Tag: learningphotography

Summer over the Imperial Castle

Imperial Castle Nuremberg
Imperial Castle | Nuremberg | 2017

Another splendid day over Nuremberg and a long weekend ahead, due to a public holiday on Monday. This iPhone panorama shows the castle gardens of Nuremberg’s Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle). Have I mentioned that I rarely shoot panoramas with my cameras anymore? Shooting a sequence of overlapping images and stitching them in Photoshop or Lightroom isn’t really worth the effort, as in most situations the iPhone panorama function does just fine.

Imperial Castle | Nuremberg
Imperial Castle | Nuremberg | 2017

This is the view from the city walls, where the wall walks atop the fortifications provide for a splendid view across the Tiergärtnertorplatz towards the Imperial Castle.

This photo was taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 with the mZuiko 14-150mm F/4.0-5.6 travel zoom at 1/320 sec, f/8 and ISO200, focal length was 14mm.

I processed the RAW image in Lightroom, mainly opening up the shadows in the wall walk. It is a good example how much tonal range you can capture with a RAW and make visible in post processing.

I wish everyone a peaceful and relaxing weekend!

Related Posts:

An Emperor’s Morning

Nuremberg Explored (5) – Angelic Salutation

Spring on Nuremberg’s City Walls

Nuremberg Explored (4) – Historic Steam Train “Adler”

Learning Center – check it out, all my free tips and inspirations around photography!

 

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Perfect Imperfection

Cuddly Protection
Cuddly Protection | 2017

This capture of an intimate moment between father and son is not a perfect photograph.

I took this photo late in the evening in a dimly lit street cafe. It was a difficult situation to focus in as there was just not enough light. Aiming and shooting quickly the auto focus did lock on the contrast rich edge of the toy tiger in front of the two main subjects of the photograph, resulting in their faces being thrown out of focus due to the long focal length and the wide open aperture of f/5.6 at the far end of my zoom range.

I took only this one shot, as a second later they changed their posture and that intimate  moment was lost.

Missing the focus makes this technically a failed image. Is it a failed image? I think it is not. A photograph needs to have heart and soul, needs to carry a story. It’s contents over form. A technically flawless photo isn’t any good if it’s missing heart and soul. If you study the work of the masters of Street Photography like Henri Cartier-Bresson or Elliot Erwitt, you find many of their great photography are technically imperfect images. But they carry a strong story.

So my advice is press the shutter when you see something that touches your heart and your emotions and worry about the settings later. Having perfect settings or a perfect focus doesn’t help you when the moment is lost.

The photo was taken with my OM-D E-M1 and the mZuiko 14-150mm F/4.0-5.6 travel zoom, image specs are 1/13 sec @ f/5,6 and ISO 1600, 120mm focal length.

Let me know your thoughts in the comment section.

Have a great Wednesday!

Marcus

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Instant Inspiration (8) -Make a portrait of a stranger

Finding your photographic style

Stay Interested !

Have you checked out my learning center for all my photography related tips and inspirations?

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You see me

You see mee ?
You see mee ? | Berlin | 2017

“You see me”, this is the motto of the 2017 German Protestant Church Day (Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag) in Berlin. 2500 events in 5 days, 100.000 fulltime visitors.

The oversized portraits by Christof Krackhardt were on display at the main location of the event at the Berlin Exhibition Center.

Looking at, being looked upon, seeing, not being seen, all in one photo….

Can I help you ? |
Can I help you ? | Berlin | 2017
Selfie
Selfie | Berlin | 2017

Have you visited my Learning Center yet, the link collection to all my free tips and inspirations around photography?

Wish you all a splendid and sunny weekend!

Marcus

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Evanescent

Dream Trees
Dream Trees | Brandenburg | 2017

“Evanescent” – soon passing out of sight; quickly fading or disappearing – this is the title of this week’s Weekly Photo Challenge from Word Press’ “The Daily Post”.

When I read this week’s theme in my WP reader I was just traveling by bus from Nuremberg to Berlin where I will spend the long weekend we have here in Germany due to our public holiday on Thursday.

