Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — 1/640 sec, f/2, ISO 2800 — map & image data — nearby photos
out of focus because I need more practice to focus-follow a moving subject
( the shot prior to this was in perfect focus, but the boy's pointing arm was cut off )
So I went again to the massive crowds at Kyoto's largest annual festival, Gion Matsuri as I did on the first night and second night. This time I didn't screw up the camera settings so things went better. I had intended to publish these few photos last night, but I ended up being too tired, so here they are the next day.
As always, my lens brought out smiles and curiosity, and various people and groups would pose for photos...
I wish I would have known of this “huge lens” effect on people when I was young and single, because it seems to be a powerful attractor especially of beautiful women. Not that I'm complaining about the effect now, mind you ;-), but I could have made much better effect of it when I was single, ifyouknowwhatimean.
When people chatted and accepted an offer of a photo, I had to tell them to go a fair distance away so that they'd actually fit in frame. Passersby would inevitably fill in the intervening space, but a photo opportunity would often open up for a second or two but with the natural pulse of the crowd (which was crazy intense, much worse than the first night). But a photo opportunity didn't open up naturally for this group of cool international researchers...
The guy at left isn't seven feet tall... he had the right idea with a jump, so I pantomimed that they should all do it...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — 1/640 sec, f/2, ISO 5000 — map & image data — nearby photos
mid jump
Still, I should have moved from f/2 to something that had a chance to get them all in focus. It's not an issue for two or three people standing side by side, but when you've got ranks of people several deep, f/2 is just too thin even at 20m away.
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/80 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
I'm just guessing
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 — 1/200 sec, f/1.4, ISO 1100 — map & image data — nearby photos
one of hundreds of street stalls
I was sharing a beer and camera conversation with the guy in the blue shirt when he lamented that it was too dark to get any good shots with the consumer point-n-shoot he had with him at the time, showing me how the requisite long shutter times caused blurring. I suggested that since blurring was all he was going to get, he should make use of it, and I suggested that he stand on the railing and brace the camera against the post as you see above, and go for a shot that showed the people all blurred, moving like a river.
It then occurred to me to try it myself, but unfortunately I picked a wobbly signpost to brace against. Still, the result is sort of interesting...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 4 sec, f/10, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
braced against a wobbly signpost
The guy (Nagai-san) suggested pressing the back of the camera flat against the wall of a building, which made it much easier to hold still for long periods, though removed the ability to aim. I couldn't do it with my camera because its back is not flat, but taking his idea to heart, I pressed myself (including my head) up against a wall, then pressed the camera to my eye to try to make one steady unit, then took a shot...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 1 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
with camera pressed tightly to my eye while leaning my head back against a wall
Later, I tried bracing the camera against a solid utility pole, and got something showing a bit of the pulse of the crowd.....
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 — 1 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
while bracing the camera against a sturdy utility pole
Later, after having made my way slowly with the crush of the crowd north, I exited the scrum to find Sanjo Street to be crowded but really pleasant, and I stopped at the steps of the post office to have another beer and enjoy the crowd. Maybe it was the effect of the beers, but I thought to try the 300/2 again...
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 300mm f/2 — 1/25 sec, f/2, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
not bad for 300mm @ 1/25th of a second, with a monopod and a few beers
I moved down Sanjo a bit further until a Spanish restaurant's outside stall selling a Spanish ham & Spanish beer combo required that I stop to enjoy the festivities. The ham was so good that I actually bought another combo but skipped the beer. It was exceedingly pleasant.
Eventually I made my way out of the festival zone to Ooike Street, where the next day the big wooden floats would pass in parade. (They're going now as I write this.). The street was lined with chairs in preparation...
HELLO JEFFREY. 😀 Thank you for taking our photo! Your blog is amazing.