Edinburgh Christmas 2012

[mobias]

The annual Christmas market opened up over the weekend here in Edinburgh and I went out and had a bit of fun with NEX 5N. There were a lot of photographers out and I had a laugh watching them wrestle with their Canon 5D's, Nikon D600's and whatnot. I could tell they were sticking their noses up at me. I knew fine well I was getting the best shots though lol.

I love low light photography. These were all shot at 100ISO with up to 30 sec exposures. Most were HDR'd using the cameras in built HDR function. It does a pretty good job. 16mm pancake lens for all. Now if only Sony could invent a decent sturdy tripod small enough to fit in my pocket.

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[mobias]

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[Dioptrick]

The annual Christmas market opened up over the weekend here in Edinburgh and I went out and had a bit of fun with NEX 5N. There were a lot of photographers out and I had a laugh watching them wrestle with their Canon 5D's, Nikon D600's and whatnot. I could tell they were sticking their noses up at me. I knew fine well I was getting the best shots though lol.

Shhhhh, not so loud. They might hear you... let them wrestle a little longer, lol.

I just love nights shots, beautiful!!

See if you can find a small "pod clamp." I have one that easily fits in my pocket (I leave it in the car glovebox all the time). You can clamp it to a fence, sign most, park bench, any thing that's solid.

 

[mobias]

Shhhhh, not so loud. They might hear you... let them wrestle a little longer, lol.

I just love nights shots, beautiful!!

See if you can find a small "pod clamp." I have one that easily fits in my pocket (I leave it in the car glovebox all the time). You can clamp it to a fence, sign most, park bench, any thing that's solid.

Ahh excellent that sounds like a great thing to have. Cheers I'll take a look

 

[Dioptrick]

Ahh excellent that sounds like a great thing to have. Cheers I'll take a look

You might also need one of these, so that you can trigger your 5N without touching it.

DSC-W120    ---    15mm    f/5.0    1/100s    ISO 160

You can get fancy ones, but this cheapo version is only about 6 bucks and they're every where now. It only does a shutter and a 2 sec delay shutter so it's pretty basic. If you get a couple, should you loose one in the dark, it's no biggie.

 

[mobias]

You might also need one of these, so that you can trigger your 5N without touching it.


You can get fancy ones, but this cheapo version is only about 6 bucks and they're every where now. It only does a shutter and a 2 sec delay shutter so it's pretty basic. If you get a couple, should you loose one in the dark and it's no biggie.

Cheers yeah I've already got one. People may not know this but the A700's remote works with the NEX cameras so I just use that.

 

[NickCyprus]

Beautiful photos!!!

 

[Bimjo]

Very nicely done mobias, very nicely done.

 

[freddytto]

nice photos, well, I was thinking about getting one more, more compact , but I have 2 tripod already, I would like a smaller one like the Gorilla tripod. I saw one on ebay for 6 bucks, I do not know if it would be good to take it, it sounds too cheap. Flexible Tripod Holder Bubble Gorilla Pod for SLR DSLR DV Camera Canon | eBay

 

[Dioptrick]

nice photos, well, I was thinking about getting one more, more compact , but I have 2 tripod already, I would like a smaller one like the Gorilla tripod. I saw one on ebay for 6 bucks, I do not know if it would be good to take it, it sounds too cheap. Flexible Tripod Holder Bubble Gorilla Pod for SLR DSLR DV Camera Canon | eBay

The product shots show it being used to hold a DSLR, but it sure does look flimsy!

 

[mobias]

I've seen those in the shops here in the UK. It looks like the sort of thing that may be useful once in a while but its probably just extra kit to lug around that you may or may not ever actually use.

 

[applemint]

Some great photos there - I was there this weekend too (on Sunday afternoon) but not using my Nex (was using my G3 + 20mm as I wanted to take photos of the stalls and the products on them and didn't want to be using manual focus when it was so busy and crowded).

I was getting pushed and jostled all the time and was taking photos of some mineral rock lights on one stall when I felt someone physically pushing me aside, so I turned my head and saw a camera and big lens (and the guy holding it, who had shoved me out the way totally ignoring me and taking his photos!) Honestly -some people - I had been making massive efforts all day not to get in other peoples way, (a lot of people were taking pictures - most using their cell phone) so I was a bit hacked off when someone physically moved me out the way instead of just saying excuse me or waiting 2 minutes like I had been doing all day.

Anyway - think I will go back on a weekday when it's a bit less crowded.

There are lots of reviews of that Gorillapod tripod thing on amazon - quite mixed reviews, but for say the NEx + 16mm it might be okay? Joby Gorillapod Flexible Tripod: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo I also have a couple of those cheap ir remotes - got them for £1 each on ebay via Hong Kong.

 

[mobias]

Some great photos there - I was there this weekend too (on Sunday afternoon) but not using my Nex (was using my G3 + 20mm as I wanted to take photos of the stalls and the products on them and didn't want to be using manual focus when it was so busy and crowded).

I was getting pushed and jostled all the time and was taking photos of some mineral rock lights on one stall when I felt someone physically pushing me aside, so I turned my head and saw a camera and big lens (and the guy holding it, who had shoved me out the way totally ignoring me and taking his photos!) Honestly -some people - I had been making massive efforts all day not to get in other peoples way, (a lot of people were taking pictures - most using their cell phone) so I was a bit hacked off when someone physically moved me out the way instead of just saying excuse me or waiting 2 minutes like I had been doing all day.

