Sony A7x lounge

We have a really nice botanical garden in Auckland. Photo's are fine, but if you try to take a tripod in with you, they class you a professional and you are not allowed to shoot.

gaabnz wrote in post #18289073
We have a really nice botanical garden in Auckland. Photo's are fine, but if you try to take a tripod in with you, they class you a professional and you are not allowed to shoot.

Yeah, I think I set them off when I put my camera with on the floor to do a low-level shot. I wasn't using a tripod - figured that wouldn't fly - but have to admit it was 'bad optics' on my part: 'normal' humans just don't make such an effort when taking pictures.

Them: "Who are you with? Who are you shooting for?"
Me: "Me. For myself."

I hate that they instantly assume I'm there to make a profit. If I want to make $$$ with photography, which I sometimes do, I'm not going to do it via photos of a museum. Ridiculous! Absurd! They are fear-motivated, and like a lot of fears, it's baseless and pointless and needlessly harmful (ruined part of my day). Thankfully I don't look or talk "foreign" - other than my Midwest accent - that would be the worst!

BTW, the fat Batis 18mm has a neat little trick: It's so fat you can sit the camera (with the l-bracket) on the floor and get a nearly level shot. The camera strap can be used under lens or camera to shim up or down.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18289024
I just had a miserable photography experience: went to the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA. Going in they permitted no-flash photography. Cool. A little while later a guard comes up and asks, "Did anyone tell you you can take pictures in here?" I was floored. Next thing I know they're hauling me up to the manager's office to see if I'm allowed to take photos. He wanted assurance that I wouldn't sell any of the photos for profit. But the whole thing made me so angry I - my owned choice - formatted my card and showed him...and walked out.

Look, if you don't allow photography that's just fine with me...make it known up front and I just won't go there. But I hate that two or three guards told me photos were OK and then suddenly it's not OK because I'm taking "too many photos".

Inconsistency with clearly posted rules makes me really irate. I could have easily restrained my anger - photos of that place are of little importance to me and I had very little hopes they would even be worth posting - but I wanted to express to them the depths of my annoyance for hassling me about doing something they said was allowed. They were false.

Nice museum. Horrible management. Never going there again and wish I could get my donation back.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18289109
Yeah, I think I set them off when I put my camera with on the floor to do a low-level shot. I wasn't using a tripod - figured that wouldn't fly - but have to admit it was 'bad optics' on my part: 'normal' humans just don't make such an effort when taking pictures.

Them: "Who are you with? Who are you shooting for?"
Me: "Me. For myself."

I hate that they instantly assume I'm there to make a profit. If I want to make $$$ with photography, which I sometimes do, I'm not going to do it via photos of a museum. Ridiculous! Absurd! They are fear-motivated, and like a lot of fears, it's baseless and pointless and needlessly harmful (ruined part of my day). Thankfully I don't look or talk "foreign" - other than my Midwest accent - that would be the worst!

BTW, the fat Batis 18mm has a neat little trick: It's so fat you can sit the camera (with the l-bracket) on the floor and get a nearly level shot. The camera strap can be used under lens or camera to shim up or down.

Sorry to hear about that David...it happens more and more...I won't go to Atlantic Station or now to Pemberton Place where World of Coca Cola is...for getting hassled and run out just because I was using more than just my cell phone...

When I was in Paris with my office several years ago, one of my co-workers is from Romania, and he looks it. Out in public, and in places, photography was clearly allowed, I was sitting right next to him, we both had tripods out...he got hassled and told to stop taking photos while I was clearly standing right next to him doing the same thing...they didn't bother me, he was fumed, said he will never go back to Paris again.

In other news...the 12mm Voigtlander arrived today...crap these things are tiny little pieces of kit, I love it...I can't wait to get out and find something worthy of using it.

TRhoads wrote in post #18289127
Sorry to hear about that David...it happens more and more...I won't go to Atlantic Station or now to Pemberton Place where World of Coca Cola is...for getting hassled and run out just because I was using more than just my cell phone...

When I was in Paris with my office several years ago, one of my co-workers is from Romania, and he looks it. Out in public, and in places, photography was clearly allowed, I was sitting right next to him, we both had tripods out...he got hassled and told to stop taking photos while I was clearly standing right next to him doing the same thing...they didn't bother me, he was fumed, said he will never go back to Paris again.

In other news...the 12mm Voigtlander arrived today...crap these things are tiny little pieces of kit, I love it...I can't wait to get out and find something worthy of using it.

Good to know about about Pemberton...I was shooting there with tripod last summer. No one hassled me, fortunately, but I'll steer clear from now on.

You should love your 12mm; it's fantastic. Ended up returning mine yesterday. Just being practical: 1. the Laowa is excellent too, 2. I already own it, 3. Would have to take heavy loss to sell it.

Speaking of the Laowa, I was experimenting with the 100mm filter holder for it. Will share some experiences with it soon.

That is the PITA of it David, it just depends on what security guard or cop you come across.

