Some pictures of the 3

[camera_man]

Just a couple of pictures from my last exploration of the UP

[watkins]

I like the last one a lot. Whats the story behind that?

[camera_man]

Well, there was a group of five of us who were going around and finding cool stuff to explore (mines, waterfalls, mountains, awesome seasonal roads to drift, etc). Myself and one of the other guys who was in the group are photographers for the university, and as a result, we both have a wide variety of camera gear, and like to take interesting photos while on these adventures. Towards the end of the trip (about 3 am) we came across this old abandoned warehouse off the highway, so we decided to stop and check it out. You can see what the inside looked like from the picture - hadn't been occupied for YEARS. Part of the ceiling was collapsed, and there was debris and broken glass all over the place. When we had walked to the far end, I saw what looked like a loading dock door with a small clearing which was free of any debris or glass or nails. So I said, "Hey, this would be sweet to get my car in here and take a pictures, because the inside of this place is really dramatic looking." From there, we built a little ramp out of some wood lying around to bridge the 6 inch step/gap between the 'driveway' and the door leading into the warehouse. Backed the car up and in, positioned it as shown. Then, put the D300 on a tripod, added a flash in back with a blue gel on it, added another bare flash to the left of the frame to accent the passenger side of the car and the ground, turned on the headlights and shot away. Worked pretty well, and I'm really happy with the results.

We do this type of stuff almost every weekend, because the party scene can get a little old after a while.

[watkins]

I wish I had more camera stuff. My Canon SD990 IS is nice enough, but even a top of the line point and shoot offers a lot less than even a basic SLR in terms of manual adjustments and overall functionality.

[six]

D300! A Nikon guy!

I shoot a D90. Great pics man.

[camera_man]

I wish I had more camera stuff. My Canon SD990 IS is nice enough, but even a top of the line point and shoot offers a lot less than even a basic SLR in terms of manual adjustments and overall functionality.

Yes, but once you dive into the digital SLR range, it's a slippery slope, because there's ALWAYS something more you want to buy. Another lens, battery grip, flash, wireless triggers, lightstands, diffusers, etc. It just keeps going and never stops. It's SO addicting because new and different gear means you can find new ways to take pictures which are different from your everyday snapshots (such as the last picture above).

After this coming summer, my running total for my camera set-up will probably be pushing $4-5k...

@ six:

Thanks! Glad you like the pics! The D90 is an awesome camera! One of my buddies (actually the other photographer who was with on the trip) just bought one last month, and they are great to use. My only grip is the size. Since I have bigger hands, I find that the smaller cameras are a little cumbersome to hold properly and I can never really get a stable grip on them. The D300 is even a little bit small (which is why I just ordered the battery grip - makes a HUGE difference). Have you ever had the chance to shoot with the D90 with the grip on it?

[RITmusic2k]

You need to submit that last picture into some kind of awesome-picture contest. Immediately. Seriously impressive work, man!

EDIT: Can you come out here and take some pictures that'll make my car look like that too, please?

[camera_man]

Thanks! It's going out a doing shoots like this that keeps me interested in photography. While I like shooting for the university, there are only so many portraits, group shots, and repetitive stock photography that one can do before it becomes a chore rather than enjoyment.

Sorry, but I think CA is a little too far away for me

[LHOswald]

i think i could get into any profession if it had something to do with cars. i am currently taking electronics courses at my high school so that i know how to do wiring. this has already come in handy because i wired my buddy's MR2t's neons up for him

[camera_man]

Yeah, it really does come down to doing something which you enjoy. This has become very apparent this year at school, as the coursework is so frustrating, and it's hard to keep the end goal in mind.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to this winter, because I've got some plans with friends to make some sweet snow drifting videos and picture albums!

[six]

I haven't shot a D90 with the battery grip, but from the looks of it, it would be too cumbersome. The D90 is actually a perfect fit size-wise for my hands, and can shoot pretty well one-handed. Got a trusty little SB400 TTL flash unit, Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR lens, and a superfast Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens. All I really need for 95% of the situations I'm in.

I love the D90!

[Draklen]

I haven't shot a D90 with the battery grip, but from the looks of it, it would be too cumbersome. The D90 is actually a perfect fit size-wise for my hands, and can shoot pretty well one-handed. Got a trusty little SB400 TTL flash unit, Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens, Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR lens, and a superfast Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens. All I really need for 95% of the situations I'm in.

I love the D90!

Heh I have the same gear... but with a D40 and 1 more lens (70-300 Tamron).

[camera_man]

My primary lens is a Sigma 70-200 2.8 (soon to be a Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR), so the extra weight hanging off the camera makes it a little unbalanced - especially with my large hands. With the battery grip, that problem is solved. Plus, I love the vertical shutter release! That alone almost makes it worth it.