Photography --- 12/1/2007 - 12/2/2007 --- Ithaca

Ithaca Circus and Performers Showcase
My main job for the circus was doing the rigging, but once that was done I had lots of time to take pictures. Light levels during the performance were really low, so the results are somewhat grainy and blurry. Occasionally it made for a nice effect, but usually not. I was more likely to get decent photos of the particularly slow acts, but even those shots were limited by available light. I took a few photos with good lighting before the start of the second performance.

A few people asked me how the shots were taken, so I've added notes where appropriate. Probably only of interest to photo geeks. I borrowed Amy's Digital Rebel XT which has much better low light sensitivity than my camera. During the first performance I was shooting with a slow lens, mostly at ISO1600 and ISO800 and underexposed by one stop. Shutter speeds were around 1/4 second. Virtually none of those shots were useable. The second show I shot with my fastest lens, mostly at ISO800 but underexposed by 1 2/3 stops. Shutter speeds were around 1/10 or 1/20 of a second. All of the pictures were cleaned up with photoshop and noise ninja. Generally I used those tools to get rid of noise and boost contrast. None of the pictures are sharp because of the light limitations, so I was going for more of a soft focus, high saturation look.

Panning shot during rehearsal. (Category:  Photography)

Panning shot during rehearsal.    Ithaca -- 11/26/2007

Panning shot during rehearsal. (Category:  Photography)

Panning shot during rehearsal.    Ithaca -- 11/26/2007

Fabric (Category:  Photography)

Fabric    Ithaca -- 11/26/2007

Rehearsal (Category:  Photography)

Rehearsal    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Rehearsal (Category:  Photography)

Rehearsal    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Rehearsal (Category:  Photography)

Rehearsal    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Jess fire juggling before the Saturday show. (Category:  Photography)

Jess fire juggling before the Saturday show.    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Shot at ISO50 to get motion blur and high saturation.  I was really happy with the result. (Category:  Photography)

Shot at ISO50 to get motion blur and high saturation. I was really happy with the result.    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Shot at ISO50. (Category:  Photography)

Shot at ISO50.    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Dropping the bunny. (Category:  Photography)

Dropping the bunny.    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Saturday show (Category:  Photography)

Saturday show    Ithaca -- 12/1/2007

Photos before the Sunday show. (Category:  Photography)

Photos before the Sunday show.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Photos before the Sunday show. (Category:  Photography)

Photos before the Sunday show.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Photos before the Sunday show. (Category:  Photography)

Photos before the Sunday show.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Photos before the Sunday show. (Category:  Photography)

Photos before the Sunday show.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Photos before the Sunday show. (Category:  Photography)

Photos before the Sunday show.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Fire juggling.  This was taken by manipulating the zoom during the exposure.  I like the effect. (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling. This was taken by manipulating the zoom during the exposure. I like the effect.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Fire juggling (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Fire juggling.  That's a 1/2 second exposure to get the fire trail like that. (Category:  Photography)

Fire juggling. That's a 1/2 second exposure to get the fire trail like that.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

Sunday show (Category:  Photography)

Sunday show    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007

See Jill, some people actually smile for my camera. (Category:  Photography)

See Jill, some people actually smile for my camera.    Ithaca -- 12/2/2007