CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-05-19 03:07:23 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 6 +1s)

My first photo in North Dakota. It rained like crazy most of the evening. Caught a nice double rainbow during a break in it.

2013-05-16 15:28:58 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

The last entry in my trip planning series but actually my first step when planning a #nationalpark trip is to consult National Park Service visitor statistics. They have a lot available but I like the monthly visitor levels. A quick look at this graph, which averages 2008-2011 data, and you can see the large spike in the Summer, especially for the Badlands. I try to balance visitor levels against weather and pick an optimal time. In this case, I chose May.

Many cities, states, and tourist attractions track and release these statistics.

My trip starts Saturday! Depending on the Internet connection, you'll either be seeing a lot or no posts from me over the next week. Thanks for reading.

2013-05-15 20:46:26 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

In addition to the map I posted yesterday, this is another way I like to plan/daydream about my upcoming trips. This is an ephemeris or a table of when and where the sun and moon will cross the horizon. I already have a paper version of this in my wallet in the highly likely chance that my phone dies or fails to find a signal while I'm driving around North and South Dakota.

There are going to be some early mornings. I'm glad I'll be in the mountain time zone so it will feel 2 hours later to me.

These times and directions were pulled from +timeanddate because it's much easier to copy and paste into Excel, but +The Photographer's Ephemeris is another great source for this information.

2013-05-14 14:04:24 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

At this time next week, I'll be embarking on an old-fashioned, 5-day, 1000 mile journey across the Northern Plains with nothing except my wits, my camera, and a carload of Apple devices.

2013-05-13 21:08:57 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Preventing Wasted Opportunities

This photo is one that came about thanks to advance research. More than three hours of research and another hour of field work went into that three second moment. Trip planning overall spanned more than eight hours of time. This was put in on the front end before we ever hit the road to DC. Time was spent looking for interesting DC photos, figuring out the locations of those photos, determining when to be at those locations, stringing that data together, and fitting all of that into a family-oriented trip. Upon arrival, additional time was spent to actually go and capture the images. (Please remember to always be open to spontaneous opportunities.)
 
A similar image to this one was found by searching through “interesting” photos of Washington DC on flickr. After that a great article by +Brandon Kopp about photographing the “Big 3″ wasfound (h... more »

2013-05-11 15:50:08 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Planning Photo Adventures | Brandonkopp.com

After photography, my second and third passions are researching and planning.  Both are complementary to photography but can occasionally narrow my focus so much that I miss out on other opportunities.  I wrote a blog article about this tension (http://www.brandonkopp.com/Blogger/Entries/2013/3/12_Planning_Photographic_Adventures_(My_Photography_Toolbox).html), but I am still an advocate of knowing what you're getting into.

Next weekend, I'm heading home to North Dakota. Half of the trip will be spent on the road, touring National Parks and you'll see those photos over the next couple months.  Half of the trip will be spent around Mandan, ND.  I wasn't sure what was there to photograph.  So I got online and did some research.  

1.  I wanted to find a country church for sunset and starphotog... more »

2013-05-09 20:42:25 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Is there something going on with Google+?

I like having people add me to their circles, but lately things have been acting kind of weird.  For every 1 person that shows up in my notifications as "Added you on Google+" I see the "X,XXX have you in circles" number on the top bar of my profile page go up by 5 - 10.  I finally checked +CircleCount and saw the oddly linear trend line below. This seems to have been going on for months.

Am I just consistently getting more popular or is something going on? Anyone experiencing something similar?

2013-05-09 20:32:25 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Eastern State Penitentiary | Philadelphia, PA

Each of the cells at Eastern State has a single, narrow window in the ceiling so prisoners could look heavenward and repent.  This is my attempt at illustrating that. 

Metadata: 14mm, f/8, 5-shot HDR, ISO500, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, tripod, bracketed images processed in Photomatix

http://www.brandonkopp.com

#hdr   #hdrphotography   #hdrphotographers   #photoplusextract   #urbex   #urbanexploration  

2013-05-01 20:34:19 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 10 +1s)

Philadelphia Free Library | Philadelphia, PA

When I told my friends I was heading to Philly again last weekend, they told me I need to check out the Free Library there.  They said it had beautiful architecture and they weren't kidding.  Any place that I can take a #vertorama  these days, I'm all about.  So let me pass on the recommendation.  Go there!

