Back From China

[JTL]

Shooting for eighteen days, eight hours a day and about 5,000 images later..I've come to one inescapable conclusion...my hand hurts like hell and the culprit is that damned XT grip! I'm officially no longer making any excuses for it! Now I finally completely understand why some people choose a particular camera based mainly on "feel". I couldn't be more pleased with a lot of my images, but I can now state with total confidence...the XT is a health hazard! :D

Below the only image I've converted so far (everything was shot RAW...so it's going to be a long haul...even in batch mode).

The Great Wall at Badaling. When you're on your own, you can go where the tourists seldom get to...but, unfortunately it was a horribly overcast, misty drizzly day...but I tried to make the most of it and certainly the XT and the Canon 24-105 L IS were up to the difficult task image wise. The image worked better converted as B&W (actually, an extreme de-sat) because...let's face it...like any self-respecting photographer I want people to focus on the composition and mood of the image and not the crappy, utterly un-dramatic atmospheric and lighting conditions! :D;)).

http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/191855832-L.jpg

Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Exposure Time = 1/60"
F Number = F16
Exposure Program = Aperture priority
ISO Speed Ratings = 100
Date Time Original = 2007-08-19 23:50:09
Date Time Digitized = 2007-08-19 23:50:09
Shutter Speed Value = 5.91 TV
Aperture Value = 8 AV
Exposure Bias Value = -0.33EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 35mm
Color Space = sRGB

One down, 4999 to go! :D

Still to come...rice terraces in Ping 'An Village. Tibet. Guilin. Shanghai. Hong Kong...and much more...

[toriaj]

I love it, and I think the desat works. More, more, show us more :)

[fionndruinne]

Awesome shot! I think your PP was just right.

I couldn't be more pleased with a lot of my images, but I can now state with total confidence...the XT is a health hazard!

Ain't that just what we was a-sayin'?;)

[AdamW]

It's a great shot. Looking forward to the other 4,999!

[JTL]

Well, heck...thanks boys and girls! :o:)

It's good to be back!

O.K....here's a couple more for now...but my right hand needs an ice pack and I can't type any more! It's almost enough to make me consider getting a Ni...Nik...hell, I can't bring myself to say it...let alone buy it...(just kidding...just kidding). :D

-----------

There must be a billion shots of the rice terraces around the Longsheng / Ping'an area in Guangxi Province...but honestly, who could resist taking such shots? :D

So...please forgive me for these obviously shallow shots...but I could look at and shoot rice terraces all day...no matter how many times its been done before...:). It was yet another rainy, misty day. I drank tea for an hour or so at the Ping'an Guest House waiting out the downpour and my patience paid off...the rain stopped for about 30 minutes...and I bolted up the mountainside...in my excitment...I forgot to adjust my ISO...so these are all unfortunately and unintentionally at ISO 400...

The Dragon's Back (or backbone, as some prefer...but all the locals seemed to say "back" and not "backbone")
http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/191894378-L.jpg

Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Exposure Time = 1/500"
F Number = F8
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Date Time Original = 2007-09-01 01:26:52
Date Time Digitized = 2007-09-01 01:26:52
Shutter Speed Value = 8.97 TV
Aperture Value = 6 AV
Exposure Bias Value = -0.33EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 105mm
Color Space = sRGB

http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/191894325-L.jpg

Exposure Time = 1/320"
F Number = F10
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Date Time Original = 2007-09-01 01:25:37
Date Time Digitized = 2007-09-01 01:25:37
Shutter Speed Value = 8.32 TV
Aperture Value = 6.64 AV
Exposure Bias Value = -0.33EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 45mm
Color Space = sRGB

The village of Ping'an nestled into the hills and terraces in the afternoon...
http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/191893905-L.jpg

Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Exposure Time = 1/250"
F Number = F11
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 400
Date Time Original = 2007-09-01 01:37:00
Date Time Digitized = 2007-09-01 01:37:00
Shutter Speed Value = 7.97 TV
Aperture Value = 6.92 AV
Exposure Bias Value = -0.33EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 24mm
Color Space = sRGB

[tim11]

Rather late than never.
That's a great shot of the Great Wall. I love the pattern of the brick works. Looks like the area is land locked to have rice field on the mountains.

