Apr 25 2012

Sweet Spot

Posted in HDR, Hudson River, New Jersey, NYC, Zeiss Distagon T 35mm show hide 9 comments

I was here a while back in Weehawken, NJ and I snapped a quick iPhone/Hipstamatic shot and it instantly became one of my most hit pix on Instagram… I decided that I would try to get back to the same vantage point for a proper HDR and long exposure… There is so much about this comp that I love… Next I am going to try to get down to that ferry situation in the middle-left and shoot some long exposures of that dock with NYC in the background.

The more I use the Zeiss Distagon  35mm prime lens, the less I use other lenses. It is everything you could ever want in a lens… just wish the aperture closed down a little more than f/16 for long exposures, but I work around it…

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April 25, 2012 - 7:00 am

Len Saltiel - Super vantage point Steve. Wonderfully composed and processed
Len Saltiel recently posted..Merced Light

April 25, 2012 - 8:21 am

Jim Denham - Wow, what a view! Wonderful image Steve!
Jim Denham recently posted..WW02

April 25, 2012 - 8:53 am

Dave DiCello - You know, I meant to make it to Weehawken on my trip to NYC a few weeks back but never did! Great shot man!
Dave DiCello recently posted..Gloomy day in the Park

April 25, 2012 - 10:23 am

Sandi Oscar - Love this photo!! I LOVE NEW YORK!!!!!!!!

April 25, 2012 - 10:40 am

LensScaper - Superb POV. There’s is so much I love about this shot – actually it’s everything!
LensScaper recently posted..Getting the Picture, Developing the Image

April 25, 2012 - 12:12 pm

A.Barlow - Man, that skyline of the city is just amazing. So many tall buildings!
A.Barlow recently posted..Snail On The Sidewalk

April 25, 2012 - 2:34 pm

Edith Levy - Fantastic Steve. wonderful foreground and background elements. Great shot.
Edith Levy recently posted..Muted Reflections

April 25, 2012 - 4:10 pm

Toad Hollow Photography - Absolutely incredible Steve! LOVE this shot! So much to take in here!
Toad Hollow Photography recently posted..Top Bridge Crossing

April 29, 2012 - 9:49 am

Michael Davis - Hi Steve. That’s a great piece of HDR work. Your picture is a perfect learning tool for any newbie. Hats off.
Michael Davis recently posted..Tips to Get a Russian Girlfriend or Wife

Apr 22 2012

Shorebird Migration 2010

Posted in 600mm, Long Island Sound, nature, Shorebirds show hide 2 comments

In August, 2010, I spent some time at Jamaica Bay, NY with my brand new 600mm lens… I recently went through my archives and decided that this was worth a quick edit. While I didn’t quite have a grasp of depth of field as it relates to such an extreme telephoto lens, I think I accidentally stumbled upon some interesting visuals.

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April 22, 2012 - 10:00 pm

Bob Lussier - Great footage, Steve!
It put a smile on my face!
Bob Lussier recently posted..The Bell Tower

April 23, 2012 - 11:41 am

A.Barlow - That’s very cool. In that first slip you were on an uneven base weren’t you? :)

And yeah man, so jealous of that 600mm lens! What one did you end yup getting anyway?
A.Barlow recently posted..Carpet Flowers

Apr 19 2012

Kensico Lake

Posted in Lee Big Stopper, Long Exposure, New York, Zeiss Distagon T 35mm show hide 8 comments

I recently took some long exposures at Kensico Lake in Armonk, NY. This spot attracts fisherman from all over – not only for the scenery but there are a lot of fish near this bridge. This exposure is in the neighborhood of 3:30 long, this type of photography is my favorite, all the time is spent composing and focusing, then you can sit back while the red shutter light is on and enjoy the surroundings.

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April 19, 2012 - 10:21 am

Jim Denham - Sweet reflections Steve! Nicely done!
Jim Denham recently posted..Peeling Shadows

April 19, 2012 - 10:37 am

Chris DeAngelis - Sick shot! Love the reflections!
Chris DeAngelis recently posted..Strange Brew

April 19, 2012 - 11:02 am

Eden - Lovely textures.
Eden recently posted..A Softer Rose

April 19, 2012 - 11:52 am

Len Saltiel - Superb lines and reflections Steve. Beautifully captured
Len Saltiel recently posted..Wild Horses

April 19, 2012 - 12:30 pm

Jesse Pafundi - Reflections rule!
Jesse Pafundi recently posted..Day Turns to Night

April 19, 2012 - 12:49 pm

Toad Hollow Photography - This is awesome, Steve, I just love reflections and this one is an example of a really top drawer one at that!
Toad Hollow Photography recently posted..Waiting On A Train

April 19, 2012 - 5:40 pm

A.Barlow - Sweet reflection shot man!
A.Barlow recently posted..Exit Below

April 20, 2012 - 10:57 am

John Sotiriou - Superb job, Steve!
John Sotiriou recently posted..Wayside 905

Apr 16 2012

Hawk Watch

Posted in Connecticut, Lee Big Stopper, Long Exposure, ND-10, Zeiss Distagon T 35mm show hide 8 comments

This weekend was decent for bird migration – including hawks… the warm weather is bringing birds earlier to this area and species that aren’t expected for weeks are showing up now.