Metadata: 11mm, _f_2.8, 8 X 5-shot HDR images, ISO400, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, HDR images processed in Photomatix then assembled into a Vertorama using Photoshop. Vignetting and spot correction of exposure also added in Photoshop.

http://www.brandonkopp.com

2013-04-29 13:54:04 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Orthodoxy | Philadelphia, PA

I don't often take photos with my iPhone that I want to share outside of Instagram, but I liked this one enough to see what you all think. Hope you all had a fun weekend.

My Instagram: http://instagram.brandonkopp.com

#iphonography

2013-04-22 20:18:25 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

John Hodgman | St. Mary's University, MD

I have a friend who teaches at a college in southern Maryland. Last weekend she invited me down to attend a lecture by author, humorist, Daily Show correspondent, and all around funny guy John Hodgman.  I had a great time, took a lot of pictures, and even got a little jab from John himself since I was taking so many pictures. 

Metadata: 70mm, f/8, 1/60, ISO800, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm, SB-600 Flash

2013-04-17 22:59:15 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

Eastern State Penitentiary | Philadelphia, PA

Another shot at #urbexphotography  from the Eastern State "urbex zoo."  There are few rooms in the penitentiary that have this many objects. A room with a bunch of rubble or just a bed frame just don't give the impression that someone once lived here.  This was my first run-in with urbex and I had to do some considerable playing around with Photomatix to get a mood that liked. You definitely need the shadows that you sometimes lose with HDR to give the haunting look.  In the end, I had to create a new "dark and ominous" preset to give myself a good jumping off point.

Metadata: 11mm, f/5.6, 5-shot HDR, ISO250, WB=Sunlight, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, tripod, remote shutter release, processed in Photomatix.

#plusphotoextract   #pennsylvania   #hdr   #hdrphotography   #hdrphotographers  

2013-04-11 20:30:47 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul | Philadelphia, PA

I met a group of photogs at Eastern State Penitentiary last weekend. I made sure to get up to Philadelphia early enough that I could make it to this beautiful cathedral first.  I paced around outside until they opened and got a full 30 minutes of vertoramas and some detail shots like this before having to go on the main photo adventure.

Metadata: 16mm, f/2.8, 5-Shot HDR (1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/125), ISO1600, WB=Incandescent, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, bracketed images processed in Photomatix.

Check out my Instagram feed: http://instagram.brandonkopp.com

2013-04-09 20:27:11 (3 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

The (Barber) Chair | Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA

I joined a Meetup group and our first outing was to Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP). It was my first time in Philadelphia, and I had a great time.  ESP is a cool place. If you're interested in #urbexphotography , but too scared or law-abiding to break into abandon buildings, this ia a fantastic place.  In describing it to people, I've used the analogy:

Eastern State is to Urbex as Zoos are to Wildlife Photography

This was my favorite "display" there...the prison barber shop. Judging by other pictures I've seen of ESP, this seems to be a favorite of others too.

Metadata: 16mm, f/8.0, 5-shot HDR, ISO320, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, tripod, brackets processed in Photomatix, spotlight effect on the chair added in Photoshop CS4.

See early cuts of myp... more »

2013-03-31 14:03:13 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

Happy Easter | St. Mary's Church, Annapolis, MD

2013-03-30 15:59:57 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

Sure Signs of Spring | U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC

Spring has been slower this year than last, but last year was kind of an outlier.  This photo was taken March 29th, 2012. Things aren't quite as far along yet, but the temperatures are beginning to warm, fountains and reflecting pools are being refilled, and the crowds are growing.  These are all sure signs that Spring has arrived in DC.  While the focus tends to be on the cherry blossoms, I'm partial to tulips.

Metadata: 18mm, f/11, 5-shot HDR, ISO 200, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm, Shot handheld, bracketed images processed in Photomatix.

2013-03-29 02:14:03 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 8 +1s)

Extra, extra, read all about it! Our first guest post on our blog by photographer +Brandon Kopp on the Hidden Gems in Washington, DC!

Interesting in writing on our blog? We'd love to have you.

#washingtondc   #travelphotography   #photoguide   #photospots  

2013-03-27 21:49:31 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 17 +1s)

Opera House | Kennedy Center, Washington, DC

I recently bought tickets to The Book of Mormon at the Kennedy Center.  The (terrible) experience of getting the tickets reminded me that I still had never been to the Center.  You can only walk around as part of a guided tour.  I hate guided tours...there is always someone in the way of your photos.  I eventually had to wander away. Notice how everyone is sitting in the center of the theater learning about how it's ADA compliant (yawn) while I was dipping in and out of rows trying to get as wide a shot as possible.