[Nickcanada]

Oh wow! great shots! Beautiful shots! how was the atmosphere there, I mean the people, the culture? I would love to visit one day.

[bshannon]

Beautiful shots man! Love the rice field shots!

[JTL]

Thank you all..your comments are nice to come home to! :)

Nick...about the current culture...it can be summed up in three words: "Open For Business". Anyway to make a buck is the rule of the land. For instance, where once the communist government tried to homogenize the society and crush the ethic minorities, they now encourage them to dress and farm in their "traditional" ways in order to exploit them to attract tourist dollars. Want to go to an ethic area to photographic the colorful people? Pay up first! The whole country is being turned into a real-life Disneyland. This is most distressing in Tibet...the only place where there was an overly heavy-handed police and military presence. You really become instantly aware that you're in an occupied country and it hangs over the splendor and beauty like a dark cloud. Tibetans are forbidden to have pictures of the 14th Dali Lama! And the 10th Panchen Lama mysteriously "died" after making a speech critical of Bejing...to be replaced by a communist party stand-in. Some locals talked to me openly about their plight, others said the risks of talking were too great.

There is beauty and splendor there for sure. There are warm and welcoming people. But the "capunists" still have a disease that does not let them share anything resembling the objective truth with anyone. It's still big brother...just in disguise.

--------

And now for something completely different....

Is this monk is saying:

A. "Where did I put those prayers? The master is going to make me clean the toilets again!"

B. "Please, Sakamuni, no more yak butter, please!"

C. "Last thing I can remember...I was sitting on the subway...."

http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/191872070-L.jpg

[Vich]

Wow JTL - great trip and photos! Makes this whole camera thing worthwhile, hua?

Fav is the wall shot - the mist helps it IMHO. Any WA shots of the Dragon's Back - that thing looks incredible and would love to see it all.

[No Control]

Great stuff JTL! I agree with everyone's comments on the first shot. I also really enjoyed the dragon's back photos, the lines make it more about the elements of design and less about the actual subject, it's great. :D

[sunnythepsychocat]

JTL.
Very nice photos. I would definately like to visit China someday. By the way, I assume it was hot and humid there at this time. What did you do to keep the camera gear "dry"?

[JTL]

JTL.
Very nice photos. I would definately like to visit China someday. By the way, I assume it was hot and humid there at this time. What did you do to keep the camera gear "dry"?Hot, humid and wet! I now know that I need a waterproof camera bag. Also, So many times I'd take out the camera and the lens would completely fog over. And changing lenses...just between the two I brought with me (24-105mm and 10-22mm) was a nightmare. I had sensor wipes that I kept in a waterproof pouch and a few microfiber cloths. There are times where the XT and the 24-105 were exposed to full-on rain with just my arm to protect the kit and my bag was soaked through. Thankfully there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage. But every thing's going into Canon anyway for a check-up...my focusing screen got scratched somehow and is covered in dust that will not come off...

And, btw, thanks for the compliment! :)

And thanks again to everyone else! :):):)

-----------------------

Here's another one I like...though another ISO faux pax!

Workers in the rice fields...
http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/192066598-L.jpg

Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Exposure Time = 1/800"
F Number = F10
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 1600
Date Time Original = 2007-08-31 22:17:11
Date Time Digitized = 2007-08-31 22:17:11
Shutter Speed Value = 9.64 TV
Aperture Value = 6.64 AV
Exposure Bias Value = -0.33EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 105mm
Color Space = sRGB

[DonSchap]

But every thing's going into Canon anyway for a check-up...my focusing screen got scratched somehow and is covered in dust that will not come off...

JTL, that's not dust ... it's Chinese air pollution and ... heh heh, don't ask what of. You probably won't want to know.

Sound like it's a real good time for investing in a EOS-1D MKIII and the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II ... and a seriously good camera bag. Weather-seal that puppy!

