Hark's 2014 Occasional Photos
- Thread starter hark
- Start date
I edited both photos and added the EXIF data for you, Pretzel. It looks like the only difference is in the focal length. Just remember these are taken with a full frame, but I've found I like getting close.
Here is a thread I created last year--the company installed those programmable LED lights so they were new last year. You can see I was further away for those which is why I wanted to get a different perspective this year. Since I didn't know how to post photos directly in a thread last year, those photos are attached...and the EXIF doesn't show up. If you see something interesting there, let me know and I'll look it up for you.
http://nikonites.com/low-light-night/14592-ferris-wheel-programmed-light-show.html#axzz35g3goBEE
Below is a ride called Full Tilt. I wish I had taken a photo of the ride while they were loading people, but unfortunately I didn't. They load the people onto a long horizontal deck then it starts to swing to the right and left. As it picks up momentum, it goes higher and higher.
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/22
Shutter Speed: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Full Tilt ride getting started by *Hark*, on Flickr
Eventually the deck gets all the way up to the top where they stop it from moving. Then they let it go and it revolves all the way around which makes it look similar to a Ferris Wheel in the following photo:
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/22
Shutter Speed: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Full Tilt Ride going 360° by *Hark*, on Flickr
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/22
Shutter Speed: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Full Tilt ride getting started by *Hark*, on Flickr
Eventually the deck gets all the way up to the top where they stop it from moving. Then they let it go and it revolves all the way around which makes it look similar to a Ferris Wheel in the following photo:
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/22
Shutter Speed: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Full Tilt Ride going 360° by *Hark*, on Flickr
Michael J.
Senior Member
Amazing shots.
Thank you, Rick! I love to photograph the rides but have rarely ever ridden on any. Some of the rides from this particular company have such colorful LED lights that make them especially fun to photograph.
Thank you, Michael! There are one or two smaller travelling carnivals that come to the area, but this one is so big and is the only one I've ever shot. These LED lights are so attractive--in the past, only the ferris wheel had colored lights, but it didn't use any type of programmable light show. I took quite a few Ferris Wheel photos that display a variety of colors and patterns--just won't have time to edit all of them right away.
Thanks, Mike! The fair only opens at 6pm. It is difficult for me to get out and photograph much as I am a caregiver, but in this case, once my mom is tucked into bed, I can relax knowing she will be okay for an hour or two while I'm out.
This ride is called Starship 2000. The people get loaded inside (have never seen the inside so don't know how the people get secured into the ride). Once the ride starts, it spins like a record player.
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/18
Shutter Speed: 4 seconds
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Starship 2000 by *Hark*, on Flickr
And the one below is called Pharaoh's Fury. When the ride is stationary, it looks like a viking ship but with an Egyptian head on each end. Then it swings back and forth--but it doesn't go all the way around.
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/13
Shutter Speed: 1 second
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Pharaoh's Fury by *Hark*, on Flickr
For the record, it is better to shoot in manual mode with the shutter speed being the most important setting--the aperture would be controlled to adjust the exposure. And always use a low ISO with the camera being mounted on a tripod. The reason why I didn't use longer shutter speeds is simply because my tripod is very lightweight which tends to create slightly soft focus for long exposures. Yes, I know I should use mirror up but didn't (actually I've never used it for shooting...only cleaning the sensor...and am not sure how to set it).
When the carnival rides have colored lights, the nicest photos tend to be shot with shutter speeds of 4-5 seconds up to 8-12 seconds in length with a low ISO. However, if the lights are just white lights, they can blow out very quickly (if you look up at post #23, you can see white street lights blown out). Care needs to be taken when shooting rides that only have white lights.
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/18
Shutter Speed: 4 seconds
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Starship 2000 by *Hark*, on Flickr
And the one below is called Pharaoh's Fury. When the ride is stationary, it looks like a viking ship but with an Egyptian head on each end. Then it swings back and forth--but it doesn't go all the way around.
EXIF:
Camera: Nikon D610
Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8
Aperture: f/13
Shutter Speed: 1 second
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 24mm
Aperture Priority
Tripod Mounted
Pharaoh's Fury by *Hark*, on Flickr
For the record, it is better to shoot in manual mode with the shutter speed being the most important setting--the aperture would be controlled to adjust the exposure. And always use a low ISO with the camera being mounted on a tripod. The reason why I didn't use longer shutter speeds is simply because my tripod is very lightweight which tends to create slightly soft focus for long exposures. Yes, I know I should use mirror up but didn't (actually I've never used it for shooting...only cleaning the sensor...and am not sure how to set it
). When the carnival rides have colored lights, the nicest photos tend to be shot with shutter speeds of 4-5 seconds up to 8-12 seconds in length with a low ISO. However, if the lights are just white lights, they can blow out very quickly (if you look up at post #23, you can see white street lights blown out). Care needs to be taken when shooting rides that only have white lights.
Last edited:
And here are a few more. I forget how long the program is for the lights, but in the back of my mind I think it is 12 minutes before it repeats itself.