Metadata: 11mm, f/2.8, 5-shot HDR, ISO800, WB=Incandescent, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, HDR brackets processed in Photomatix

2013-03-26 21:47:22 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Prop 8 Hearings At The Supreme Court

I put on my photojournalist hat (not literally) and headed over to the Supreme Court on my lunch break. It is chaotic to take photos of events like this. I commend those who do it. I'm heading back tomorrow for the DOMA hearings and am going to try to take some lessons learned from today.  If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

2013-03-24 13:19:42 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

Russell Senate Office Building Rotunda | Washington, DC

One thing I like about my job is it's location. I work about 3 blocks from the Capitol.  On Friday, I went to the Russell Senate Office Building on my lunch break to snap some photos. I'd recently seen a photo of the rotunda and thought it had great potential as a vertorama (it's a beautiful place but difficult to fit into a single photo).  I was surprised and happy to find it completely empty.  Apparently, I was lucky too because there were a bunch of boards and easels set up...it looked like they would be having a display set up or something.  Anyways, it really is a beautiful space.

Metadata: 11mm, f/4, nine sets of 5 HDR brackets, ISO640, WB=sunlight, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, HDR brackets batch processed in Photomatix, assembled to vertorama in Photoshop CS4, vignette, color correction,and... more »

2013-03-20 20:38:54 (8 comments, 3 reshares, 19 +1s)

David v. Goliath | Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC

Another photo from my recent, early morning trip to the Lincoln Memorial. I knew that I would add a sense of scale to the photo, but I really didn't think it would look this dramatic. 

If I were to do it over again, I would try to fit Lincoln entirely between the two pillars (I don't like how is foot is chopped off) and I would position myself so I was either fully in front of a pillar in the back row or fully in-between (I don't like how I'm on the border, but I do like how I'm spotlighted).  Anything you'd change?

Metadata: 13mm, f/2.8, 5-shot HDR, ISO800, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, tripod, intervalometer as self-timer, HDR brackets processed in Photomatix.

http://flickr.brandonkopp.com
http://twitter.brandonkopp.com
http://instagram.brandonkopp.com

2013-03-17 22:35:44 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Three vertoramas from yesterdays photowalk.

2013-03-17 20:49:11 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

This is the extent of my people photos from the photowalk; +Veeresh Inginshetty and +Christa Laser.

2013-03-17 18:11:43 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

More macro shots from yesterday's photowalk

2013-03-17 15:00:18 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

Some macro shots from yesterday's photowalk.  More to come.

2013-03-17 14:36:18 (8 comments, 5 reshares, 29 +1s)

Watching the Sun Rise | Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC

I've wanted to take some HDR self-portraits at the Lincoln Memorial for a couple weeks now and finally convinced myself to get out of bed early enough to do it.  I was motivated by the fact that cherry blossom season starts soon and there will be so many more people visiting DC that it'll be difficult to get 20 minutes to myself in the Memorial.

This turned out to be a great morning. In addition to the self-portraits, I got some sunrise photos, got to see +Zeid Derhally, and see a couple get engaged.

Metadata: 11mm, f/5.6, 5-shot HDR, ISO800, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, bracketed photos processed in Photomatix.

2013-03-16 19:39:54 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 5 +1s)

Added photos to St. Patrick's Day DC Photo Walk/Drink and Click.

2013-03-13 20:32:19 (7 comments, 9 reshares, 33 +1s)

Scottish Rite Temple Library | Washington, DC

At the very end of the tour of the Freemason temple in #DC , you walk through a reading room and this beautiful library. I love libraries in HDR. The wood and the range of color in the books draws me in.

Metadata: 11mm, f/2.8, 5-shot HDR, ISO800, WB=Sunlight, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, HDR processed in Photomatix

Me on Flickr: http://flickr.brandonkopp.com

2013-03-13 00:15:37 (0 comments, 4 reshares, 2 +1s)

Planning Photographic Adventures | http://www.brandonkopp.com

In this blog post, I talk about tools that I use for planning photo trips.  Over the years I've found a number of interesting, fun tools. Read the article and learn how I use +Google Maps, +Google Earth, +Stuck On Earth, +ShutterGuides, +The Photographer's Ephemeris, +timeanddate, Flickr, Pinterest, National Park Service Statistics, and other tools to make the most out of the short time I get to spend on vacation.

