CA Sunset 1

Forehead

OK. I mentioned in an earlier thread somewhere (Cool Shots - IR Thumb) words to the effect that the near IR sensitivity of many digital cameras isn't always a desirable property--especially with sunset shots like the one shown here. Taken on top of my roof with a Nikon E5400 with ISO 50, spot metering, 1/1000 sec and f/4.6 (shutter priority), and 4X zoom.

Without an IR cut filter, the sun appears almost noon-time bright all the way to the horzon--I have yet to capture the deep orange and red hues. Is there any house-hold item that can be used to improvise an IR cut filter?

Forehead

Ca Sunset 2
I was really hoping to see the coulds over the mountains ablaze with color during this evening's sunset. I guess it's just not meant to be sometimes.

This is the best I could do, with just a little contrast enhancement to wring out what color there was in the clouds:

Forehead

CA Sunset 3
Ok, one more.

This is looking toward the LA area, and the sun has just dipped below what appears to be the so-called "marine layer" of low clouds that spread at night from the ocean as far inland (sometimes) as Banning (on the way to Palm Springs).

DanielB

ooooo, i really like the second image image, with some curves and adjustments and a crop to take out the foreground i think it could make a pretty dramatic shot

gubbs

Hi Forehead,

To keep things tidy I merged your 3 threads, hope you don't mind

Awais Yaqub

very nice loved them

Forehead

Croppies
Right! Sorry about the lights on the soccer field obscuring the view, there!

I'll see what I can do (it'll be a few days).

DanielB wrote:

ooooo, i really like the second image image, with some curves and adjustments and a crop to take out the foreground i think it could make a pretty dramatic shot

Forehead

Oops!
You meant the shot of the mountains, right? No soccer field there!

DanielB wrote:

ooooo, i really like the second image image, with some curves and adjustments and a crop to take out the foreground i think it could make a pretty dramatic shot

Forehead

Merging threads
Yeah. How to do that? Every time I post an image, I get this message like "you've uploaded the maximum of ONE file". But other people get to string a whole bunch together!

Am I just too new a dginner to have any "pull" around here?

gubbs wrote:

Hi Forehead,

To keep things tidy I merged your 3 threads, hope you don't mind

DanielB

Forehead wrote:

Yeah. How to do that? Every time I post an image, I get this message like "you've uploaded the maximum of ONE file". But other people get to string a whole bunch together!

Am I just too new a dginner to have any "pull" around here?

http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1083138

Frog Lady

hey Forehead,

I'm glad you posted those - I saw similar scenes/clouds/white mtns down my way (Highland/Redlands) and got a few shots, but I never seem to be in the right place at the right time w/ my camera to get the ones I really want/like.

See, in So Cal, we do it right - the snow stays in the mtns, where we can enjoy the view from a distance and we enjoy the relative warm (55-60 F today) and non-slushy streets down in the valley:D

(PS - what soccer fields were you at this weekend - I spent most of mine at the Riverside complex for a big tournament for my son and experienced some of that rain - and a bit of hale - 1st hand)

cheers,

C.

saurora

One unfortunate thing about our rainstorm (or maybe it was the hailstorm!) is it washed away all that wonderful L.A. smog which makes for the coooolest sunsets!!!! These are nice however, I especially like the 2nd one.

Forehead

Soccer fields
Right now, I'm renting a house in the Sierra Lakes Country Club tract in Fontana. The soccer field near my house is just north of I-210 on Citrus Ave.

Unfortunately, the two fields here weren't very well maintained, and they're essentially plowing them under and starting from scratch.

Frog Lady wrote:

hey Forehead,

I'm glad you posted those - I saw similar scenes/clouds/white mtns down my way (Highland/Redlands) and got a few shots, but I never seem to be in the right place at the right time w/ my camera to get the ones I really want/like.

See, in So Cal, we do it right - the snow stays in the mtns, where we can enjoy the view from a distance and we enjoy the relative warm (55-60 F today) and non-slushy streets down in the valley:D

(PS - what soccer fields were you at this weekend - I spent most of mine at the Riverside complex for a big tournament for my son and experienced some of that rain - and a bit of hale - 1st hand)

cheers,

C.

Forehead

Speaking of the coolest sunsets
I was living in Phoenix when Mt. Pinatubo (Phillipines) erupted during the summer of 89 (or 90?). Do you remember that event?

Shortly afterward, the absolutely most spectacular neon sunsets I ever saw, were seen every day for at least the following three weeks.

saurora wrote:

One unfortunate thing about our rainstorm (or maybe it was the hailstorm!) is it washed away all that wonderful L.A. smog which makes for the coooolest sunsets!!!! These are nice however, I especially like the 2nd one.

Forehead

Smoggy sunset, comin' up!
Not so windy lately! But dang it all--I'm just gonna have to get an IR cut filter. I just can't get the deep orange sunsets (like this evening's shot below) like we deserve!

2/24--this just in: I've learned today that it's not a filter I need, but to just get motivated and try different WHITE BALANCE settings. Give me an hour or so whilst Old Sol drifts lower and I'll show you (hopefully) better shots.

saurora wrote:

One unfortunate thing about our rainstorm (or maybe it was the hailstorm!) is it washed away all that wonderful L.A. smog which makes for the coooolest sunsets!!!! These are nice however, I especially like the 2nd one.

gubbs

Forehead wrote:

Yeah. How to do that? Every time I post an image, I get this message like "you've uploaded the maximum of ONE file". But other people get to string a whole bunch together!

Am I just too new a dginner to have any "pull" around here?

Hi Forehead,
I think I'm right in saying you can only have one attachment per post, but you can have as many posts as you like with attachments (within reason:D) within a thread.

If you you want to have multiple picture in one post you'll need somewhere to host your pics EG Smugmug and then you can embed your shots

Forehead

Gonna try this again
Spent some time at an old camera shop in Colton (CA), and found that there IS a thread on my Nikon E5400. And also, some company named Phoenix makes the right lens adapters (tele- and wide angle lenses also) for the E5400. Feels good seeing lens attachments on the BODY of the camera, and not on the lens barrel.

Posted the Quantaray lens barrel and Phoenix body mount methods on the Techniques forum.

I've also looked through some books and NO MENTION of the use of IR cut filters for sunset pictures was found. On the other hand, the message I got was to quit being lazy and start adjusting the WHITE BALANCE--the Auto white balance apparently can't help but change orange sunsets white.

It hasn't been very windy today, which means that the LA smog further west will be thick, which makes for ripe deep-orange sunset conditions.
I'll give this another shot or 35, and hopefully can make a better showing for all you Grinners out there in a couple-three hours!

Forehead

Great!
More things to learn!

gubbs wrote:

Hi Forehead,
I think I'm right in saying you can only have one attachment per post, but you can have as many posts as you like with attachments (within reason:D) within a thread.

If you you want to have multiple picture in one post you'll need somewhere to host your pics EG Smugmug and then you can embed your shots