  Mauricio Premium,MVM join:2001-12-04 Vancouver, BC
| Toledo, Day 1
That is day 1 of processing. I've spent a day and a half in Toledo, and another half day castle-hopping in the lands of Don Quixote. The result were over 600 shots (ok, many bracketed in both aperture and speed), and the processing task ahead of me is starting to look quite daunting! Here's a sample of the first few hours I was able to put into it. More will come as I find some spare time in the next week.
Toledo's Cathedral, the main see of the Catholic Church in Spain. Toledo was also the center of the infamous Spanish Inquisition.
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 35mm 1/160th F4 ISO200
These chains, haning from the walls of the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, were removed from Christian prisioners after Ferdinand and Isabel recovered Granada from Muslim hands in 1492.
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 200mm 1/200th -0.3ev F2.8 ISO800
The spires of the monastery make for a pretty silhouette against a red sunset.
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 50mm 1/1000th F4 ISO100
Toledo is a maze of narrow streets. Despite the toursit hordes, the city is large enough that if you venture away from the beaten path, you will find yourself trasnported to the middle ages, walking down a lonely street, wondering if a sword-wielding bravo will suddenly appear at the next turn.
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 50mm 1/2500th F5 ISO100
Fido seemed to long for freedom...
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 50mm 1/200th F4 ISO100
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  Mauricio Premium,MVM join:2001-12-04 Vancouver, BC
2 edits | A vintage Ford, parked in the Cathedral square, waiting for the bride.
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 17mm 1/300th F5.6 ISO100
Saturday is wedding day in Toledo, and every bridesmaid wanted a picture with the bride's car...
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 18mm 1/400th F5.6 ISO100
The Church inside the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes. No pictures allowed. Unless you give the doorman a tip to get some coffee, that is...
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 17mm 1/50th F4 ISO800
A mudéjar (Arab-Christian architecture) ceiling in the monastery.
 KONICA MAXXUM 7D 17mm 1/50th F2.8 ISO400
More to come! |
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  Orange3 Premium join:2005-02-26 Longmont, CO
| reply to Mauricio Holy cow. The first picture is breathtaking... can't wait for more awesome pictures.
Keep up the awesome work!!  -- I really don't know what I'm doing. I just pretend I do. |
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 shercando Premium join:2001-03-05 Madison, WI | reply to Mauricio Beautiful work Mauricio. Thank you very much! |
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  Tik Premium join:2004-02-11 England | reply to Mauricio Great pictures - the handcuff one is very poignant. |
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  DnnsMenace Good Bye, Lenin Premium join:2002-03-30 Brooklyn, NY | reply to Mauricio You are the master of perfect exposure! Any tips on your techniques in both shooting and editing? -- BBr|Fuzz Join the BBRBF clan |
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  jaykaykay 4 Ever Young Premium,MVM join:2000-04-13 Scottsdale, AZ | reply to Mauricio Your shots, per usual, are nothing but spectacular. Crisp, composed beautifully, and totally breath taking...as if I were there. Thank you for sharing these. |
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  rog Premium join:2002-07-03 BC | reply to Mauricio Great shots! I hope you have a deal with Konica if not maybe look into it.:) |
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  rdavs Premium join:2002-11-21 Tucson, AZ | reply to Mauricio Wow! I can't wait to see more! |
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  Sieunarine Premium join:2002-06-16 Grand Forks, ND clubs: | Schweeett dude! Loved Toledo when I was there two weeks ago. It was a nice workout walking from the bus station to the top of the city. |
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  pwn2009 Powdered Toast Man Premium join:2004-03-20 ComeByChance | reply to Mauricio If I go there, can I ask for the "Mauricio tour"? |
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  Mauricio Premium,MVM join:2001-12-04 Vancouver, BC
| reply to DnnsMenace Thank you all for the compliments!
As for exposure tips... bracket, bracket, and bracket, I guess! If you are in front of a unique photo opportunity, you don't want to screw it up to save a few MB on the CF card. Storage is cheap, photos can be priceless. If you really need to, you can then select the closest frames by judicious chimping (use the histogram).
As for processing, shoot RAW and know what your RAW converter can do. No point in fumbling with white balance, color, sharpness or curves while a picture is staring at you. You will be able to do a better job with a cool head and time to think later on. Maybe this is because I was trained in the age of film; back then (as now) I only worried about exposure and composition, developing came later.
Finally... practice, practice, practice. Which, in the case of photography, means shoot, shoot, shoot and process, process, process. And that is a lot of fun! |
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  Mauricio Premium,MVM join:2001-12-04 Vancouver, BC
| reply to DnnsMenace Also, know how to use digital blending (the shot of the narrow street uses it, as well as my palace shots last week). And don't be afraid to use fill-in flash, as in the close up of the antique car. |
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  airwingjim Euclid314 Premium join:2001-08-05 Denver, CO | reply to Mauricio Wowie Wow! As usual. |
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  Bryon R.I.P. Bassman442 Premium join:2001-07-23 Speedway, IN clubs: | reply to Mauricio Awesome pictures Mauricio! |
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