Looking out the window I couldn’t imagine a more appropriate example of “evanescent”, as every single second the landscape in front of my window was disappearing behind the bus riding on the Autobahn.

For many more photos and a description of the technique I used continue after the jump… Continue reading “Weekly Photo Challenge: Evanescent” →

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Street Photography Quick Tip (10)

Old Town Reflections
Old Town Reflections | Nuremberg | 2017

Street Photography Quick Tip 10 – Using Photographic Obstacles

My Street Photography Quick Tips are short, easy to read and easy to use tips that I think could help you while shooting in the streets. Today’s post is about using photographic obstacles to your advantage.

Have you ever found a parked car blocking that perfect view in a city you visit? Well, you  can try to walk around, but sometimes that won’t help because the nice perspective disappears or there is another obstacle blocking your view.

Well, as simple solution can be: Use it to your advantage. Include it in the composition. It just might made an otherwise boring composition all that more interesting. In this case I included the front window and the roof of a parked car als reflection surface while taking this shot in Nuremberg’s historic Old Town below the Imperial Castle.

Try it yourself! Don’t be frustrated with this stupid obstacle, accept the challenge and have fun!

Find all my other Street Photography Quick Tips in my new free Learning Center.

Have a great Sunday!

Marcus

Related Posts:

Learning Center is online

Street Photography Quick Tip (6)

Instant Inspiration (6) – Storefront Windows

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Night of the Senses

Nacht der Sinne 2017 Neumarkt Opf
1/100 sec @ f/3,2 and ISO 2000 – 20mm focal length

Saturday night we visited a street festival in Neumarkt, a town of 40.000 with a historic city center between Nuremberg and Regensburg. The event was called the “Night of the Senses”, and combined late night shopping (everything was open until 11pm) with many performances of bands and artists and ample opportunity for food and drinks. While my significant other thought shopping I brought along my Olympus OM-D E-M1 with the mZuiko 12-40mm F/2.8 Pro Zoom. For more photos of this event plus some explanations around my late night street photography continue after the jump…. Continue reading “Night of the Senses” →

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It’s time to Dance

Purple Way
1/80 sec @ f/2 and ISO 500, 17mm focal length

Slowly, very slowly, the signs of the nearing summer are appearing in Germany. It’s getting warm enough to start spending the weekend evenings comfortable out in the streets. Street festivals are happening everywhere so there is no reason to stay home. Grab the camera and get out there. It’s time to dance the streets 🙂

It's time to Dance
1/60sec @ f/1,8 and ISO500, 17mm focal length

Both photos were shot with the Olympus PEN-F and the mZuiko 17mm F/1.8.

Don’t miss my collection of free photography tips and inspirations in my new Learning Center.

Have a great Sunday!

Marcus

Related Posts:

Spring on Nuremberg’s City Walls

A Sunday Haiku

My Sunday Miracle

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflecting

r0040765
Bells & Bratwust | Nuremberg | 2016

This weeks Weekly Photo Challenge from Word Press’ “The Daily Post”  has the theme “Reflecting”. I could have answered the challenge with last weeks challenge “danger”, as my submitted image included a very nice reflection.

But no worry, I have many more of my puddle shots, one from the Streets of Nuremberg is my entry for this week. For a small collection of my reflective images look after the jump… Continue reading “Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflecting” →

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Instant Inspiration (17) – Flower Photography with Zoom

Dreamy Poppies
1/200 sec @ f/5,6 ISO 320 and 135mm focal length

Sometimes I show you something on the “Streets of Nuremberg” that is outside the usual scope of my posts about street- and travel photography. During May natures just pops (pardon the pun 😉 ). Lush green and bright colors everywhere. But often the weather is still inconsistent, with many cloudy days. These conditions are actually perfect for some flower photography using a zoom lens. For more photos and some how-to continue after the jump… Continue reading “Instant Inspiration (17) – Flower Photography with Zoom” →

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