I would love to hear about any other tools that you use when planning photo trips.  If there is anything I should check out, please comment.

2013-03-11 20:29:13 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Scottish Rite | Washington, DC

This is the main ceremonial room at the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry Temple in DC. Shortly after I moved to DC, I read the book The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. Part of the story takes place here. Now that I've been to a few places in the book, I need to go back and read it.

Metadata: 11mm, shot in Manual (f/2.8, eight sets of 5-shots (1/8s, 1/15s, 1/30s, 1/60s, 1/125s)), ISO800, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, images processed in Photomatix then combined into a vertorama using Photoshop CS4, additional vignetting and spot color and exposure corrections done in Photoshop.

Feel free to share, +1, or check out my About Page (http://goo.gl/Pyeki) to see where else I hang out on the Internets

2013-03-08 22:15:25 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 11 +1s)

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry | Washington, DC

There are these interesting...alters? pedestals? in different rooms at the Freemason temple in #DC. They are covered with holy books of different religions because Masons don't have to subscribe to any particular version of god in order to be members (according to the video I watched).  I'm not sure what these pedestals are used for, but they definitely caught my eye.

Metadata: 11mm, f/2.8, 5-shot HDR, ISO800, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld. HDR processed in Photomatix, lens and color correction done in Photoshop CS4.

Check Out My Blog: http://www.brandonkopp.com/Blogger/Blogger.html

2013-03-07 21:08:11 (8 comments, 4 reshares, 26 +1s)

Scottish Rite of Freemasonry | Washington, DC

Today I went to explore a hidden gem in #DC. This is the headquarters of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.  As the orientation video I watched pointed out, the building was designed by the same guy who did the Jefferson Memorial, National Archives, and National Gallery of Art. The building is quite extraordinary.  I think I got some great photos (I'm still processing), but the overall experience was kind of off-putting. I'll talk more about that in future posts. I just wanted to get one of my favorites so far posted.

Metadata: 11mm, f/2.8, 5-shot HDR, ISO800, WB=Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld but propped on the back of a bench.

Some other ideas for photographing DC: http://www.PhotoTourismDC.com/guide

2013-03-06 15:59:03 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

South Florida Photo Spots
New and popular on shutterguides.com, photographer +Brandon Kopp has added another fantastic photo guide to some of the great photo spots around south Florida:

http://www.shutterguides.com/guide/139/south-florida/

Check out the great locations in Dry Tortugas National Park, Key West, Everglades, and more!

#photoguide   #landscapephotography   #florida   #drytortugasnationalpark   #floridakeys   #everglades   #miami  

Photo credit and copyright +Brandon Kopp, from Dry Tortugas National Park, GPS: 24.629419, -82.8722

2013-03-04 00:01:52 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

Planning Photographic Adventures (coming soon) | http://brandonkopp.com

I am working on a blog post covering different web and computer tools I use to plan trips.  Spoiler alert, but one of my favorite tools is the desktop version of +Google Earth.  It is tremendously powerful.  One of the functions is the sunlight tool that gives you a rough approximation of what shadows will look like at a certain time and place.  To show just how good it is, I matched up the output from Google Earth with a photo I took last year along the Iceberg Lake Trail in Glacier National Park.  I've used Google Earth for this purpose before but never went back and checked it's accuracy.  I was blown away.

I'll publish that article toward the end of this week.  I completed it, but somehow the files weren't saved so I have to recreate a couple hours worth of work.  I'll let youknow wh... more »

2013-02-28 22:03:25 (5 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral | Washington, DC

I went to this cathedral thinking strictly of vertoramas but as I reviewed my photos, I noticed that none of them included the outer walls which are as amazing as the front wall and the ceiling.  So I went to the choir loft, turned my camera to a portrait orientation and collected 5 sets of bracketed photos.  I was pretty amazed that it turned out as well as it did.

Metadata: 11mm, f/2.8, five 5-shot HDR images, ISO800, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld.

You can also check out my Flickr account. My photos are much better organized and the captions are better over there: http://flickr.brandonkopp.com

2013-02-27 22:39:17 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Voting Rights Act Hearing | Supreme Court, Washington, DC

It took me awhile, but I finally found a use for Instagram.  I've been posting to it as a means of live-blogging my photo adventures.  Often it's hours between when I snap a photo and when I finally have it fully processed and ready to upload.  I like having the opportunity to pique people's interest and give them a taste of what's to come.  And, honestly, I like playing with the filters.  The photo below was actually processed in Snapseed.

