photocroaker.com

I have a website with the address photocroaker.com where I will be showcasing my work and selling it.
I haven't been able to post much on here, but I have learned a lot in the past few months of working professionally that I'm willing to share.
If you have a question, please shoot me an email and I will respond asap.

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My Review of EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM Zoom Lens

Originally submitted at OneCall

This new lens does what many pros thought couldn't be done - replace the previous L-series 28-70 f/2.8 lens with something even better. Extended coverage to an ultra-wide angle 24mm makes it ideal for digital as well as film shooters, and the optics are even better than before with two Aspheric...

EF 24-70mm f2.8L USM Zoom Lens

Great Everyday Lens!!!

By PhotoCroaker from Baltimore, MD on 6/15/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Fast / accurate auto-focus, Easily Interchangeable, Consistent Output, Nice Bokeh, Strong Construction, Durable

Cons: Heavy

Best Uses: Weddings/Events, Indoors/Low Light, Landscape/Scenery

Describe Yourself: Semi-pro Photographer

I had to send back the first copy I received due to massive focusing and color defects, but the second copy made me believe in this lens.
The bokeh is butter-smooth and the colors (especially greens and blues) are as vivid as they can be. I used to shoot RAW all the time so that I could touch up the photographs in post-editing, but I don't need to do it anymore with this lens. Now I shoot JPEG 99% of the time.
Be aware that this is a tank...heavy as they can make them. But you can get used to it with time. The 2.8 is worth it in lowlight indoor situations.

(legalese)

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Fort Ontario, New York, Pics

Here are a few photographs I took this Memorial Day Weekend at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York. Great fun learning about the fort and its illustrious history and I hope to visit one day when the artifacts are back in their original place where they belong. I wrote an article about my first visit to the fort here. These pictures were taken a week after the visit mentioned in the article, and as soon as I post the article that goes with these, I will post a link here as well. Hope you enjoy them. 

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Trying new lens

Trying out a new lens in jpeg and no editing. Cloudy day and a cold breeze. I was very lousy with the settings, so forgive me. 

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Sunset

Canon 500D (Rebel T1i) with EF-S 55-250mm IS @116mm 1/125s F/16 ISO 400

Being without a filter, wider aperture lens, a tripod, and a camera without low-noise, high ISO performance, I still couldn't let this sunset go without attempting to capture it.

For this type of shot, you really need to do two things; use a tripod and use the Manual setting where you set your own shutter speed and aperture. Using just shutter priority or aperture priority will make your shot either underexposed or overexposed, and a tripod eliminates camera shake.

I didn't have a tripod, so I did the best I could in the situation. However, I knew I played it safe, shot RAW and simulated the Polarizer filter in Photoshop using Channels.

Here's what the original image looked like:

You can notice the biggest difference in the highlights and the elimination of the haze. 

You can find the simple polarizer filter Photoshop tutorial here.

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