Using My Contour Video Camera

I recently purchased a new Contour 2 video camera to use while riding my motorcycle, but I have found a new use for it when I am out shooting sporting events.  I strapped it to my head a would record as I took pictures of a mens college cross country race, I was surprised of the quality of video that I was able to capture.  I feel it give a unique perspective of the race and of myself shooting the event.  Can't wait to try this while doing other photography sessions.
You can view the out come of this experiment below.

Dragster and Vette

       It's not everyday that you see a classic Corvette being used as tow vehicle for a front engine dragster!  This is a common site on any given  Friday night at Rolling Thunder Drag Strip  in Pacific Junction Iowa.  Every Friday night the drag strip is open to all cars and bikes for open street racing, and most Saturdays the strip hosts NHRA sanctioned events.

       I always enjoy seeing the unusual...I think this scene fits that category.....

Taking Firework Pictures

Photographing fireworks can be a very frustrating venture, but here are some tips to make the experience a little better.  The first thing is you need to have a tripod, set it up in a location where it will not be bumped during your session.  I also use a remote shutter release so that I do not shake the camera during shooting.  After you see where the fireworks will be located, take a minute and set up your camera and frame your shot.  Setting up the camera:  use manual mode; set your aperture at f8 or higher, then set your shutter speed to 2-5 seconds (depending on the effect your looking for);  also set your ISO as low as you can, this will reduce Noise in your picture.  If your camera has Noise Reduction (most do), enable that as well.  Take a few test shots, play around with the shutter speed to see the light effects you want.  Keep in mind that freshly charged batteries are important, shooting long exposures will drain your camera quickly.

 

 

 

During this photo shoot I also set up my Contour HD video camera, I got some interesting shots that I was able to put into a video for the production crew that put on the firework show, Roadkill Productions. Follow link below to view video.

 

Beaver Lake Blast Video

Fun with Macro and Lighting

My wife noticed some little curious mushrooms growing in our house plants.  I thought it would be a good time to practice some macro photography.  I used my Tamron 90mm macro lens with my Nikon D800E, set up the tripod and starting to shoot.  I use mirror lock up and a remote shutter release to limit camera shake for the sharpest image.  I also experimented with some unusual lighting; I positioned a flashlight that had red and blue LED bulbs that I positioned behind the plant to add some interesting back lighting. 

Photo shoot at Plattsmouth Girls Softball Game

I was invited to the Plattsmouth girls softball game the other evening to take pictures of the team.  Had a great time capturing the scenes and action as I watched the Plattsmouth Blue Devils get edged out in an exciting game.  It was challenging to get good shots at the field, it was surrounded by chain link fence.  I had to be creative to get good angles without the fence messing up the shots. Afterwards the coaches had me take some team and individual pictures for the team.  In post processing I experimented with some graphics to create sports cards for the player; I used Adobe Elements and Nik filters to get the look I was after.  A special thanks goes out to my lovely wife and assistant Becky who helped keep everything organized.  You can see more great action and team shots at www.abramsphotography.printroom.com

www.abramsphotography.printroom.com

Fathers Day Summit Jr Racing at Mid America Motorplex

It was great to see all the families coming together and spending the day at the track. Was especially neat to see all the fathers out there supporting their children and teaching good sportsmanship.  Running a race team, no matter how big or small, takes a lot of time and patience...(not to mention a little cash)...and the support these parents provide is truly great.  So, to all the fathers, a huge THANK YOU!

BMW Driving School at Mid America Motorplex

Was able to get some shots in before the rain at Mid America Motorplex in Iowa this morning.  There was a good turn-out, and great action on the 2.23 mile road course.  This was a great time for folks learning how to find the apex of turns and to improve on their driving skills.  The staff at MAM do a great job providing a fun and SAFE facility for this kind of driving.  I captured these images using my Nikon D800e with a Tamron 28-70 lens and Sigma 150-500 lens. Good luck to all the drivers tomorrow, hope the weather cooperates!

Ducati Days at Mid America Motorplex

Although the weather did not cooperate this morning, was able to snap a few shots of some bikes on the track and in the pits.  Hopefully tomorrow the weather will be nicer.  I used my D800e and Sigma 150-500 lens for shots on the track.  In the pits I switched to my new super wide angle Sigma 12-24mm lens; still learning the limits of the this lens; overall very pleased with it. 

 

Thunder in the Bluffs ATV Poker Run

Today my father and I photographed the first ever United States ATV Search and Rescue ATV poker run in Mills County Iowa.  The Poker run started and ended at Mid America Motorplex in the pouring down rain, but riders didn't seem to mind.  To cap it off the staff at Mid America Motorplex opened up the mud pits for some good 'ol dirty fun!  The event was a huge success!  I am sure that many folks were busy cleaning late into the evening!

Holy Family Shrine

For the past five years I have been curious about a glass and wood structure that kind of resembled an old corn crib just west of Omaha Nebraska.  Today I finally took the time to visit the Holy Family Shrine.  A unique structure perched on a hillside overlooking fields west of Omaha.

 

 

 

The combination of wood and glass walls really lets you connect with God and nature.  Running under the floor next to the pews is a small stream of water creating the gentle sound of a bubbling brook.

I recommend seeing this if you are in the Omaha area.
 

A day at the zoo

Got to spend some time with my father photographing some of the attractions at our local zoo.  We rarely get the opportunity to get out in the field together for photography, so it was fun today sharing our love of capturing images.  Growing up I always looked forward to hunting and fishing seasons to spend the time with my father out with nature, now days we mostly spend our time outdoors 'hunting' images with Nikon cameras. 

Getting a steady shot of a swan

Always be aware of your background for natrural looking settings

Panning

Photographing moving subjects takes practice and a steady panning technique.  It is important to keep your subject centered in the frame and pan at the same rate.  Chose a shutter speed that is slow enough to capture the movement, but not too slow to cause the subject to become out of focus.  I like to use a shutter speed of 40th of a second on fast moving subjects.