Some of you may have seen these already but wanted to share for the rest of the class.

click any pic for a larger version.

I didn't use a tripod for any of these, but I did use ledges or other supporting structures to balance. As noted, many were hand-held (using burst shots). This is handy for instance when, you want to take a night shot in the middle of the street, with cars around.

(EXIF for as many shots as I could find and/or applicable.)

6-shot panorama taken from Millenium Park - click for 1920px version

EXIF from one of the main shots:
Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:08:27 18:51:22
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 24.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.100 s (1/10)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 125
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

The Bean, single-shot HDR from RAW - click for 1920px version

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:08:27 18:26:29
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 48.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.017 s (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 125
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

Looking south down LaSalle Street towards the Board of Trade, Chicago. Single-shot HDR from RAW, hand-held.

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:08:26 19:16:38
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 28.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.125 s (1/8)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 125
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

17-shot panorama of Lake Michigan, Grant Park, Chicago Loop, looking south from 39th floor on Randolph Street. Advisable to view large (1920px)



Chicago at night. You may recognize some buildings from The Dark Knight.. Nikon D70, 2005.

Camera Model: NIKON D70
Image Date: 2005:07:05 22:30:14
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 18.0mm (35mm equivalent: 27mm)
Exposure Time: 0.400 s (1/3)
Aperture: f/3.5
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

downtown Chicago, by the river and Marina City, IBM building.. b/w conversion.
Taken in 2005, Nikon D70.

Camera Model: NIKON D70
Image Date: 2005:07:05 22:41:31
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 18.0mm (35mm equivalent: 27mm)
Exposure Time: 0.200 s (1/5)
Aperture: f/3.5
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix


looking north from Roosevelt, South Loop Chicago. 3-shot panorama from single-shot RAW HDR. click for 2560px version



Railyard north of Roosevelt, Chicago. Single-shot HDR.

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:08:10 22:20:33
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 68.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.200 s (1/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 160
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual


Navy Pier single-shot HDR panorama, Chicago.


Navy Pier single-shot HDR panorama, Chicago. Made from 2 shots.


18-shot HDR (from single RAW) panorama, looking north from the Adams St bridge on the Chicago river.



looking east from South Loop Chicago. 11-shot panorama (no HDR). missed a couple of shots to get a complete pano, I will most likely go back and redo this one - hopefully during more dramatic sky conditions as well.

Of note, the white house towards the center of the picture is the Clarke House, which is regarded as the oldest surviving building in Chicago.



Looking North down Michigan Avenue from Randolph Street. hand-held

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:08:26 19:01:01
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 70.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.050 s (1/20)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 125
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

heading to Chicago on 94-West. single-shot HDR

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:06:22 19:55:25
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 51.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.067 s (1/15)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 200
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual


(not HDR)



taken during the filming of Batman: The Dark Knight, Chicago Loop 2007. Single-shot HDR, hand-held.

What you see in the middle with the spotlights surrounding it is the ramp leading to the lower level of Wacker drive - these are the scenes with the trucks going down/up the ramps and the related chase scenes.

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: Thu Aug 23 21:21:06 2007
Focal Length: 73.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.386 s (1/3)
Aperture: f/4.0
ISO equiv: 100

Nikon D70, 2005. (not HDR)

Camera Model: NIKON D70
Image Date: 2005:07:03 17:54:10
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 18.0mm (35mm equivalent: 27mm)
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
Aperture: f/9.0
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

Stormy night.. 08/23/07.. facing west from Wacker Drive. Behind glass. multiple exposure HDR (3 or 4), the spots at the top are raindrops on the window..


Looking east from Franklin Street at Delaware at 5AM. Single-shot HDR.

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:06:22 04:17:16
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 32.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0050 s (1/200)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 200
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

D70, 2005.


go Cubs!



Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:06:22 04:30:06
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 70.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 200
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual


Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:06:22 04:15:41
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 42.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0063 s (1/160)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 200
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

multiple exposure HDR, 4 shots


D70, 2005.

Camera Model: NIKON D70
Image Date: 2005:02:15 19:45:00
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 56.0mm (35mm equivalent: 84mm)
Exposure Time: 0.050 s (1/20)
Aperture: f/4.5
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

D70, 2005.

Camera Model: NIKON D70
Image Date: 2005:08:28 12:28:51
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 22.0mm (35mm equivalent: 33mm)
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
Aperture: f/9.0
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

State of Illinois building, Chicago. 3-shot HDR.


Merchandise Mart, Chicago. hand-held

Camera Model: NIKON D70
Image Date: 2005:07:05 22:16:28
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 24.0mm (35mm equivalent: 36mm)
Exposure Time: 0.200 s (1/5)
Aperture: f/3.8
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

 

Nice.

 

What an incredibly photogenic city...

Srika, amazing work!

For the single shot pano HDRs, did you merge the panographic images first, then over/underexpose for the HDR, or did you do that per frame and then merge the HDRs into the panographic?

 

Great set Rubin! Really nice work, in a style that is instantly recognizable as yours.

It makes me want to take another drive down to Chicago soon. It's been at least 4 years since I was there last, so it would be nice to get back there.

 

Absolutely stunning.

Question, how do you do a single shot HDR?

 

Holy crap! These shots are amazing. I gotta get around Chicago more and practice.
I have a couple questions I was hoping you could answer for me.
1. Whats your method for piecing together a panoramic? Do you maintain the center of rotation (ie. use a tripod, take a picture, rotate sideways, take another picture, then stitch em together in PS)?
2. For some of the panoramic shots, you have like 17 shots! Are they put together like a grid? It doesn't seem like there are 17 pictures side by side!
3. For your multi-exposure shots, do you manually do it or do your cameras have AEB?

