Ian Bramham's Photoblog
Imperial War Museum, Manchester
Posted by Ian Bramham (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 1 August 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.
First daylight long exposure trial photo using a new 10 stop B+W ND filter
60 seconds in full sunshine using a Sigma 10-20 at it's fully wide setting at f22
For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to MY NEW WEBSITE where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.
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Links to the websites of other photographers whose work I love and who have all helped me enormously over a long period of time. I find the work of all 3 to be inspirational.
Alfredo J. Martiz J. from Panama City, Panama
Wow, awesome photo, great job handling the daylight long exposure, I haven't tried that myself, something for the list, by the way, what is your opinion about that project of Libeskind? Cheers!
1 Aug 2008 5:21am
@Alfredo J. Martiz J.: Thanks Alfredo!....as for your question - I really like this building. I like it's symbolism from the outside and also think the curved floor of the main exhibition space is very clever too.
dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, United States
just awesome Ian -- perfect combination of architecture and sky -- splendid!
1 Aug 2008 5:25am
@dj.tigersprout: Thanks....I'm really pleased that you like it!
@Sharon: Thanks Sharon!
Mirko Herzner from Mühlheim am Main, Germany
Oh my... Another absolute favourite. Won't say much about your b/w processing which is superior most of the time. I just love the lines of this building. Quite an unusual concept for a war museum... And those clouds!
1 Aug 2008 6:48am
@Mirko Herzner: Thanks Mirko....this building is just around the corner from my office and so I've photographed it for this blog a few times now. Here's a Wiki link if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_War_Museum_North
@yz: Thanks yz!....I was pleasantly surprised by this image and the effect of the 10 stop ND filter. It was blowing a gale that afternoon so the image is a little soft (my tripod wasn't stable enough)
Gromitch from Moscow, Russian Federation
Awesome shot conditions! Result is excellent!!!
1 Aug 2008 8:15am
@Gromitch: Thanks Gromitch....your comment had been caught up by mistake in AM3's very efficient spam filter.
@Marie Le Corre: Thanks Marie!
Peter Mannfolk from Landskrona, Sweden
Very cool, I´d love to get my hands on some filters... /Peter
1 Aug 2008 8:46am
@Peter Mannfolk: Thanks Peter!
zOOm from Paris, France
Excellent composition and a great pp job on the sky. Brilliant.
1 Aug 2008 8:51am
@zOOm: Thanks!....I didn't have to do anything to the sky as the long exposure was the key to the cloud movement.
Quinn from Victoria, Canada
A masterpiece. You put your equipment to very good use.
1 Aug 2008 9:01am
@Quinn: Thanks Quinn...that's very kind of you!
@Erik: Thanks Erik.....The architect of this building is the world famous Daniel Libeskind. I'm lucky that it is just around the corner from my office.
Johnn from klever, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Strong long exposure! I must buy a ND filter....I love this effect
1 Aug 2008 10:15am
@Johnn: Thanks Johnn!.....this was my first attempt with this filter and I can't wait to try it out on really long exposures at dusk (I'm limited to 1/2 an hour with my camera but that sounds like plenty long enough)
Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium
wow - I didn't know they had 10 stop filters - looks like a fun experiment
1 Aug 2008 10:35am
@Jason Kravitz: Hi Jason!.....this filter is something I've been considering for a while now. I'm looking forward to giving it a proper trial on the coast when I go away on holiday in a week's time.
[suvni:R] from Brussels, Belgium
superbe. Got a 3 stop ND filter in backorder but I want a 10 stop ND filter now :-)
1 Aug 2008 11:48am
Laurie from New Jersey, United States
I love what the exposure did to the clouds. The building has beautiful lines.
1 Aug 2008 12:25pm
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
Really, heavens it looks like a scientific futuristic building that's made of a special king of metal that you can touch and sink your fist in, although it's stronger than iron...I'm getting carried away Holy cow...
1 Aug 2008 1:10pm
Daryl from Amagasaki, Japan
Excellent. Love the flowing angles emphasised by that sky...
1 Aug 2008 2:51pm
Patricia from United Kingdom
impressive! I was staring at this picture very long:)
1 Aug 2008 3:12pm
hugo poon from hong kong, Hong Kong
I'm speechless Ian! What an expressive image of this remarkable architecture!
1 Aug 2008 5:40pm
Paolo from Castelnuovo di Garfagnana, Italy
terrific job Ian !
looks like a sci-fi building portrait with something more... the clouds l.e. effect is gorgeous, but also the light gives a kind of 3D perspective.
Bravo, bravo!!!
1 Aug 2008 6:25pm
IanSmith from London, United Kingdom
Beautiful shot Ian... A magnificent subject, perfect lighting for B&W, and bizzare cloud movement, make this one cracker of a photo! But (and this is a small thing), it seems a bit off balance (leaning to the left)?
1 Aug 2008 8:06pm
Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal
Impressive Ian. This shot transmits all the force of the architecture.
1 Aug 2008 8:25pm
Richard_Irwin from Belper, United Kingdom
The long exposure has worked a treat, a super exposure that reveals an extraordinary shot, fantastic.
2 Aug 2008 12:37am
akarui from Kagoshima, Japan
I love this sky due to the long exposure. Very well done.
2 Aug 2008 1:56am
amy from Nanaimo, BC, Canada
DAMN! I gotta get me one of those. Fantastic image, Ian!
2 Aug 2008 2:48am
Nataly from Santa Monica, United States
Oh, this filter is fun!!! Great image, Ian. Love the collaboration of motion and stillness. How did you get 60 sec. I though D40 maximum is 30 sec? Is there way to control shutter relies? Love it!
2 Aug 2008 5:33am
@Nataly: Thanks Nataly...in answer to your question about the shutter speed, the way to get it on a D40 is to turn the top dial to 'M' (manual) and spin the thumbwheel around so it goes one click beyond the 30 second setting and onto 'bulb'. The trick is then to also set the 'Shooting Mode' on the lcd menu to remote (I use the cheap ML-L3 infra-red remote). The 'bulb' wording then changes to '--' to show that it is working under command of the remote. One of the small side buttons on the D40 is programmeable and I have mine set to alter Shooting Mode as it defaults back to the shutter button after a time which you can adjust in the menu.
One click of the ML-L3 remote opens the shutter and a second click will shut it again when you are ready at the end of the exposure. Make sure 'Auto ISO' is turned off in the menu.
This avoids having to touch the camera once it is all set up and I use a stopwatch function on my PDA to time it. The overall limit is 30 minutes.....make sure your batteries are fully charged! :-)
I hope that helps.
Garfinator from Huddersfield, United Kingdom
I'm very new to photography but some of your pictures have really inspired me. I love this one - might go and try it myself!
2 Aug 2008 8:13am
peter from sønderborg, Denmark
This is indeed a great building to photograph. I was there myself last year and could have spent ages running around with my camera. Sadly, the rest of my family didn't agree so we went inside and enjoyed the exhibition. A really good photograph, by the way. The long exposure has worked wonders creating lovely sweeping lines in the sky.
26 Aug 2008 7:10am
Pouhou from Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Nice nice shoot, this filter is a must have, I like the silver look of the buliding
2 Sep 2008 12:29pm
Nikon D40
60 seconds
F/22.0
ISO 200
15 mm (35mm equiv.)