To quote Canon:

"Canon's flagship EOS-1D Mark III is the most advanced EOS Digital SLR ever produced. It has a new 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-H size) with Canon's EOS Integrated Cleaning System and a 3.0-inch LCD monitor with Canon's Live View technology. The 1D Mark III has a redesigned 100% viewfinder, a new 45-point AF system, and can shoot up to 10 fps continuously with a maximum burst of 110 shots. Dual "DIGIC III" Image Processors work in tandem to speed up every process while refining image quality; a new, lighter body has improved weather sealing and shutter durability. Every facet of the EOS experience has been enhanced with the 1D Mark III. It's the new standard."

and concerning the lens:

"The EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM is a high performance, water-resistant, and ultra wide-angle Canon L-series lens. It has been specifically designed for improved edge-to-edge image quality that will meet the strict requirements of professional and high-end amateur photographers. It features 3 high-precision aspherical lens elements, each of a different type: ground, replica and GMo for even better image quality than the original EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM. The circular aperture produces a beautiful and natural background blur when shooting at wider apertures. Other features include internal focusing, a ring type USM (Ultra Sonic Monitor), and new AF algorithms for fast and quiet autofocusing."

Ignore the cost ... isn't everything a little cheaper in China? :D

[rawpaw18]

The Dragon Back shots are great even at ISO 400.
Very nice series would like to see more when your hand heals up.

P.S.There is supposed to be a great grip on the new D300

[JTL]

JTL, that's not dust ... it's Chinese air pollution and ... heh heh, don't ask what of. You probably won't want to know.OMG Don...you would not believe the "air" (and I use the term extremely loosely) in Beijing. It made me wish I had a tank full of something comparatively clean...like L.A. air...to breathe! :D
Ignore the cost ... isn't everything a little cheaper in China? :DSure it's cheaper...and it would have nice Canon logos on the ourside...and Ronco components on the inside! :D

[JTL]

P.S.There is supposed to be a great grip on the new D300Nikon is back in the game as far as I'm concerned. They've proven beyond a shadow of doubt that they're in it R&D-wise for the long haul and I will seriously consider one when I inevitably upgrade. And, because my hand STILL hurts! :mad:

I'm pretty sure that they'll be first to market with the holy grail...a full-frame, full-color sensor...

-----------

But, because I want this thread to be about images and not hardware....here's another!

Zhuang villagers having a laugh at my expense...literally! :D
http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/192078502-L.jpg

[DonSchap]

JTL ... you could always start a new thread and toss the -good stuff- into the "Photo Gallery" forum, instead of the "Canon DSLR" equipment forum. :rolleyes: Probably a lot less talk of gear in that location.

Just a thought ...

Concerning your image, above: If life were that simple, here, we would not be doing what we do. I can't remember the last time I grew rice and woove bamboo. Wow ... has it really been that long? I guess time really tends to get away from you, parked in front of a PC ... in the middle of the Midwest American suburbs, as my Blackberry and cell phone remind me of just how harried life has become.

AH yes ... how I long for the ol' Bamboo days of Summer. :D ;)

[24Peter]

...you would not believe the "air" (and I use the term extremely loosely) in Beijing. It made me wish I had a tank full of something comparatively clean...like L.A. air...to breathe! :D
Sure it's cheaper...and it would have nice Canon logos on the ourside...and Ronco components on the inside! :D

Hey - great photos. I'm leaving for China next week for 16 days. My sister and her husband are adopting a baby girl from there and my brother in law and I are going to get the baby. We'll be part of an orgranized group of adopting families whose main purpose for visiting China is to get their kids - not see the country - so my photo ops may be limited. And I'm only bringing my kit lens to pack light :eek: But if I get some good photos, I'll post 'em.

[Dawoofo]

Great set of pictures! Like a lot here, the first one just blows me away...and I can't think of any way you could've make it any better. :)

[JTL]

Hey - great photos. I'm leaving for China next week for 16 days. My sister and her husband are adopting a baby girl from there and my brother in law and I are going to get the baby. We'll be part of an orgranized group of adopting families whose main purpose for visiting China is to get their kids - not see the country - so my photo ops may be limited. And I'm only bringing my kit lens to pack light :eek: But if I get some good photos, I'll post 'em.Thanks Peter...

