chuckography

Hail..hail, the gang's all here!

 Almost a dozen members of my Photo Group got together Sunday morning in Summerville.

Rudy Lutge, a co-coordinator of the 21st Century Photography Group, offered a step-by-step tutorial on how - and why - to use Neutral Density (ND) filters.
"Think of these dark filters as sunglasses for your camera," he told us.

On a bright, sunny day, if you try to use a slower shutter speed, the image will be overexposed, Rudy added.

If you want to take a slow exposure shot of flowing water, an ND filter lets you use a longer shutter opening and change the look of a fountain (or waterfall) to a dreamy fog or blurred motion for a special effect.

Rudy often is out at Folly Beach in the wee hours before dawn, taking pictures of waves flowing  gently like mist, wrapping around rocks close to the shore. Oh, and he also shoots the sunrise!

Member David Gentry uses a tripod and shutter release cable to take his long exposure (1-3 seconds) photo.

By not touching the camera itself, the images are sharp because there is no camera shake.

Portraits with an out-of-focus background are another bonus of using the dark filters. Opening the lens wider causes a shallow depth of field and the face will stand out more.

The members brought an array of equipment and varying levels of expertise.

My little Canon sx280HS Point & Shoot camera can accept these filters and I can set a slow exposure for as long as 15 seconds. Not bad for a camera that fits in my shirt pocket.

Members John Cullati (L) and Charles Giet, discuss camera settings as we turn our attention to the water fountain.

It's behind city hall, where the Farmers Market is held on Saturdays, and I learned it's the site where a Summerville fire station used to stand. There is a monument there that honor first-responders.

Charles is a long-time resident and my go-to guy with any questions I have about his birthplace.

Here's one of my shots that alters the look of the flowing water.

Miniature waterfalls without having to drive a long distance. (Click on the photos and links for more details.)

If you're interested in photography, join our group. It's free and then come along on some of our photo walks or events.

Oh, what about my vacation photo of Paris and Edinburgh? I have plenty more and will share them in future postings on my blog.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay cool for a just a while longer.

Labels: #Charles Giet, Andy Reilly, Danny Cortes, Dave Gentry, Dee, first-responders, John Cullati, Rudy Lutge, Sandy Kaminsky, Saturday Farmers Market, Summerville Fire Station

posted by chuckography @ 1:04 PM