This was the most challenging aspect of the trip, for several reasons:
1) Rockefeller Center is PACKED with people - I had to make sure that I didn't include recognizable faces in the pictures, aside from those of my sister and her friend. Otherwise, I'd need a model release for everyone.
2) Bright lights - normally a blessing, but not while in a huge crowd during the holiday season. How would I know what exposure to use? Or white balance? Honestly, it was a nightmare.
3) The tree - how would I take non-cheesy pictures of it?
Well, I'm not sure I answered all of these questions too well, but here are some results:
And, here's the surgery I had to perform on all of these:
Picture 1 - white balance change in Aperture, cropping, but with the goal of preserving the detail on the left,
Picture 2 - cropping (to zero in on their great faces)
Picture 3 - none - I wanted to capture the crowds, the greenery, and the lights. This is ultimate New York. After numerous takes, I found a version that did not include recognizable faces. Hopefully, this picture isn't TOO cheesy. :)
I experimented with the following:
1) White balance - Tungsten and Normal
2) Cropping - to remove extraneous details and faces
3) Flash - I'm not a fan, but it worked for me in the second picture. Had I not taken multiple versions, though, I wouldn't have known what was best.
My favorite picture is the second one - it focuses in on my subjects, but provides background interest. Had I not experimented as indicated above, though, this picture wouldn't have happened. I'm therefore grateful to my very patient subjects.
Would this have been easier with my DSLR? Only for post-processing. I actually appreciated having a nice, light camera so that I could rush around, jump on benches, and do what I had to do to get the right shot. If I had all of my camera gear, I would have fidgeted with all of the lenses, as opposed to enjoying the moment with my loved ones.
Next post - coming up!
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