Puerto Vallarta Video Montage

Here's a link to a video montage of images I shot recently in Puerto Vallarta.

http://vimeo.com/9795524

Images were edited in CS4 and the video and audio were edited in Apple FinalCut.

-CGTTL

Restful Beach

I shot this restful image of a beach at Puerto Vallarta, before breakfast one morning.

Shot data: Hand-held, Canon 5D Mark II, EF 24-105mm f/4 IS USM lens set at 105 mm, f/16, ISO 400, and under exposed by 2/3 stop at 1/100 second.

Post processing in CS4.

-CGTTL

Hotel Reflections

This image was composed to take advantage of the reflection of the seaside hotel in the surface of the pool.

Shot data: Canon 5D Mark II on a tripod, 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens set at 32 mm, f/22, ISO 800, and exposed manually for 10 seconds through a graduated ND filter.

Post processing was done in CS4.

CGTTL

Lone Swimmer

By shooting over the negative edge of this swimming pool at my hotel in Puerto Vallarta, I was trying to get a velvet look to the moving surf in contrast to the sharply smooth water of the swimming pool. In addition I was trying to get a silhouette of this lone swimmer, taking a dip just after sunset.

Shooting data: Canon 5D Mark II, EF 24-105 MM at 92mm, f/16, ISO 1600, exposed in manual mode at -2/3 stop for .5 seconds.

Post processing was done in CS4.

-CGTTL

Light Stars

I got into shooting "light stars" around the pool at my hotel in Puerto Vallarta.

This image was shot from a tripod after sunset at ISO 1600, 28 mm focal length, f/16, and underexposed by 2/3 stop at 3.2 seconds.

Post processing was done in CS4.

-CGTTL

Light Stars

I was trying to get a "light star" effect on the pool lights in this image. You may have to click on the image to see it larger in order to see the "light stars."

Shooting just before sunset from a tripod with a Canon 5D Mark II and my EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM lens, I turned off auto-focus and image stabilization on the lens and framed the shot at a focal length of 35 mm. Shooting in manual exposure mode, I set the aperture at f/22, ISO at 800, and manually underexposed the image by -2/3 stop at 1/25 second. To minimize motion blur, I tripped the shutter with a remote cable release.

Post processing was done in CS4.

-CGTTL

Sun Star

While in Puerto Vallarta in February I went out by the pool at my hotel before sunset to get a "sun star" shot.

I picked a point of view that would allow me to frame the setting sun between back lit, silhouetted palm trees and have the middle ground reflected in the surface of the pool. I also liked the diagonal leading lines on both sides of the frame.

Shooting from a tripod with a Canon 5D Mark II camera and an EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM lens, I set the focal length to 24 mm. With image stabilization and auto-focus turned off and the camera in manual exposure mode, I set the ISO to 400, the aperture to f/22, the subject focus to about 2 meters, and the exposure to -2/3 at 1/15 sec. To help assure a tack sharp image, I tripped the shutter with a cable release.

Post processing was done in CS4.

-CGTTL

Young Vaquero

This young vaquero was riding with his family in a parade in the streets of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico last week.

I shot this image in harsh mid-day sunlight. The young boy's sombrero provided just enough soft shade, so I could expose for his face and just allow the background to blow out.

This was shot with a Canon 5D Mark II and a 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM lens set at 105 mm, f/5.6, ISO 100, and underexposed by 2/3 stop at 1/160 second.

Post processing was done in CS4.

You can click on this image to view it larger, and see the quality of the hand work on his suede jacket and sombrero.

-CGTTL