Seattle Columbia Center Panos

1. 17 80mm shots panorama from the Columbia Center.

Very nice.

I've never been on the observation deck, I'm assuming it's glassed in being that high up. How did you shoot through the glass so well?

Bravo, man! I haven't seen anyone really post from up there until you started doing so recently; do you work in the building, or something, that you're able to be up there during the "good" light hours? ;p

Yes the trick is having a yard or two of black cloth to block out the indoor light reflections.

Superb, really striking shots!

SeattleSpeedster wrote in post #16551690
Yes the trick is having a yard or two of black cloth to block out the indoor light reflections.

I haven't been up there yet and am curious how you hang the cloth to block out the light. Any tips would be appreciated before I take a trip downtown. Thanks!

Here's how I did it:

Balance your tripod so that two legs sit on the ledge and the other lowers to the ground. This will put the camera close to the glass. Compose and set timer release for ten seconds. Trigger shutter and then hold the cloth to the glass above the camera with both arms outstretched.

That gave the best results.

SeattleSpeedster wrote in post #16556095
Here's how I did it:

Balance your tripod so that two legs sit on the ledge and the other lowers to the ground. This will put the camera close to the glass. Compose and set timer release for ten seconds. Trigger shutter and then hold the cloth to the glass above the camera with both arms outstretched.

That gave the best results.

Hah! I was imagining a scenario where you taped black cloth over the ceiling fluorescent lights while a partner in crime distracted the security guards. Thanks for the reply!

Yes there's plenty of opportunities for dramatic flair there....a Phantom of the Opera mask?

SeattleSpeedster wrote in post #16556198
Yes there's plenty of opportunities for dramatic flair there....a Phantom of the Opera mask?

Nah, the Guy Fawkes mask is the way to go if you want to be publicly disobedient whilst distracting a guard with dramatic flair. The Phantom of the Opera wasn't a rabblerouser for the masses. He was a lovesick, disfigured man that wanted something he could not have.

On another note, you mentioned in previous threads you took multiple exposures when doing your panoramas with a 50 and 80mm prime. Can I ask how many exposures you took?

This past summer, I was using my 16-35mm. wide angle and taking only 2-3 exposures for panoramas on a ball head. I got some "Ok" results but had to crop my images quite a bit due to warping in Photoshop's Photomerge. Is the trick to incrementally move your camera a few degrees for every exposure to prevent warping? I just haven't tried it yet.

At the time, I thought with a Wide Angle lens I could take 2-3 images for a panorama and be done with it. Now I realize, I probably don't know what I am talking about and need to practice more. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I do have a 50mm prime, but never thought about using it for a Panoramic shot.

Great shots! But please take these down before people understand how good it is and they all try to move there!

Sometimes I take three bracketed exposures if I think its necessary but often I just recapture the highlights in the sky and add shadows in the foreground.

I shoot vertical 50mm shots to create the shots to stitch for a pano. If the distance is right I will go 80mm. And yes I move the camera a few degrees every exposure to minimize warping.

Hehe yes I did forget to mention these shots were taken the handful of days we get nice weather. Its all gray skies, crazy traffic and rude inhabitants the rest of the time.

Wow. Spectacular view, amazing light, beautiful pictures!

Nice shots and thanks for the great idea for using the black cloth and the timed release!

yeah the north side towards the city is really bad and benefits the most from bringing your own black cloth. The southeast side is the darkest.