Do you know what part of China you'll be in? There are great photo ops everywhere you turn...bicycles on the street, vendors, buildings...its a photographic cornicopia...


Great set of pictures! Like a lot here, the first one just blows me away...and I can't think of any way you could've make it any betterThanks man! I appreciate it! :)

[24Peter]

Thanks Peter...

Do you know what part of China you'll be in? There are great photo ops everywhere you turn...bicycles on the street, vendors, buildings...its a photographic cornicopia...



Beijing, Chongqing province, and Guangzouh. Then I fly out of Hong Kong.

[tim11]

Looks like most people love the first shot. Any PP, JLT? Sharpening? You got a framer there mate.

Did you put your new Sigma 18-200 OS to good use there?

[Rex914]

Great shots. You captured a very different set of shots from what I captured and caught a lot of the natural beauty of the place as well as some of the people. Granted, I was strictly in HK for 2 weeks while you were in the mainland, I'd say that you got some more interesting shots.

- Jon

[Rooz]

the PP effects you did on that first shot are exceptional. you've really created something unique.

[JTL]

Thanks again for all of the comments. :)

Here's exactly what I did for the first shot. I converted from RAW to jpeg maximum quality using Capture One LE. I have the settings I use for most coversions configured as follows: Color Temperature 6000K; EC .5; CC 5; CS 5; Sharpening 100; Noise Suppression 25; Color Noise Suppression 20. All other settings are left at default. After the conversion, I opened it in PS CS2 and applied the Kevin Kubota Action called Modern Antique.

Voila!

[JTL]

Great shots. You captured a very different set of shots from what I captured and caught a lot of the natural beauty of the place as well as some of the people. Granted, I was strictly in HK for 2 weeks while you were in the mainland, I'd say that you got some more interesting shots.

- JonWhen in HK, did you get a chance to ride the Mid-Level Escalator and check out the side streets? It's a wonderland of photo opportunity!

[JTL]

Looks like most people love the first shot. Any PP, JLT? Sharpening? You got a framer there mate.

Did you put your new Sigma 18-200 OS to good use there?Hey Tim...the conversion settings and PP technique I used are above.

I didn't even bring the new Sigma with me. I only used the Canon EF 24-105 f/4 L IS and the Canon EF-S 10-22mm. I might sell the Sigma. I like it well enough, but the Canon 24-105 is so much better that I can't bring myself to mount the Sigma...even if it is the most convienent lens for the EF mount currently available...

L fever strikes again.

[JTL]

Beijing, Chongqing province, and Guangzouh. Then I fly out of Hong Kong.Gaungzhou? Well in that case, you need two words to say to your brother-in-law while there: "Later, dude!" Guangzhou has so much to see and do that you'll hate yourself for not spending a few hours shooting it...

Of course there is plenty to see, do and shoot in Beijing and HK, but not many people get to Guangzhou and you should definitely find some way to take advantage of the photo ops...:)

[Rex914]

When in HK, did you get a chance to ride the Mid-Level Escalator and check out the side streets? It's a wonderland of photo opportunity!

I did... at the wrong time unfortunately, which is during commuting hour in the morning when all of the escalator ramps pointed downhill (before 10 AM). Let me say that what I experienced at that time was the stair climbing marathon of my life and that the only thing that was on my mind was, "why are all the escalators pointing down?!" I only found out why after the fact.

Actually, when I went to HK, we ended up not doing a whole lot of sightseeing because we were there to see relatives, so we ended up living more as locals than tourists, and we tended to linger more around the glitzy shopping districts than the side streets, which present more interesting photo ops. That combined with the fact that food, shopping, and spending time with the family was really the priority here, and photos took backstage. I was even really close to not bringing a camera at all because I was discouraged from bringing it. :/

- Jon

[Honest Gaza]

When in HK, did you get a chance to ride the Mid-Level Escalator and check out the side streets? It's a wonderland of photo opportunity!