If you're interested in seeing what I'm up to before you see it here, check me out on Instagram: http://instagram.com/brandonmkopp

2013-02-24 18:37:06 (7 comments, 3 reshares, 19 +1s)

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Vertorama | Washington, DC

One of my photographic goals for the year was to expand my skill set with Photoshop.  I've been using Photoshop for creating vertoramas for awhile but with this photo I started pouring over tutorials on masking, selective editing, vignetting, and other things.  Much of what I did in this photo is based on one of +Klaus Herrmann's educational video (http://youtu.be/UDal_c-SvD0).  I didn't dedicate the amount of time that he does, but at least started down that road.  I will likely get Topaz Adjust in the near future.

Anyways, this is always a learning experience.  If there are any Photoshop skills you think I should be working on or if you know of any good tutorials, please let me know in the comments.

I also want to mention how awesome the people that run this church are. A woman let me in,show... more »

2013-02-23 00:33:20 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

My Thoughts on Watermarking | http://brandonkopp.com

Everyone has their opinion on watermarking.  I've seen plenty of discussion on G+ and elsewhere from some of the big names; Trey Ratcliff, Thomas Hawk, Klaus Hermann, and others. It's a debate that gets people fired up.  I wanted to lend my voice to the mix.

We're all consumers of others' photography and I'm sure most of you are suppliers of photography too.  Does your opinion on watermarks change depending on what side of the equation you're on?

For the article, I experimented with various watermarking styles on my own photos. It was a fun, creative exercise, but it didn't sway my opinion.  Read the article and let me know what you think.

2013-02-22 21:27:50 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

Here We Go Again | U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, DC

I have pictures that I take, post, and then don't think much about.  For better or worse, I am constantly reminded of this photo.

2013-02-19 21:47:07 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

Dragon Belly | Smithsonian Institution Building, Washington, DC

It had been so long since I was in this room that I forgot how spectacular the ceiling was. If I'd remembered this, I would have gotten here sooner in my #DC   #vertorama  project.  I'll definitely be going back and trying this again at around opening time when there are fewer people in the way.

Metadata:11mm, f/4, nine 3-shot HDR images, ISO 320, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld, HDR processed in Photomatix then combined in Photoshop CS4

Panoramic Stitching Tutorial: http://www.brandonkopp.com/Blogger/Entries/2012/7/8_Panoramic_Stitching_Using_Photoshop_(My_Photography_Toolbox).html

2013-02-18 14:52:25 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Planning Ahead | Glacier National Park, MT

I made several plans to take photos today but they fell apart once I checked websites and found that the places were closed for President's Day. Glad I checked.  It's a blessing in disguise though, because I wanted/needed some time to finalize my plans for some trips I'm making later this year to a half dozen #nationalparks .  I need to buy plane tickets, reserve lodging, etc. This is my least favorite part of planning and I want to get it over with so I can get to the fun part; searching through other people's photos to get ideas.

For those of you that love the National Parks, the +National Parks Conservation Association is looking for pictures of you and/or your friends enjoying public lands to include in a marketing/promotional video for their organization. If you're interested, just post on Google+, Twitter,Pi... more »

2013-02-17 15:17:39 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

Keep Looking | National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC

For 3 years now, I've been more than just a photography-interested tourist around Washington, DC. I've actively sought out new, lesser known, but amazing locations for photography so I can share them with others.  So it was interesting and cool to me when, this week, I found someone's picture of the Great Hall at the National Portrait Gallery (also the National Museum of American Art).  I've been to the Portrait Gallery several times but had never made it to this floor, the top floor, which is FULL of photographic potential.  It is spectacular architecturally and they have a larger than life painting of LL Cool J, so what's not to like.  I have a few other photos to share from this and another, equally amazing room on this floor.  I guess the moral of the story is, when you think you've seen it all...keeplook... more »

2013-02-13 23:14:06 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 15 +1s)

Roots | Dumbarton Oaks, Washington, DC

This is a photo from a photowalk I took a little over a year ago with some great DC photogs. I haven't been back to this garden since, but it's on my shortlist of things to do this Spring.

