Steve'sDigicams

snostorm · Jul 7, 2008, 10:10 PM

Hi All,

Took a day trip to the "local" Renaisance Faire, just over the Wisconsin border. As usual, I spent a lot of time regretting not bringing another lens (or more lenses, actually) -- but I would have paid a stiff price physically with the extra weight, so I probably made the right decision. I ended up using the DA*50-135 about 95% of the time, and all of these shots were with this lens.

The hardest thing about shooting at one of these Faires is that it's really hard to get backgrounds that don't ruin the "context" of the subject. . .

@ 70mm, f5.6, 1/100, ISO 320

@135mm, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 500

@123mm, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 500

@85mm, f9, 1/100, ISO 800

@135mm, f5, 1/160, ISO 200

Only a few of the "stores" had anything of interest, but one shop really caught my eye -- they produced dolls and animals made by needle felting wool. Here's one of the animals I really liked --

@90mm, f9, 1/500, ISO 500

I also took quite a few flower shots -- a couple turned out okay, and this was my favorite --

@135mm, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 100

. . . and surprise -- no birds in this post!!! :-)

Scott

mtngal · Jul 7, 2008, 10:30 PM

Interesting collection of people er, pictures here. Somehow I don't think you'd see the makeup on the first two back in medieval times. They both make for interesting photos, though. I love the third one, very appropriate. Your lily is wonderful - a different angle and very pretty. It looks like you had a great time.

Rodney9 · Jul 7, 2008, 10:32 PM

Wonderful, Wonderful, I always new the Fairies at the bottom of my garden were true. Thankyou for proving it with your beatiful shots.

JohnG · Jul 8, 2008, 5:35 AM

2 & 3 are very nice shots. I especially like the look of #3 - very well done!

Wingman · Jul 8, 2008, 6:12 AM

Clarity an color rendition is A+! Have seen nothing but good stuff from the DA*50-135. #3 is my favorite: technically exquisite with a look of intrigue! Nice!

Jay

Trojansoc · Jul 8, 2008, 9:11 AM

#3 almost makes me wonder if you wandered by accident into a Star Wars convention. Great shot of Obi Wan. :-)

Really nice shots. The fairy in #1 & #2 would bless any production of Midsummer Night's Dream. The 50-135 is tough to beat in a setting like that. Generally you can get close enough for the zoom to be sufficient, and it sure beats carrying around a heavy bag all day.

Paul

Lando · Jul 8, 2008, 4:55 PM

Do you know you are responsible for my divorce since now I have to buy the 50-135?

Damn these good photographers on this website....

))

NonEntity1 · Jul 8, 2008, 5:05 PM

What fun shots, I also like #3 best, it is nicely composed. I am going with dryad for the green girl though, I think you need wings to be a faerie :-). Medieval faires are really a great photography opportunity with the colorful costumes and backgrounds and generally eager subjects.

Tim

tsquare · Jul 9, 2008, 5:31 AM

Intersting photos, especially #3. I for one, just don't understand the fascination with nose studs and rings. Guess my age is showing.

snostorm · Jul 9, 2008, 12:56 PM

Hi All,

Thanks for taking the time to look, and for all the nice comments.

These Renaisance Faires are great photo ops, as all the characters are very amenable to having their pictures taken. Most of the time, I shy away from taking pictures of people for a number of reasons, but at these, I try to make the "people" my main subjects, so it's just fun. The hard part is to try to exclude the "modern tourists" from the backgrounds. If you concentrate on the subject, and get it just right, there's almost always someone with red shorts and a white tee shirt strolling somewhere in the bg pushing a stroller. This is the main reason I chose not to shoot too much with a wider lens -- it was just too hard to not include unwanted elements in the bg.

The concensus seems to like #3, and it's my favorite also. I was really surprised when I opened it up on the computer, as he seemed to be engrossed in a conversation with some of the other characters, so when I saw that he was actually looking at me, and had this subtle expression of humor, I was very pleasantly surprised. Luck definitely played its part, as is usually the case for me. . .:-)

There were quite a few times when I wished I had a bit more reach, but I know that I wouldn't be able to use my right arm for about a week if I would have used my Tok 80-200/2.8 all day -- my elbow just can't take that kind of weight over the course of a full day anymore. . .