My good friend Mike Warner and I (this is his Swarovski spotting scope) sat on the lawn of the Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch in Greenwich, CT early Sunday morning and enjoyed the beautiful weather and the influx of species, including many Chipping Sparrows, House Wren, Broad-winged Hawks and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, to name a few. This is one of my favorite places where I connect with nature and disconnect from the stress of life.

I was sitting back, intrigued with the cloud formations and decided a long exposure was in the cards, I just needed something anchoring the foreground, and Mike’s scope was a perfect choice. I thought the sky would also be a great target for the “cool” tones of my Lee Big Stopper 10-stop ND filter.

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April 16, 2012 - 7:11 am

Rich McPeek - Very nice Steve! Love the filter you used here!

April 16, 2012 - 7:23 am

Jim Denham - Cool choice for the stationary element and very nice cloud formations! Well done sir!
Jim Denham recently posted..Shaking It Up

April 16, 2012 - 7:42 am

Chris Nitz - Great choice to use the scope as your anchor point!
Chris Nitz recently posted..Here I Stand

April 16, 2012 - 7:44 am

Dave DiCello - Great use of the long exposure here Steve! Rockin’ shot!
Dave DiCello recently posted..Same view, different light

April 16, 2012 - 9:08 am

Eden - Very cool!
Eden recently posted..Violets And Dandelions

April 16, 2012 - 9:23 am

Jesse Pafundi - Sick use of the ND10. Love it bro.
Jesse Pafundi recently posted..Freedom Is Not Free / Washington DC

April 18, 2012 - 12:25 pm

A.Barlow - Nice shot man, and good exposure.
A.Barlow recently posted..New LIfe

April 20, 2012 - 12:57 am

- Gregory Allen Deese - [...] Hawk Watch – Steve Beal shows us how a simple optical device can become a great subject in compelling photography.  Steve utilizes a great composition and natural elements in the backdrop to create an absolutely wonderful photograph to view and enjoy. [...]

Apr 03 2012

42nd Street

Posted in 600mm, Long Exposure, New Jersey, NYC show hide 9 comments

I am a little bit out to lunch on this image, but I showed it to a few people who thought it was cool so I figured it was worth posting.

This was taken in NJ using my 600mm lens. The exposure is 20 seconds long @ f/32, shot from across the Hudson River in Weehawken, NJ. The 600 mm can be like a kite in the wind and is very hard to keep perfectly still for long exposures – even with the most sturdy tripods… I ended up securing the front of the lens on a metal fence for added stability and I actually think it worked for this image.

Looking at it (and zooming in on the image in Lightroom) I was trying to figure out if this is a straight shot directly down 42nd street all the way to the East River. Madame Tousads Wax Museum is really clear (that’s near 7th avenue) but details start to fuzz after that. I do remember focusing in that vicinity – maybe next time I’ll try to focus as far east as possible. Either way, I think long exposure using a 600mm has some potential, it just calls for a lot of trial and error, neither of which I have much time for these days:)

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April 3, 2012 - 10:44 am

Bob Lussier - Love it!
Bob Lussier recently posted..Unitarian Memorial Church

April 3, 2012 - 10:52 am

Chris DeAngelis - Dude, that’s ridiculous!
Chris DeAngelis recently posted..New Season

April 3, 2012 - 12:06 pm

LensScaper - The compression in this really makes the picture. This wouldn’t work in full daylight, but those stop lights so accurately create that feeling of ants on a manic rush to somewhere.
LensScaper recently posted..Plum Blossom

April 3, 2012 - 12:21 pm

Curt Fleenor - Wow 600mm – that’s a telescope! Nice Steve!
Curt Fleenor recently posted..The Calm Before

April 3, 2012 - 1:06 pm

Toad Hollow Photography - Just awesome, Steve, I found myself captivated for a bit here soaking in all the great details!
Toad Hollow Photography recently posted..St. Andrew’s Anglican Cemetery

April 8, 2012 - 9:27 pm

Kris Koeller - Very cool. I like the desaturated look of the photo.
Kris Koeller recently posted..Back on the Roof: A New York City Sunset

April 9, 2012 - 2:25 pm

Eden - Wow, this is awesome! Great processing. Great piece.
Eden recently posted..A Rose’s Closeup

April 11, 2012 - 10:11 am

A.Barlow - Nice shot showing lots of motion.
A.Barlow recently posted..Floating In Ink

April 13, 2012 - 11:34 am

Friday Favorites | Eden's Captures - [...] “42nd Street” by Steve Beal [...]

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