After Dark at Saratoga NHP

I volunteered at a night sky event at Saratoga National Historical Park last evening and I used the 45mm lens for some very low light photos. I would do things somewhat differently the next time I'm doing this kind of shooting. 

As the camera meter wants to expose everything to a middle tone you need to underexpose, compared to the meter reading, to have it look like it actually looks. And I will not bracket exposures, which I routinely do. As exposure compensation settings don't really go far enough, I will switch to manual adjustments to get the brightness where I want it with exposure simulation in the viewfinder.

But, I did get some decent images after I was through directing parking.

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/30 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/30 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/10 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/6 sec., ISO 1600

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/15 sec., ISO 3200

RF 45mm f/1.2 STM, f/1.2, 1/10 sec., ISO 3200

Tugboat Roundup Day 2

I have really appreciated the 24-105mm lens in place of the 16-28mm and 28-70mm lenses. Focal lengths longer than 70mm have seen a lot of use and I haven't wanted or needed anything wider than 24mm. And no lens changes.

I was going to wait until things got going a bit at the Tugboat Roundup before heading over this morning but the lifting fog with sun got me out and walking earlier than planned. There are now 52 images in this year's gallery which will probably be it as I'm up at Saratoga National Historical Park later today and tomorrow's forecast is for rain.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/4, 1/1000 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 31mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 24mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec., ISO 100

Tugboat Roundup Day 1

Today was the parade of tugboats up the Hudson River to Waterford Harbor. I tried to get some different perspectives this year as I try to vary the photos I get from an event I've photographed for about 15 years. But, the weather is usually the same, the boats are the same and there's only so many spots from which to shoot.

Galleries from 2013 to 2018 can be viewed at https://davidtruland.smugmug.com/Older-Archives/Tugboat-Roundups. There are also galleries from 2024 and 2025. Photos from this year's event will be added to the gallery at https://davidtruland.smugmug.com/Color/Projects/TBR2026.

Here are some images from day one.

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/1500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 105mm, f/4, 1/3000 sec., ISO 200

RF 24-105mm f/4L at 70mm, f/4, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200