15 minute exposure

I like it, but agree that a shorter exposure might have yielded "better" ghosts. I'm very suprised security let you take that...

For everyone wondering how I did it, 10 stop ND filter

For everyone else's comments, I really appreciate them. I'm probably headed back into NYC this weekend so I'll probably find myself back here trying different exposure times, some shorter, and maybe one or two even longer. I'll figure out shot by shot where that balance is.

I would have gone for a longer exposure to eliminate the ghosts completely. Except for one standing very still for a very long time.

Russo09 wrote in post #14277009
For everyone wondering how I did it, 10 stop ND filter .

there we go. that's what I was looking for.

and that video is great drvnbysound...and she shoots with a Canon too.

You could just stack the images and then use a stacking program to completely remove all the people, that would have looked cool too and would take but a fraction of the time with shorter exposures as well. Much easier to dial in the settings that way and no ND filters etc...

I like ghosting but I think 15min is overkill.

30 seconds to 2 min woulda been totally fine.

Probably keep the filter I would think. It's dim but not that dim.

Fair enough. Either use a different filter, bump up the iso or whatever.

kjonnnn wrote in post #14281564
True. It probably could be done in a shorter time, minus the filter. Doesnt take long to blur people moving.

Umm 30 seconds wouldn't do much there...People don't move as much as you think.

I'd probably be able to do the 30 seconds without the filter at f22 or so, I'll find out the next time I head there

I say stop it down to f/16 and go for 20 minutes! Bring lunch with you.
I'm not sure whether or not I like the dots of light from peoples cell phones. It's interesting, but not enough to be intriguing, yet just enough to be distracting.

Love the shots. I've been playing with this "Black Glass" method lately, too. It's interesting to see how long someone has to remain motionless (or mostly so) to become one of the "ghosts" in the image. I need to find a busy walkway on our campus and try this.

FWIW, I like the color one better.

tats wrote in post #14276494
I like it, but agree that a shorter exposure might have yielded "better" ghosts. I'm very suprised security let you take that...

They don't care. I once stood there taking a dozen or more shots with my camera on a monopod. I was one of at least a half dozen photographers standing around.

I hope you don't mind, Nick, but you centered your image so perfectly that I thought I'd have a bit of fun with it.

Titus213 wrote in post #14274664
Ghosts of people passed....

Thats the feeling I get as well, very interesting photo.

@M_six...very subtle. Took me a while to figure it out.