Anyway - think I will go back on a weekday when it's a bit less crowded.

Its definitely less busy during the week. One of the owners of those fair ground rides wants to buy one of my photos which I'm quite pleased about. Be on the look out for at least one security guy in that Xmas market/fairground who's up for a bit of a confrontation. I was actually outside the area taking photos of it and he came up to me and quite aggressively asked me what I was doing. He had absolutely no right to demand anything from me. I told him I was taking photos for my own hobby and he said 'well thats alright then' and walked off. I wish in retrospect I'd said something else just to se what he'd do. A case of someone given too much power....

 

[Dioptrick]

Nah, I think you did the right thing. When someone is into a power trip, they sometimes (consciously or unconsciously) fish for a reason to escalate their aggression. To rise up to the confrontation would only feed the animals in the zoo.

Then again, it might not be that at all. The security guy may have had to deal with offensive (invasive) photographers in the past, so you may have inadvertently fallen into the same profiling category. Pick your battles, I'd say this one ain't yours...

Congrats on the photo sale!

 

[zibby_uk]

how is that? Canon 30D

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The annual Christmas market opened up over the weekend here in Edinburgh and I went out and had a bit of fun with NEX 5N. There were a lot of photographers out and I had a laugh watching them wrestle with their Canon 5D's, Nikon D600's and whatnot. I could tell they were sticking their noses up at me. I knew fine well I was getting the best shots though lol.

I love low light photography. These were all shot at 100ISO with up to 30 sec exposures. Most were HDR'd using the cameras in built HDR function. It does a pretty good job. 16mm pancake lens for all. Now if only Sony could invent a decent sturdy tripod small enough to fit in my pocket.

View attachment 2251 View attachment 2252 View attachment 2253 View attachment 2254 View attachment 2255

 

[davect01]

Beautiful, love the old world/new world combination.

 

[applemint]

Be on the look out for at least one security guy in that Xmas market/fairground who's up for a bit of a confrontation. I was actually outside the area taking photos of it and he came up to me and quite aggressively asked me what I was doing. He had absolutely no right to demand anything from me. I told him I was taking photos for my own hobby and he said 'well thats alright then' and walked off. I wish in retrospect I'd said something else just to se what he'd do. A case of someone given too much power....

Well I have now met security - I was in East Princes Street Gardens tonight taking photographs of the Scott Monument with the ferris wheel in the background when I was approached by 2 security guards and told not to take photographs of the monument!

When I said that it was a public place and so surely I could take photos they said it's not a public space while the Edinburgh Christmas event is on. Eh?

At first they said I was not allowed to take photos and then they said I must pack my tripod away but could take photos with the camera on it's own. (I was not on the main footpath but at the side of the monument with the tripod on the bottom 'step' of the monument so I was not obstructing anyone or causing a trip hazard (they did not say I was just said not to use the tripod without saying why).

Someone on flickr said you are suppossed to inform security if you will be using a tripod, which seems a bit daft as there were other people there with tripods (always are) and I doubt they all asked 'permission'. In any case the security guards only said the bit about the tripod right at the end - at first they just said I 'cannot' take photos of the monument- WTF?

Here is the reply I got on flickr:
"If it's in the area where there are barriers they sometimes request that you make security aware before you start taking photographs with your camera using a tripod.

It varies from year-to-year though (or maybe even day-to-day for all I know). I've seen me asking if I need to make anyone aware that I'm taking photos only to be met with a shrug of indifference and other times I've had to give a few personal details.

I always think there's no harm in asking first but it sound like, in your case, someone was being a little overzealous."

Maybe the security guys were just bored and thought they better be seen to be 'doing their job' or something...

 

[mobias]

Hmm yeah. Its bored security guards with nothing else better to do. There's an awful lot of photographers about it has to be said. I was out again tonight to grab a few quick shots. Had my tripod out. No one said anything. Its fair enough them not wanting people with big tripods out when its busy and someone could trip over one but its another thing entirely when they say you're not allowed to photograph the Scott Monument. That's utter rubbish. My opinion of that market isn't very high anyway despite it making a good photo opportunity. Lots of very over priced rubbish food.

Is there a Flickr group devoted to it? Got a link?

Couple of photos from this evening. NEX 5N. JPEG. HDR. 16mm pancake. Bit of PP in Perfect Photo 6.

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[Dioptrick]

You know mobias, I especially love your decision to include people blurred in movement as well... it adds such a wonderful dynamic and vibrant life to the old world (buildings) /new world (carnival rides) combo that Davect01 mentioned. The more I look and review your sets, the more I appreciate how technically excellent these shots really are. Well done mobias, you've masterfully captured the 'true' atmosphere of the place!

 

[mobias]

You know mobias, I especially love your decision to include people blurred in movement as well... it adds such a wonderful dynamic and vibrant life to the old world (buildings) /new world (carnival rides) combo that Davect01 mentioned. The more I look and review your sets, the more I appreciate how technically excellent these shots really are. Well done mobias, you've masterfully captured the 'true' atmosphere of the place!

Cheers Dioptrick. Really kind words. I like to give photos like these a sense of perspective and include elements such as the blurred people so there's a point to focus on that the viewer can relate too. I think street photography can be quite cinematic in a way, there should be a little story in each shot. It should be more than just a pretty view. I must say that since getting my 5N I've really taken to street photography since I have my little camera with me so much more often. Its brought a lot of fun back into my photography.

Thanks again