HarveyG

Entered in the IPIP monthly club meet and achieved an 80% for it.

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

Up bright and early, around 4:30am to get this shot. Minimalist landscape. The fabulous CCD based D80. Needless to say a tripod was used and a longer exposure at ISO 100, f/22 @12mm. The Tokina is shaping up.

Sedgefield - Kingfisher River Lagoon (c) HarveyG Photography

Gear I use:
Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Batteries, Grips, Timers, Triggers: Phottix /
Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

Buffel’s-Baai (Buffalo-Bay), Goukamma Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

Pushed the limits on the HDR (ToneMap?) here as an experiment. (It is not my favourite processing style but simply an exercise for me.) The Haloing (created during Post Processing) is more evident on the Medium-High quality (Flickr) JPG than on the full size original (PC). I will have to work on that to reduce or remove the effect when posting to web.
Shot with my Nikon D80 (CCD) which is far richer than the later D90/D300 supposedly more advanced (CMOS) sensors! with my new Tokina AT-X 124 AF PRO DX 12-24mm f/4. and NO filter…
This is the original (2006?) Tokina 12-24mm, with glass made by Hoya (the filter people).
The newer PRO DX II version apparently has less flare and ghosting due to some improved coatings, but I don’t think my PRO DX is as bad as it’s made out to be in some reviews, judging by the above and other results I shot this week.

I took more care with the above processing and whilst perhaps not as impactful as the first, it certainly is more realistic and believable.

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

I do the odd tour and assist budding bird photographers shoot at MBG. Join the group on Flickr if you have any images you want to share. This shot was taken with a 1997 Sigma 170-500mm APO f/5-6.3 on a very overcast day with the light changing constantly. A great lens for those with a small budget. Can be bought 2nd hand (locally) for most mounts under $700-00 if you know where to look

The newer Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO can be bought for around $1000-00 new (excluding shipping and taxes from USA to RSA). The local retail brick and mortar price is about $1870-00! (ZAR 12,600-00)

Gymnogene - (Polyboroides typus) (c) HarveyG Photography

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar /
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro /
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips and Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs for Noise Reduction, HDR.

I’ve recently started taking part in camera clubs again. The last time was probably in the mid ’80s! This shoot will be for Camera Café or IPIP or both.

It seems that with the age of digital a lot more people are in the game, and what’s especially great to see is youngsters out there shooting some amazing work as well. Here’s a pic I am working on for the next submission. Reasonable but the composition is off, especially the 2nd smaller twig in the BG, so I doubt I’ll submit this. I’ll do another this w/e before the tree sheds it’s flowers. I have one week window each year with this tree before the petals fall…

Shot with the Sigma 28-70mm f/2.8 EX DG for Nikon.

Japanese Ornamental Plum - (c) HarveyG Photography 2010