I have been trying to research a filter holder for the V12...the only one I have found I can't really get anywhere and the website keeps setting off my internet security alarms...

digital_AM wrote in post #18288335
Looks great! Awesome location. Do you ever shoot the brenzier method?

Thanks!

Nah....its not something that's practical to do in a typical portrait session but I'd like to give it a go one day.

I think Ooedee has posted some photos where he used the brenzier method.

The tilt shift blur technique that Vinz showed us a couple of months back creates a similar type of look....you don't get the resolution benefit of course.

TRhoads wrote in post #18289195
That is the PITA of it David, it just depends on what security guard or cop you come across.

I have been trying to research a filter holder for the V12...the only one I have found I can't really get anywhere and the website keeps setting off my internet security alarms...

I dont think any exist at the moment.... the old voigtlander 12 could fit a 67mm, but it's not as optically as good as the new one.

on the bright side, SR works very well with the bare lens for cloud movement.

vinmunoz wrote in post #18288431
so if you're going to shoot a 3/4 shot of a single person at f2.8, the bokeh must be buttery, right?

Pretty much! As long as the OOF rendering is good I think f2.8 is 'good enough' for most shots. The flip-side is often the case where fast aperture glass has bad OOF rendering.

mystik610 wrote in post #18289201
Thanks!

Nah....its not something that's practical to do in a typical portrait session but I'd like to give it a go one day.

I think Ooedee has posted some photos where he used the brenzier method.

The tilt shift blur technique that Vinz showed us a couple of months back creates a similar type of look....you don't get the resolution benefit of course.

brenizer is quite easy and quick to do. Set full manual, grab 1 good fullbody and then have a go at it. Once you get the hang of it, takes very little time.

Charlie wrote in post #18289202
I dont think any exist at the moment.... the old voigtlander 12 could fit a 67mm, but it's not as optically as good as the new one.

on the bright side, SR works very well with the bare lens for cloud movement.

Travis is referring to the "Bom Bo" filter bracket, I believe.

https://www.flickr.com …s/bombophoto/31​123957071/

Charlie wrote in post #18289205
brenizer is quite easy and quick to do. Set full manual, grab 1 good fullbody and then have a go at it. Once you get the hang of it, takes very little time.

I probably need to get comfortable with the method before I got out and try it in the field. Portrait sessions need to have a good flow to them since you're managing your subject's moods to get the best expressions from them. I try to minimize the amount of messing with gear as much as possible because it can be disruptive...probably a mental block, but I've always ruled doing something like the brenizer method out because of that.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18289210
Travis is referring to the "Bom Bo" filter bracket, I believe.

https://www.flickr.com …s/bombophoto/31​123957071/

lol, I totally forgot about that, and do remember it. Kind of expensive from what I recall (had to buy two pieces or something). Looked like a cool product

mystik610 wrote in post #18289212
I probably need to get comfortable with the method before I got out and try it in the field. Portrait sessions need to have a good flow to them since you're managing your subject's moods to get the best expressions from them. I try to minimize the amount of messing with gear as much as possible because it can be disruptive...probably a mental block, but I've always ruled doing something like the brenizer method out because of that.

snapshot brenizers from a few years back

once you get a good frame, you can have them relax and takes only a few seconds to grab the background.

David Arbogast wrote in post #18289024
I just had a miserable photography experience: went to the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, GA. Going in they permitted no-flash photography. Cool. A little while later a guard comes up and asks, "Did anyone tell you you can take pictures in here?" I was floored. Next thing I know they're hauling me up to the manager's office to see if I'm allowed to take photos. He wanted assurance that I wouldn't sell any of the photos for profit. But the whole thing made me so angry I - my owned choice - formatted my card and showed him...and walked out.

Look, if you don't allow photography that's just fine with me...make it known up front and I just won't go there. But I hate that two or three guards told me photos were OK and then suddenly it's not OK because I'm taking "too many photos".

Inconsistency with clearly posted rules makes me really irate. I could have easily restrained my anger - photos of that place are of little importance to me and I had very little hopes they would even be worth posting - but I wanted to express to them the depths of my annoyance for hassling me about doing something they said was allowed. They were false.

Nice museum. Horrible management. Never going there again and wish I could get my donation back.

That sucks David. Yeah camera and photo policies are fine...establishments have the right to set whatever rules they want. I always try to respect the photo policies of wherever I go, but like you, I find it really irritating when the way the workers actually enforce the policy is inconsistent with what the actual policies say....most especially because I always go out of my way to read up on the policies beforehand. i.e. how the camera policies are enforced at sporting events is always inconsistent and I run into issues all the time even though I don't bring anything capable of shooting the actual event. I'm more interested in shooting arenas and stadiums and usually have wide angle stuff.

Charlie wrote in post #18289215
snapshot brenizers from a few years back

once you get a good frame, you can have them relax and takes only a few seconds to grab the background.

Hosted photo: posted by Charlie in
./showthread.php?p=182​89215&i=i114060561
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

Hosted photo: posted by Charlie in
./showthread.php?p=182​89215&i=i144014684
forum: Sony Digital Cameras

Really cool! I ought to give it a try.