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Park Avenue Tunnel
Park Avenue Tunnel
Five_Seat


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Tunnels and Caves (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Canon EOS-50D
Lens: Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Location: 33rd Street & Park Avenue
Date: Aug 9, 2009
Aperture: f/13.0
ISO: 100
Shutter: 10
Galleries: Cityscape, Urban
Date Uploaded: Aug 9, 2009

 N/A. Maybe I'l details later.

**************************
POST CHALLENGE.

Woohoo! I killed my PB. To be honest, a ribbon would have been incredible, but I'll settle for a HM :).

I live only a few blocks away from this tunnel, and whenever I find myself walking by it, I always begin brainstorming ideas to capture an interesting image of it. Needless to say, when the tunnels and caves challenge came up, this location instantly popped to mind.

You can only really take long exposures of the tunnel from this end of the tunnel, because there is no median where the tunnel pops out - right in front of Grand Central Terminal.

I had been meaning to do a shot like this all week, but I was always busy doing something else. I ended up taking this picture at 10:00 PM, 2 hours before the deadline.

I started around 9:30 with different focal lengths ranging from 10-200mm. After taking a bunch of exposures with a few different lens, I found that I really liked the star pattern produced by stopping down my 50/1.4. Being NYC, I had no problem finding cars to create the light trails. I was standing on the median but my tripod was probably only 1-2 feet away from traffic as the entered the tunnel from the right side of the frame.

One last note. During the course of me screwing around with my equipment, I had an encounter with an NYPD sqaud car that doing laps throught to tunnel to stay cool on this hot night. The first time they passed me, they waved and I nodded. The second time they stopped to see what I was doing. I made it clear to them that I was merely an amature photographer practicing a hobby. Without them asking, I offered to show them the pictures I had been taking. They turned out to be nice guys, I guess they were checking to make sure I wasn't a crazy :) I just goes to show that if you carry a level head and leave the baggage at home, you can resolve sticky situations relatively painlessly.

-Steve

P.S. Processing included basic adjustments in Aperture, a little dodging on the light trails and burning on the trees (minimal), an Export to PS CS3, resize and USM x2.

Statistics
Place: 5 out of 93
Avg (all users): 6.6879
Avg (commenters): 8.0000
Avg (participants): 6.7436
Avg (non-participants): 6.6667
Views since voting: 2805
Views during voting: 276
Votes: 141
Comments: 25
Favorites: 4 (view)

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AuthorThread
Nikon D700
Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8
 08/17/2009 01:35:52 PM
Amazing shot, I could sit and look at it for hours. Great work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-6D
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 08/17/2009 10:15:17 AM
TOTALLY cool image! Congrats on the HM. I'd like details if you care to post them.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D200
Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED
 08/17/2009 09:54:13 AM
I'm one of your 10's. I thought for sure to see this on the front page. Well done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 08/17/2009 12:51:48 AM
awesome...gave this an 8, a fantastic image congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM II
 08/17/2009 12:41:03 AM
This is a kick-ass photo - totally amazing. Should have been on the front page. Congrats on good placement.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR
 08/17/2009 12:06:33 AM
LOved it in voting, love it now...... Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 08/16/2009 10:20:25 PM
Good energy.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 08/15/2009 10:02:09 PM
Awesome effect!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon PowerShot S5 IS
 08/15/2009 07:51:55 PM
I get the feeling of cars going into the tunnel, cool. nice movement, good angle and line to produce it. good choice for Black and White
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/14/2009 11:18:27 AM
Good composition. Love the signs.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D90
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED
 08/13/2009 04:29:57 PM
This is a great shot. Maybe slightly too busy with all the
signs and lights. The lights passing add a nice dynamic.

One of my favourites in this challenge. (9)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-60D
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
 08/13/2009 12:34:06 PM
This is really great... LOVE the light trails and stars.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D850
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-300mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR
 08/13/2009 08:23:49 AM
Wild, busy, and wonderful! Nice!......7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
 08/12/2009 07:40:55 PM
I like night shots, usually for the color, but your choice of B&W is EXCELLENT in this scene and the vehicle lights really make this unique. You may have a winner here. Very nice composition as well....good scene, but you are drawn right to the focal point by the lights. One of my top three in the challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D
Tamron AF 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 XR Di VC LD Aspherical(IF)Macro
 08/12/2009 04:05:46 PM
wow! this moves! never seen Park Ave look quite like this..
nicely done!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D750
Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 35-70mm f/2.8D
 08/12/2009 02:41:06 PM
So familiar and so well done. 7
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Leica SL
Voigtlander Ultron 35mm f/1.7 Aspherical MF Wide Angle - Black
 08/12/2009 04:25:05 AM
Fantastic shot - 10 from me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
 08/11/2009 07:32:40 PM
nice lighting it really makes it pop
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-50D
Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM
 08/11/2009 06:05:46 AM
amazing 3d... looks like the cars jumped into the road...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300s
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon
 08/11/2009 01:32:44 AM
Nice work with long exposure, and to find a spot that really lends itself to light trails.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 08/11/2009 12:17:09 AM
Great b/w. Love all that star activity and the movement from the tail lights of the car.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0 L IS
 08/10/2009 04:58:55 PM
I gave two each of 10's and 9's then five 8's the rest were 7 or under. You got an 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-7D
Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro for Canon
 08/10/2009 08:44:18 AM
WILD. I love how the movement makes it look like fireworks are shooting out from the tunnel. I might've brought up the shadow/black a touch. :~)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony DSLR-A350
Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
 08/10/2009 02:49:22 AM
Many pictures are spoiled if there is too much going on in them but this one benefits from the mass of lights and shapes. You'd expect colour to play an important role but I think that in this case it would ruin the impact. A great picture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D800
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 08/10/2009 12:26:59 AM
great as a b and w...love the light trails as they add action and impact to this 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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