 

great set rubin
chicago is such a photogenic city!

 

Thanks for looking. I ran the single RAW files through Photomatix per frame and then ran the merge.

 

glad to hear it - and happy it's recognizable!
you should! and you should call me when you come down, we'll do a photo tour!
there's a couple of ways, one easier: you can open the RAW and generate separate exposures from it, or you can open the single RAW in Photomatix and do the tone-mapping from that single file - let Photomatix take care of the rest. That's how I do it.
1. Stand in the same place (to the greatest of your ability). I have never used a tripod for a panorama, haven't found any reason to. I really don't use tripods much. Too cumbersome and most of my shooting is "active", that is, a) I just happen to be in a certain area and I see a shot I like and I take pics - I almost never have a tripod with me. Not saying this is the way to do it - it just works for me. I use Auto Pano Pro, PTGui, and PS. The programs give different results, sometimes a pano will come out great in one, and another time you'll try the same program and it will look like crap. So then I'll try another program. I did one pano manually once (it was only 4 shots) and that was a HUGE PITA and I figured I would probably never do that again - it took me a few hours to manually stitch just 4 shots together.
2. The pano software does a great job of detecting overlap and such, that's the explanation for 17 shots in one pano. Also you miss corners etc because it's tough to visualize all the shots you need - so there is a lot of cropping involved.
3. For my multiple exposures I have always done it manually. Doesn't really matter, same difference, as long as you get your exposures - just a personal preference.

Now, you may wonder, why not just use a fish-eye lens or other wide lens and get the same shot, without all the effort? I know I wondered this at one point. And I'll tell you what the beauty of pano is: you get LARGE detailed files that you can blow up. I'm currently finishing a 72MP pano of another scene with the Bean and skyline backdrop. Think about how big you could blow that up. And also they are fun to do. And also, if you don't have a fish-eye or wide lens, this gives you a manual way of getting similar results.

 

cool man! wait, the clarke house is even older than the Water Tower?? where is the clarke house btw downtown?

 

I live in Chicago... can I join your tour?

Thanks for taking the time to explain. I want to check out those pano programs... love the look. Also, I just found out my camera doesn't support AEB. I guess I will be doing it manually afterall!

 

that's what is reported in the records - but it's not 100% confirmed. It's in the South Loop area. Check it out on teh Google.
ha. no problem. yeah no AEB = no biggie.

 

those are incredible! very nicely done...

the city in this shot is amazing...



...fawkin' Tulsa, OK doesn't have anything like this to shoot...

 

Great work as usual sir!

I know it's developed quite a bit over the last couple of years, but I'm still not too sure how comfortable I'd be hanging around that Roosevelt Rd. area at night.

 

Seriously, these pics really are a credit to the city of Chicago. Very powerful, important, and influential photography.

 

the area on Roosevelt is "ok" now. a bit farther south, no.

 

a couple stragglers.

 

definitely helps to have such a photogenic subject.

 

Awesome. Your pics make me want to go back to Chicago for a vacation. I was there last summer for work for a few days and really enjoyed it, and I don't usually like cities too much.

 

Thanks for sharing. Awesome pictures!!!!!!!

 

did you remove your reflection in the photos of the bean?

 

thats it, time for me to visit chicago.

 

I think I found waldo:




Woops, sorry Srika for re-posting your image. Feel free to remove...

 

 

no sir - the bean has some crazy curves on it though, take a look at the reflection of the guy taking a pic towards the right of the HDR.. he is standing quite close to the people but in the bean, he looks much farther away.. view it large if you haven't done so already.. that helps.

 

bingo!

no probs..

 

I gotta ask...Does someone go out there everyday with a bottle of Windex?

 

The 8 times or so I've seen it in the last few years, there's been someone shining 2 or 3 times.

 

dunno.. I do think it requires a lot of cleaning. The top is dirty often.

 

srika, I have a question for you. I was playing around with the Panoramic software you suggested. How do you deal with auto focusing? I noticed that background items were blurred to different degrees and when the pictures were stitched together, it just looked strange. Also with night shots, how do you maintain an even "exposure"... is that the right word? For example, if you manually adjusted the shutter speed (and didn't change it), some pictures would turn out perfect and others would be under/over exposed, right? Do you have any tips/secrets?

 

Show off.


Great images and worth seeing more than once.

 

incredible

 

 

very nice pictures. your work sir.... is something i admire

 

Wow! Great shots! I didn't realize the city looked so good! (or how you made the city look good. )

 

hey - from the way you're describing it, it sounds like you are taking pictures of things that are close to you, rather than, say, a city or landscape. I haven't tried such a panorama myself but you're right, DOF would be an issue there. With the wide shots, its not an issue since you're so far away - but you do have to make sure it's in focus.

Regarding exposure, you should take the pictures with the exposures you normally would. That is, they should all be exposed as balanced as you can. The panorama software takes care of the varying levels of light and dark by blending the variations for you. Sometimes it doesn't do a very good job of that and you have to go in and do it manually in PS or whatever, with some kind of smoothing brush or tool. As with anything else, the more you practice the better you get at it. Don't be discouraged if you try it once and you aren't pleased with the results. One tip I would say for now is, and something I am still working on myself is, take more shots than you need - especially of the outlying areas - even areas you would not think you would need. Because, when you come home and do the panorama, you may be going because you missed spots (as I have done on more than a few occasion ). If I can think of any other tips along the way I will update here.

 

Camera Model: Canon EOS 5D
Image Date: 2008:09:06 02:27:09
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 28.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.300 s (1/3)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO equiv: 320
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

 

i LOVE your work. *added to favorites*

 

I really love this one

 

thought I would share technique on one of the shots, which was primarily processed in LR.