The First Session With My New D810 and Tamron 24-70mm 2.8

JimMcClain · Nov 7, 2014

I've had the refurbished Nikon D810 for nearly a week and the Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 DI VC USD arrived night before last. After putting in some terribly odd hours on a couple of web projects, I didn't feel well enough to go out and shoot until yesterday morning. I decided my fist session with the new gear was going to be a sunrise. My confidence was low because this camera is so different than the D5300 I've been using and I didn't seem to get the settings I wanted until I was just about ready to give up and go home.

This is the only shot I felt worthy of developing that morning. It's an abandoned shack near the highway.

D810, Tamron 24-70mm 2.8 @ 70mm, f/11, 1/160, ISO 200

Comments and critique welcome.

Thanks,

Jim

goooner · Nov 7, 2014

This is great, has an HDR feel to it, did you do much in post?

JimMcClain · Nov 7, 2014

I always edit. I use primarily Lightroom. It was a very purple morning light and I set the white balance in-camera at daylight, which was different in that I have always used WB Auto until now.

There's no doubt the D810 provides a lot more data and detail. I'm not quite sure what to do with it all yet. Even though this is the best picture of my first session, I'm still learning and didn't expect perfect results - and these results are definitely not, but I still like the picture.

Jim

greybeard · Nov 7, 2014

Very nice detail. Yes, the light was very purple.

JimMcClain · Nov 7, 2014

After some time away from the picture and revisiting it several hours later, I felt it had too much of a over-all purple cast. A little trial and error later, I have settled (at least for now) on what I think is an improved image below. I reduced the saturation levels in the sky, warmed up the temperature in the building, toned down the small patch of blue in the sky and added some character marks to the tin roof to make it look less new and clean (I was surprised to see such a good looking metal roof on an abandoned building). Still not sure I am happy with the result. See the comparison picture at the bottom.

tirediron · Nov 7, 2014

Nice!

MOREGONE · Nov 7, 2014

really like the revision much better. Love the sky but the purple carrying onto the cabin was not the best IMO. Excellent shot and even better updated edit!

KmH · Nov 7, 2014

I would add an edit. Make the corners of the cabin vertical. As is they lean left. Rotate clockwise - 1.25°

JimMcClain · Nov 7, 2014

Thanks Keith. It is an abandoned cabin, though, and I think it's because the structure has begun to lean. I did do a little straightening in PP, but still wanted the sense of dilapidation to come through. If it were a liveable home, I'd make sure it was perfectly straight and vertical.

Jim

Rick50 · Nov 7, 2014

Nice, I also like that lens as I have one too.

KmH · Nov 7, 2014

I don't see any evidence that even remotely suggests the structures corners are no longer plumb.
But it is your photo to do with as you please.

snerd · Nov 7, 2014

That's a fantastic shot! You're getting much better, and your processing is improving too!

JimMcClain · Nov 7, 2014

KmH said:
I don't see any evidence that even remotely suggests the structures corners are no longer plumb.
But it is your photo to do with as you please.

If there's no evidence of tilt, then why did you suggest I rotate the picture 1.25°? I'm not hung up on perfect. Sorry my explanation of the building's structural inadequacy and how I dealt with it in PP bothered you so much you felt you had to be terse.