If that's the place I'm thinking of...there's a nice little camera shop opposite a fruit and vegies shop. The bloke in there has a few of my $$$.

(Kept telling him to hurry up before the wife came back from the fuit shop :D)

I like the shot of the Village on the side of the hill JTL. I was suprised to read your comments on lenses fogging over as soon as you got them out....something that must have been of great concern no doubt.

[JTL]

If that's the place I'm thinking of...there's a nice little camera shop opposite a fruit and vegies shop. The bloke in there has a few of my $$$.

(Kept telling him to hurry up before the wife came back from the fuit shop :D)LOL! Yep, know the place...when you're heading up it's on the right on the downhill side (in soho) right near the corner...an actual real camera shop (unlike what you find on the mainland! :D).

[Honest Gaza]

LOL! Yep, know the place...when you're heading up it's on the right on the downhill side (in soho) right near the corner...an actual real camera shop (unlike what you find on the mainland! :D).

Yes JTL...that's definitely it :D. Unfortunately, I walked in to his shop with the normal "everyone in HK likes to barter" attitude. As such, I would say "how much for a xxxxxx" and he would respond accordingly, and I would say "can you do it for ..."

After two or three of these exchanges he looked at me and said "Please don't do this to me....I am genuine dealer and my price is my price".

He made me feel so terrile I handed him my credit card and kept saying "what else you got ? :o :D".

I also remember that my wife managed to upset the little lady in the fruit shop. It must be customary to buy a "bunch" of bananas in HK....so when the wife broke off three bananas from a bunch, there was a look of horror from the shopkeeper :eek:.

That's certainly one helluva escalator they got there.

[michaelb]

The first shot is fantastic JTL. Sounds like an amazing trip; post some more when you get a chance!

[JTL]

The first shot is fantastic JTL. Sounds like an amazing trip; post some more when you get a chance!Thanks! Looks like I'll never top the wall shot...:D

After I get them all converted and uploaded up to SmugMug, I'll post the URL. Until then...here's something else...another subject that's been done to death, but when you're there, you have to create your "own" version! :)

Pudong from the Bund in Shanghai...hand held...gotta love the IS on the 24-105...the lens never let me down...
http://JTL.smugmug.com/photos/194075681-L.jpg

Make = Canon
Model = Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XT
Exposure Time = 1/15"
F Number = F4
Exposure Program = Normal program
ISO Speed Ratings = 1600
Date Time Original = 2007-08-23 07:35:32
Date Time Digitized = 2007-08-23 07:35:32
Shutter Speed Value = 3.91 TV
Aperture Value = 4 AV
Exposure Bias Value = -0.33EV
Metering Mode = Pattern
Flash = Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length = 24mm
Color Space = sRGB

[coldrain]

Yes the wall shot is nice... but this night view works really well too :).

Might have been a bit wider? The cut off building on the right makes me curious about the rest of the skyline :cool:

[JTL]

Yes the wall shot is nice... but this night view works really well too :).

Might have been a bit wider? The cut off building on the right makes me curious about the rest of the skyline :cool:Thanks man! :)

What a horrible time that night was! I was in a hurry so I rushed out the door, walked 15 minutes down to the Bund, took out the camera, turned it on and was confronted with a "No CF Card" message on the display! I had left the damn card in my P5000 and my spare card was in my camera case and not in the backpack I was wearing. I was so pissed at myself I could scream. I had plans that couldn't be broken later that evening...and I was leaving Shanghai the following afternoon, so this was it. If I walked back to get it, I was sure that the great clouds would be gone and the light would be worse...so I scrounged in my pockets and found just enough money to buy a 128MB card from a street vendor. A few clicks later and it was full. I had planned on taking a few wide shots with the 10-22mm, but I didn't want to chimp any of the shots I had already taken. I do have two shots that I might be able to stitch together into a pano, but don't have the patience to deal with that now...:o

I usally check and recheck my gear, but this time I was just a complete knuckle-head! :D