Faraway, so Close! (full moon)

To utilized the name of 1993’s movie – December’s moon appeared to be so close, while I know it was so faraway! After my initial lazy shots from the bedroom, I have realized moon is still very high at 7.30am! So I quickly jumped into a car, drove to the nearest hill and run towards to the little chapel where is guaranteed a decent view above our little valley. Well, I caught my breath after few shots, but then again – it was so rewarding! Wouldn’t you agree? Aby som parafrázoval film z roku 1993 – decembrový super mesiac sa zdal taký blízky a pritom som vedel, že je tak ďaleko!Po mojich úvodných lenivých záberoch zo spálne – viď tu – som zistil, že mesiac je o pol ôsmej ráno ešte stále riadne vysoko! Tak som rýchlo naskočil do auta a odviezol sa k neďalekému kopcu s kalváriou na vrchu, kde sa dal zaistiť pomerne slušný výhľad na našu dolinu. Po vybehnutí do strmého kopca som síce chytil dych až po niekoľkých záberoch – ale ako zvyčajne – stálo to za to! Čo poviete?

Under the water

When super dad meets enthusiast photographer – then results are so beautiful! Yes, our daughter is fully emerged into a synchronized swimming and she is enjoying that. And whole our family is living around it. Trainings three times a week, tests and shows over the weekends… We are synchro-positive, and we love it! So, when Christmas show has been announced, I knew my opportunity awaits. After last years balcony shots (see here), I wanted get closer, MUCH CLOSER! With a waterproof camera case ready, I was a parent with an exclusive access to the best view in the whole pool. And girls and two boys were fantastic. We all enjoyed it so much! It was absolutely a different point of view. I had no idea, how does it look like under the water and what they actually do there to entertain us above the water! Needless to say, that it was so so worth it! Like, are you kidding me? How many times you can get a chance to photograph such an unusual event, from totally unusual place and angle? How many times you can do candle light portrait and be under the water!? I was thrilled. And so much respectful to all swimmers after two hours in the pool 😉 Thank you all around Synchro club, thank you Inna for allowing me to be part of it! And don’t forget to watch the video at the bottom with the synchronized show – from above and below! PS: And for all photo-geeks, technical details, EXIF and settings are below. Keď skombinujete super otca s nadšeným fotografom, tak nádherné  výsledky sú zaručené!Áno, naša dcéra prepadla synchronizovanému plávaniu a tak celá naša rodina tým žije. Tréningy trikrát do týždňa, testy a preteky a show cez víkendy… Sme proste synchro pozitívny a máme to […]

Supermoon (from your bed room)

So I have missed November’s SUPERmoon – it was so foggy, I couldn’t see a thing and I envied all supermoon shots posted around. And I spent two days scouting for the best location, using various photo apps and drove about 70km!So, my second chance came on 14th of December, when full moon was pretty close to the super one, only a wee smaller. And this time I have decided to take it easy! No driving, no apps.My huge advantage: morning’s “moon-set” was right in front of our bedroom’s window.Thus the only preparation evening before was to set up tripod, with 70-200mm telezoom and 2x teleconverter and get jacket and hat to pull over PJ (see below). And sure it is – 6.30am I got my chance! 😉Well, it wasn’t so spectacular as I was hoping so and nearby branches started to block my view very soon. But as a proper lazy photographer I took an advantage of that and that’s how this super moon tattoo triptych was born! 😉PS: And you know what – to my surprise moon stayed up for pretty long and then my curiosity won and I climbed up nearby hill and got wonderful shots of the valley with HUGE moon… This will come later… Tak sa mi podarilo zmeškať novembrový SUPERmoon – týždeň vkuse bolo tak hmlisto, že som nevidel ani ň a závidel som všetkým, čo uploadovali svoje zábery. A to som strávil dva dni hľadaním čo najlepšej lokality s pomocou viacerých foto aplikácii a najazdil som asi 70km!Ale moja druhá šanca prišla 14. decembra, keď spln bol takmer taký istý veľký ako ten supermoon, len o kapánek menší. No a tentokrát som sa rozhodol to zobrať zľahka. Žiadne jazdenie, žiadne aplikácie. Mal som totiž obrovskú výhodu, že ranný “západ mesiaca”sme mali rovno pred […]

Men at work (roasting chestnuts!)

Photographing people at work fascinates me and it is for me always very rewarding. Especially, when they are doing something interesting, something what they do with passion and something you can’t see everyday (yup, project update meeting on Friday afternoon doesn’t count! :). That’s what was happening at on of the Christmas market stall. Like in the last years, guys were roasting chestnuts again in an old traditional way, burning coal under huge metal tubes, where on the tops were ceramic jars with chestnuts! This way of roasting of course attracted me again. And when I noticed all the sparks flying around, I immediately knew that longer exposure of about 1 second will be able to capture the fire and sparkles in a firework big style. So to be able to take a nice image and not just a snapshot, I’ve started to chat with guys from “Carlito castagna” and asked them if it would be alright to take pictures (which I will be happily sharing with them via email!). Sure enough, my tripod was ready, one second with handholding would not work. I’ve stayed for about 15 minutes and I was focusing to capture especially those big flames and sparkle fountains when guy added fresh new coal (and I’ve asked him to do that several times! :). Next challenge was to capture moment when my chestnut-roaster wasn’t moving for about one second to get his face sharp. I wasn’t looking for a super sharpness, as a little bit of his motion was a nice addition to express activity, but I was lucky enough with the shot below. So, to sum it up: a) look for interesting job with passionate people b) get to know your men and explain your intentions, they’ll be happy to cooperate c) look for colors, […]

Christmas lights around you

Tis the season to be jolly, enjoy and … shoot all the colorful lights. Yes! Christmas markets are the perfect spots right now. So, make all your christmas shopping online and instead of being shopping frenzy, take your camera and go out there! There will be for sure plenty of colorful objects and actions to photograph. Plus – muled hot wine is a worthwhile bonus. And – if you arrive just in time to hit the blue hour after the sunset – beauty is guaranteed. Have a look around, get inspired and play. PS: And – do not forget that hot wine!! 😉 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @19mm, f/5, 1 sec, ISO 1600 Sezóna krásnych predvianočných chvíľ je v plnom prúde, preto si ju užívajte a … foťte všetky tie farebné svetlá okolo vás. Samozrejme! Vianočné trhy sú tie správne miesta, kde by ste mali byť. Vianočné darčeky objednajte online a namiesto zúfalého pobehovania po shopping centrách si vezmite foťák a vypadnite von. Určite nájde hromadu krásnych farebných objektov a aktivít, ktoré sa vyplatí fotiť. A ako bonus – môžte si dať teplé varené víno (alebo aj svařák ;). No a keď navyše dorazíte tak, aby ste stihli modrú hodinku po západe slnka, tak o krásne fotky nebude núdza. Pozrite sa, čo sa mne podarilo zachytiť, inšpirujte sa a bavte sa.PS: A nezabudnite na to varené víno! 🙂 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @16mm, f/5, 1 sec, ISO 1600 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @16mm, f/5, 1 sec, ISO 1600 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @16mm, f/10, 2 sec, ISO 200 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @16mm, f/11, 2.5 sec, ISO 50 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @16mm, f/11, 2.5 sec, ISO 50 PS: A keď vám chýba ľudský element, tak sa hoďte do záberu 😉 Nikon D800, Nikkor 16-35mm @16mm, f/10, 2 sec, ISO 200, flash fired with Rear sync curtain