New York Skyline at dawn a few weeks ago, from directly across from where the twin towers used to be (Lower Manhattan is at the far right in the photo; this was shot from Jersey City). Click the image to enlarge it in a new window -- but be aware, this image is over 7000 pixels wide -- this is a very large image!
If you would like to duplicate this image yourself, here's how to do it. Wake up early, then head to the PATH station in Jersey City. To the north, you will find a pier. Walk out onto the pier. This is your vantage point. Use a medium to telephoto lens and mount it on a tripod. Focus to infinity. Shoot the photo in segments; it took me 8 segments in all to capture the whole horizon. Do this quickly and shoot in RAW if you can. When done, head home and open them all in Photoshop CS2. Stitch them manually together (or use a stitching program), being careful to adjust each layer so that the lighting matches. Save, and viola! NYC's skyline is especially suited for this sort of treatment, as the large body of water (Hudson) prevents any foreground elements from giving parallax errors. At 200dpi, this thing prints at freakin' 10 FEET wide. :)
both of these are REALLY COOL--having a hard time picking my favorite!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is still the dusk photo. :)
ReplyDeletestill unbelieveable how empty it tooks without the towers. i have much of the same skyline in a photo from my trip to new york. not as large or as good of quality of course. but it shocks me to this day to see those buildings no longer there.
ReplyDelete-satan
Hi Pwyll! Yes, this is stiched. I used a Canon EOS 20D with a Sigma 70-200 2.8 lens backed out to 70. Shot at f/8, I think. I think I need to purchase a panohead for my tripod though -- the stitching was much more difficult than it could have been, as I used a standard ball & socket head.
ReplyDeleteCanon EOS 20D *droooool* :)
ReplyDeleteI have a Canon A620 - not as good but it has a panorama assist.
Does the 20D not have a similar feature?
AFAIK, I don't think it does. The Canon software comes with some elementary photostiching stuff, but it doesn't do too smash-up of a job of it. Really, the only easy way to assure that you maintain perfectly level shots between photos is to get a tripod head that makes it easy -- definately one with a level and a pan lock.
ReplyDeletehave you tried autostitch? there's a free download floating around
ReplyDeleteNah, haven't tried it yet, but it seems that algorithms rarely do as good a job as a person can.
ReplyDeleteVery very nice!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fantastic photograph, different view point from the usual tired view of NYC. I will be seeking out this view point on my next trip to the Big Apple from scotland, your picture has inspired my imagination to leave the normal tourist track and source out unusual view points.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Chris,
Clydebank,
Scotland.