Scott

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Jul 7, 2008, 10:10 PM	#1
snostorm Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicago Suburb, IL, USA Posts: 2,770	Hi All, Took a day trip to the "local" Renaisance Faire, just over the Wisconsin border. As usual, I spent a lot of time regretting not bringing another lens (or more lenses, actually) -- but I would have paid a stiff price physically with the extra weight, so I probably made the right decision. I ended up using the DA*50-135 about 95% of the time, and all of these shots were with this lens. The hardest thing about shooting at one of these Faires is that it's really hard to get backgrounds that don't ruin the "context" of the subject. . . @ 70mm, f5.6, 1/100, ISO 320 @135mm, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 500 @123mm, f5.6, 1/160, ISO 500 @85mm, f9, 1/100, ISO 800 @135mm, f5, 1/160, ISO 200 Only a few of the "stores" had anything of interest, but one shop really caught my eye -- they produced dolls and animals made by needle felting wool. Here's one of the animals I really liked -- @90mm, f9, 1/500, ISO 500 I also took quite a few flower shots -- a couple turned out okay, and this was my favorite -- @135mm, f5.6, 1/500, ISO 100 . . . and surprise -- no birds in this post!!! :-) Scott

Jul 7, 2008, 10:30 PM	#2
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Interesting collection of people er, pictures here. Somehow I don't think you'd see the makeup on the first two back in medieval times. They both make for interesting photos, though. I love the third one, very appropriate. Your lily is wonderful - a different angle and very pretty. It looks like you had a great time.

Jul 7, 2008, 10:32 PM	#3
Rodney9 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Yeronga, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Posts: 3,518	Wonderful, Wonderful, I always new the Fairies at the bottom of my garden were true. Thankyou for proving it with your beatiful shots.

Jul 8, 2008, 5:35 AM	#4
JohnG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 8,529	2 & 3 are very nice shots. I especially like the look of #3 - very well done!

Jul 8, 2008, 6:12 AM	#5
Wingman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hebron, Kentucky (northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati):KCVG Posts: 4,355	Clarity an color rendition is A+! Have seen nothing but good stuff from the DA*50-135. #3 is my favorite: technically exquisite with a look of intrigue! Nice! Jay

Jul 8, 2008, 9:11 AM	#6
Trojansoc Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hot Springs, AR Posts: 3,724	#3 almost makes me wonder if you wandered by accident into a Star Wars convention. Great shot of Obi Wan. :-) Really nice shots. The fairy in #1 & #2 would bless any production of Midsummer Night's Dream. The 50-135 is tough to beat in a setting like that. Generally you can get close enough for the zoom to be sufficient, and it sure beats carrying around a heavy bag all day. Paul

Jul 8, 2008, 4:55 PM	#7
Lando Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 145	Do you know you are responsible for my divorce since now I have to buy the 50-135? Damn these good photographers on this website.... ))

Jul 8, 2008, 5:05 PM	#8
NonEntity1 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lake Placid Florida USA Posts: 2,689	What fun shots, I also like #3 best, it is nicely composed. I am going with dryad for the green girl though, I think you need wings to be a faerie :-). Medieval faires are really a great photography opportunity with the colorful costumes and backgrounds and generally eager subjects. Tim

Jul 9, 2008, 5:31 AM	#9
tsquare Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 231	Intersting photos, especially #3. I for one, just don't understand the fascination with nose studs and rings. Guess my age is showing.

Jul 9, 2008, 12:56 PM	#10
snostorm Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Chicago Suburb, IL, USA Posts: 2,770	Hi All, Thanks for taking the time to look, and for all the nice comments. These Renaisance Faires are great photo ops, as all the characters are very amenable to having their pictures taken. Most of the time, I shy away from taking pictures of people for a number of reasons, but at these, I try to make the "people" my main subjects, so it's just fun. The hard part is to try to exclude the "modern tourists" from the backgrounds. If you concentrate on the subject, and get it just right, there's almost always someone with red shorts and a white tee shirt strolling somewhere in the bg pushing a stroller. This is the main reason I chose not to shoot too much with a wider lens -- it was just too hard to not include unwanted elements in the bg. The concensus seems to like #3, and it's my favorite also. I was really surprised when I opened it up on the computer, as he seemed to be engrossed in a conversation with some of the other characters, so when I saw that he was actually looking at me, and had this subtle expression of humor, I was very pleasantly surprised. Luck definitely played its part, as is usually the case for me. . .:-) There were quite a few times when I wished I had a bit more reach, but I know that I wouldn't be able to use my right arm for about a week if I would have used my Tok 80-200/2.8 all day -- my elbow just can't take that kind of weight over the course of a full day anymore. . . Scott