mod the headlight bracket? maybe he doesn't ride at night (although he did add two lamps on the bottom) ne_nau.gif
    Devin
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    jiro wrote: »
    My family took a trip to San Antonio, TX to bring the kids to SeaWorld. Of course, I took along with me my trusted Nikon D70 and my only 18-70mm zoom lens. During the ride, I got so disappointed with myself for missing a lot of very, very nice opportunity to stop along the highway and take a shot on those very fleeting photographic moments (Wife won't let me mad.png). One of those shots would have been a vast expanse of open field with only 3 dark colored cows in the field bathe in these small ray of light from a small opening in the sky. It was really surreal due to the way the sky just opened up and with how the cows was lighted by that small ray of light. I was really disappointed for about 5 minutes while driving but safety first so I just told myself "maybe I'll find another chance next time." :cry

    Anyway, we arrived in San Antonio safely, got a hotel to stay in, and rested before we brought the kids to SeaWorld. While we were in downtown area and waiting for our turn to cross the street, I noticed this rider on the stop line. I liked the way he handled his bike and his presence. I waited for the chance that he'll see me and he did. Upon eye contact I made a hand gesture pointing to my camera to take a shot. He pointed at me and signaled an OK sign. Woohoo! Without hesitation, as if by instinct, I set my camera to aperture priority, dialed f8 in the opening and fired some shots. I think I was able to take 3 shots before they got their green light and he was gone. What a cool guy!


    Thank you very much for viewing. :D


    Very cool guy indeed, and neat road portrait. Next time just shoot - not asking, not signaling, etc., will get you more time to get the shot - and maybe get closer. (And given that bike, and his clothes, I'd be on his being a dentist or a cardiac surgeon, and not a member of a biker gang, so I doubt there'd have been risk involved in just shooting. rolleyes1.gif)
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    00SS wrote: »
    nice shot of the bike/rider - love the detail and the bw processing.
    my only question is what his headlight would be lighting up at night.. looks like he did a rake on the front end and forgot to mod the headlight bracket? maybe he doesn't ride at night (although he did add two lamps on the bottom) ne_nau.gif

    Thanks, Devin. Yeah, I noticed that, too. Well, maybe he just love to ride and have a nice bike. :Dthumb.gif
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
  • jirojiro Registered Users Posts: 1,865 Major grins
    edited March 22, 2011
    bdcolen wrote: »
    Very cool guy indeed, and neat road portrait. Next time just shoot - not asking, not signaling, etc., will get you more time to get the shot - and maybe get closer. (And given that bike, and his clothes, I'd be on his being a dentist or a cardiac surgeon, and not a member of a biker gang, so I doubt there'd have been risk involved in just shooting. rolleyes1.gif)

    Thanks, BD. Sometimes I just don't feel at ease taking pictures of other people without their consent. This time, I thought it'd be polite to signal him that I like to take his pic. I am glad he gave me that opportunity. Cheers! :D
    Sitting quietly, doing nothing. Spring comes and the grass grows by itself.

    http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
    http://500px.com/williebau
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