Yellow Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
Light Show on the Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
And these last two were parting shots as I headed back towards my car across the street:
Reithoffer Shows 1 by *Hark*, on Flickr
Reithoffer Shows 2 by *Hark*, on Flickr
Yellow Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
Light Show on the Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
And these last two were parting shots as I headed back towards my car across the street:
Reithoffer Shows 1 by *Hark*, on Flickr
Reithoffer Shows 2 by *Hark*, on Flickr
When I photograph the Ferris Wheel, it pretty much looks like the image below with the exception that the colors constantly change.
Stationary Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
I never know for sure how an image will look until after it shows up on the display. Here is one taken with a faster shutter speed than some of my Ferris Wheel images (1/4 second). And the speed at which the Ferris Wheel is rotating also factors into the equation.
Dutch Wheel slightly in motion by *Hark*, on Flickr
And below is one taken with a 1.3 second shutter speed. It was obviously moving a little slow as some of the images I posted earlier were taken with a 1 second shutter speed which captured the full wheel in color. The black stripes that run from the center of the wheel out to its edges tells me either the shutter speed was a little slow or the Ferris Wheel wasn't quite up to full speed. There are so many colors and patterns that no two photos are exactly alike.
Dutch Wheel's Kaleidoscope of Colors by *Hark*, on Flickr
Stationary Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
I never know for sure how an image will look until after it shows up on the display. Here is one taken with a faster shutter speed than some of my Ferris Wheel images (1/4 second). And the speed at which the Ferris Wheel is rotating also factors into the equation.
Dutch Wheel slightly in motion by *Hark*, on Flickr
And below is one taken with a 1.3 second shutter speed. It was obviously moving a little slow as some of the images I posted earlier were taken with a 1 second shutter speed which captured the full wheel in color. The black stripes that run from the center of the wheel out to its edges tells me either the shutter speed was a little slow or the Ferris Wheel wasn't quite up to full speed. There are so many colors and patterns that no two photos are exactly alike.
Dutch Wheel's Kaleidoscope of Colors by *Hark*, on Flickr
Here are two photos taken consecutively within the same minute. Like I said in my previous post, all I see with my naked eye is individual spokes of ever-changing color so I never know how the pattern will look until after each image is captured. I had hoped to get a shot similar to one I took last year like a Peppermint Candy which is how the second image turned out.
Dutch Wheel's red and white display by *Hark*, on Flickr
Peppermint Candy Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
Dutch Wheel's red and white display by *Hark*, on Flickr
Peppermint Candy Dutch Wheel by *Hark*, on Flickr
This ride is called Sky Flyer--and admittedly it isn't the best shot. For this particular ride, I think a fast shutter speed to freeze the action would be more pleasing to the eye. My reason is since the seats don't have any lights on them, the blurred seats lack interest--plus I didn't take my wide angle zoom which would have been a little better. If I am able to go back, it is an image I really want to capture.
Sky Flyer by *Hark*, on Flickr
Sky Flyer by *Hark*, on Flickr
Thanks kindly, Blacktop.
I took my smaller tripod with me, and yes I set it up. I tried to stand out of people's way, and absolutely no one tripped--or even came close for that matter.
The very first Ferris Wheel photo I posted is my favorite--and although you can't tell, it was taken from the back side of the ride. The front side has the 'R' in the center of the wheel so some were taken from the front while others were taken from the back. No one stood or walked on the back side so that wasn't a problem at all. The problem was the food stands, games, and rides were somewhat close together especially near this Ferris Wheel. For the frontal shots of the Ferris Wheel, I was standing up against a really large sign as I tried to stay out of people's way. Most of the time I stood right near a corner of a food stand or right next to the side of a game as those spots were out of people's way. Plus it was opening night--I thought it would be mobbed, but apparently many people didn't realize they were open. It was the least crowded that I've ever seen which was good for me. And the weather couldn't have been nicer! Low humidity, too!
I am definitely limited as to where I can stand and I certainly don't set up in the middle of walking space. That's why some of the frontal shots of the Ferris Wheel (the ones with the 'R' in the middle) aren't quite as pleasing as the angle of the first photo I posted which was taken from the back.
I stopped by the fair this afternoon--they are only open during the evenings so aside from a few workers, I was pretty much alone while wandering around. This is one of the prizes. It must be at least 2 feet tall! The orange doodads near the banana's face are the feet from another prize. They were way up high and shoved right up against one another so I couldn't avoid the feet.
♫ Yes, we have no bananas... ♫
Yes, We Have No Bananas by *Hark*, on Flickr
♫ Yes, we have no bananas... ♫
Yes, We Have No Bananas by *Hark*, on Flickr
sonicbuffalo_RIP
Senior Member
no nannas....daggone!
Earlier in the thread I posted a photo of a carnival ride called Full Tilt. The night shot with the lights lit made it appear to look quite similar to a ferris wheel in motion. Here is a stationary shot of the ride. The seats stay parallel to the ground, but the arm rotates in a circular motion.
Full Tilt 2 by *Hark*, on Flickr
And previously I also posted a slow motion shot of a ride called Pharaoh's Fury. The Pharaoh heads on each end of the ride weren't visible, but this is how they look.
Pharaoh's Fury 2 by *Hark*, on Flickr
Full Tilt 2 by *Hark*, on Flickr
And previously I also posted a slow motion shot of a ride called Pharaoh's Fury. The Pharaoh heads on each end of the ride weren't visible, but this is how they look.
Pharaoh's Fury 2 by *Hark*, on Flickr