[Ecaterin]

Wonderful shots, Ecaterin. Just curious, on the last one were you able to expose so perfectly in one shot (if so, bravo), or is this a multi-exposure combo?

Thanks DogLover! It's exactly what I had in mind when I took the shot, so I'm thrilled it worked when I got it home

It's just one exposure, but pretty tweaked in PP. When I've got a shot with wicked exposure levels like that one, my quick & dirty approach is to underexpose it, reclaim highlights in RAW if necessary, & then use Viveza (an element of the Nik Software suite plug-in for photoshop/aperture that includes the much praised Silver Efex Pro) to lighten the under exposed bits selectively. This only takes about 5 minutes and I can be as picky about the areas I choose as if I were using a paint brush

So this shot had all that done to it, then was converted to a high-structure, grainy BW in Silver Efex Pro & layered back over the Viveza treated color layer so I could erase the BW stained glass & let the color shine through.

That whole Nik Software suite is just magic - complete digital darkroom with tons of room to create your own unique settings & combination. It can't make a bad photo better, but it can sure make a good photo shine

Dawn at Crayfish Lake, Okanagan Hills Washington

[DogLover]

Ecaterin,

Totally agree on the Nik software. I, too have the whole suite and find it wonderful. I think you've learned to master it a little better than I have, though. Really good work. Did you see that Nik is coming out with their own HDR software in a few days? If it's as well implemented as the rest of their stuff, it should be interesting, indeed.

[mattb123]

Ecaterin - thanks for the compliment! It is hard to get away from this lens! I try and shoot with something else for a while but the DA15 always finds it's way back on to the camera for "just this shot" and then inevitably stays on for the rest of the day.

Here's a couple more from last weekend for good measure (first is x-posted from the love of bicycles thread).

[Stephen_B]

I love pointing this lens at the sun:

[jsherman999]

.

State Fair!

[Ecaterin]

.

State Fair!

Damn, Jay, those photos gave me vertigo. I can't even ride the kiddy roller coaster - aaaaaaaaaa! But this BUBBLE shot...that's an absolute classic. Love it. I always appreciate that you're not afraid of BLACK in your BW photos!

Ecaterin,

Totally agree on the Nik software. I, too have the whole suite and find it wonderful. I think you've learned to master it a little better than I have, though. Really good work. Did you see that Nik is coming out with their own HDR software in a few days? If it's as well implemented as the rest of their stuff, it should be interesting, indeed.

Oooo - I'll be watching for that! Heh - my 'method' of learning the software involves hours and hours of doing things it was never meant to do....and then alternately cursing and cheering

Ecaterin - thanks for the compliment! It is hard to get away from this lens! I try and shoot with something else for a while but the DA15 always finds it's way back on to the camera for "just this shot" and then inevitably stays on for the rest of the day.

It's my every day lens of choice. No other focal length I've tried has worked for me the way the 15 does

And now, more Montana! (I've got a whole narrative of our trip plus more pics at my photography blog if anyone cares to read it :P)

These shots are from a ghost town, an old silver mining town called Silver Lake. It's at about 7000 feet.




From nearby Philipsburg, which is a functioning town with lots of historic buildings:


Placid Lake state park campground. If you look on the right, you can see my 9yo stepped into the frame for a second. He was hoping to make a blurred photo of himself, cause he knew I was doing a long exposure. He didn't realize *how* long That red streak is the running light of a boat going so slow it barely left a wake. I particularly love the reflection of the star on the water:


A waterfall on a backroad in Montana:


I forget which highway this was on. This is man-made blast, but the pattern of the rock was really lovely.

[jmschrei]

The 15mm and I have only been together for a few days but I already feel so comfortable with it. Here are a few shots from a local park where I always tend to take a new lens on our first outing. (Boy does that sound cheesy)






-Joe

[jsherman999]

[DougLee]

So many great shots everyone! I dropped my daughter off at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park, She was training for Cross Country with a friend. So while the kids went running, I had a chance to wander around with the DA15 and my K200d:

Jordan Pond with the bubbles in the background



Not bad for wide open

Cheers, Doug

[mattb123]

A few from a hike I took into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison yesterday with my family.

First is x-posted from the monochrome landscape thread.

A very large tree.



Two different approaches (both with DA15) to the water in Currecanti Creek.

[Spongefingers]

someone also asked for my zombie shots .. sorry for the late post.

i've got a billion more shots from the Melbourne Zombie Shuffle 2010 but here are my faves. I hope it's not too gory it's just chocolate syrup and red food dye!

Superb shot!

Reading this thread all through has pretty much convinced me that the DA 15 is THE next lens I want. I'm hooked on these images! Plus, I really have to buy at least one Limited lens sooner or later, and this one ought to be it.
The widest I've got it the DA 18-55, and we all know it's not great at 18mm. the 15 would fill that super-wide gap in my lineup, and I prefer small primes to big zooms.
For me, I reckon the deal makers are the size/build and close focusing.

If only it wasn't so overpriced in the UK! I aught to just take a cheap flight to the USA and pick one up...
Either way, pennies will have to be saved.

Keep the beautiful images coming, everyone!

[olenl]

If only it wasn't so overpriced in the UK! I aught to just take a cheap flight to the USA and pick one up...
Either way, pennies will have to be saved.

Keep the beautiful images coming, everyone!

why not use online store? some send by mail worldwide.

[Spongefingers]

why not use online store? some send by mail worldwide.

I would consider it, but only if I could be assured that my purchase was totally covered against damage in transit, and the lens would be covered with the standard warranty over here.
I'm mostly put off expensive international purchases by the fear of having a defective product arrive and having to send it back all the way again at my great expense.

[Aon]

Here's some recent ones from me and one not-so-recent one.

[TOUGEFC]