Metadata: 18mm, f/3.5, 5-shot HDR, ISO 100, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm, shot handheld (while propping the camera on a root), HDR processed in Photmatix

A Question
Do you block your content from Pinterest?  If so, why?  I didn't think this was very widespread and then today I started putting together a Pinterest board full of photo ideas for an upcoming trip to North and South Dakota and I found many, many photogs on Flickr have Pinterest blocked.  Is there something I'm missing?  Should I be frightened of people pinning my stuff over there too?

2013-02-11 21:27:49 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Library of Congress Reading Room Open House | Washington, DC

A week from today, February 18th, is President's Day. It's also the date of my favorite photographic event in Washington, DC, the semi-annual Library of Congress Reading Room Open House.  The Reading Room is one of the most beautiful indoor spaces in DC and it's only open to photographers and general visitors twice a year.  I wrote a blog post about what you can expect to see there, what photo equipment you should and should not bring, and when you should show up.  I hope you find it helpful.

Please share if you know someone who may be interested in going.

Visit http://PhotoTourismDC.com for more information about photography in DC.

2013-02-08 19:37:05 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

Miami Deco | Miami Beach, FL

All along Ocean Dr. in Miami Beach, restaurants have these classic cars parked out front to help catch people's attention.  This one definitely caught mine.  

Metadata: 11mm, f/8, 5-shot HDR (1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, 15s), ISO 100, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, tripod (you can see it's shadow on the front of the car), HDR processed in Photomatix

Check Out My Website: www.BrandonKopp.com

2013-02-06 21:46:29 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 12 +1s)

National Museum of Natural History | Washington, DC

Washington, DC has no shortage of impressive indoor spaces. I continue my vertoramic march across Washington with this photo of my favorite Smithsonian museum.  

Metadata: 11mm, f/2.8, 10 X 3-shot HDR images, ISO 800, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, shot handheld

Panoramic (or vertoramic) stitching tutorial: http://www.brandonkopp.com/Blogger/Entries/2012/7/8_Panoramic_Stitching_Using_Photoshop_(My_Photography_Toolbox).html

2013-02-05 21:43:52 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

50 Shades of Grey | Washington Auto Show, Washington, DC

One of the best thing about HDR is how it makes colors pop. When I saw this wall, I had to get a bracket. These are color samples for cars.

Metadata: 95mm, f/5.3, 3-shot HDR, ISO 500, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm, shot handheld

Follow Me On Twitter: https://twitter.com/brandonmkopp

2013-02-03 14:35:12 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

Washington Auto Show | Washington, DC

I spent about half of my time at the Auto Show using my 11-16mm wide-angle lens. It allowed me to get close to the cars which gave people less of a chance to get in between me and the car and it has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 which is handy for indoor pics.  With the exception of the photo below, I wasn't very happy with how they turned out. I started feeling better about my pics when I switched back to my 18-200mm kit lens.

Metadata: 15mm, f/2.8, 5-shot HDR (centered on 1/250s), ISO 1000, WB = Auto, Nikon D300, Tokina 11-16mm, Shot Handheld, HDR processed in Photomatix

2013-02-02 21:51:36 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 12 +1s)

Washington Auto Show | Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC

I went to my first Auto Show today.  It was interesting. I'm not a big fan of cars but I know a cool car when I see one and I wanted to photograph some today. There were far too many people, even at the beginning, to take quality photos. On the way out I stopped to take some elevated photos so I could play around with tilt-shift.  This is my favorite photo from today.

Metadata: 35mm, f/4.2, 3-shot HDR (1/250, 1/125, 1/60), ISO 800, Nikon D300, Nikkor 18-200mm; HDR done in Photomatix; Tilt-Shift effect, saturation, and dodging done in Photoshop CS4

Tilt-Shift Tutorial: http://www.brandonkopp.com/Blogger/Entries/2012/7/4_Tilt-Shift_Fakes_Using_Photoshop_(My_Photography_Toolbox).html

2013-02-02 18:15:18 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Using a Polarizing Filter | http://BrandonKopp.com

Because of my bad habit of skimming articles, I missed some of the most important lessons about how to properly use a polarizing filter. I recently learned what I was doing wrong and try to pass those lessons along so you don't make the same mistakes. Lesson #1: Don't skim articles.  

I am interested in hearing your feedback on the article, positive or negative (how about we say constructive). Please leave some comments on this post if there's anything that's inaccurate, something I should explain better, or something that I should continue doing in the future as I write more of these posts.

Thanks for reading.