Playing with Bulb Photography

[h2oskierc]

I shot these pictures as my six-week old son was in the hospital at the age of one month. This was the view from his room. I wish I had two cameras, so you could see the setup, I had about 10 college textbooks piled up, and my camera on top, with stuff piled under that to angle it down a bit.

I should note that the inspiration was that this picture was taken in the middle of February, I was amazed that the lights were still up, and turned on. I feel it must light up the kids at Children's Hospital in St. Paul, "Look at the Christmas lights" I said to my wife...

Taken with a Canon EOS Rebel Ti, on Kodak Gold Max 400, with a Canon EF 100-300 f/4.5-5.6 USM zoomed to 200 mm, Bulb exposure (approx. 2 minutes) @ f/35.

May be slightly underexposed? I cannot tell for sure. The first is the original, the second is how I feel it needs to be cropped, too much extra...

[Tiffany 13]

I actually don't knw which one I like better. But I will say this, before I read what you wrote, I thought this seen was set up model railroad style [on that scale at least]. The image looks minature to me, but then when I look in the background and I see the lights from the cars, I noticed that It wasn't a minature at all. But if you had just posted the second one, I might have never know.

[dbutler]

for me, the headlights and streetlights add to the holiday atmosphere in the shot. And I like the curve of the headlights. The photo looks a little blurry to me but my eyes are beginning to go on me so it may just be my need for a stronger prescription lens. Otherwise, I think a tripod and cable release may have been useful. Bulb shots are tough.

By the way, I pray your son is better. If not, that he be better very soon.

[h2oskierc]

for me, the headlights and streetlights add to the holiday atmosphere in the shot. And I like the curve of the headlights. The photo looks a little blurry to me but my eyes are beginning to go on me so it may just be my need for a stronger prescription lens. Otherwise, I think a tripod and cable release may have been useful. Bulb shots are tough.

By the way, I pray your son is better. If not, that he be better very soon.

First, my son is much better, and I thank you for the prayers, it is hard for a fresh dad to go through something like that.

I did end up using my "cable release" (remote), but had no tripod available, and thus used a tall stack of college textbooks. Also, I forgot to note that I used a circular polarizer (no ND filters in my gear bag yet) to extend the shutter speed longer, in hopes of getting a hicher volume of drive-by traffic.