Pixels and Stuff

Welcome! -and a bit on VR

David Trozzo — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:27:21 +0000

Welcome to my blog! I will be posting photo tips and pictures for all to enjoy. If you have a comment or a tip to share, please feel free to join in!

I picked up a Nikon 18-105 f3.5-5.6 VR lens to carry with me on a trip. Despite a few weaknesses– smaller aperture compared to my f2.8 lenses, no distance scale and a plastic lens mount– I find it to be sharp, compact and lightweight. The zoom range and the VR (vibration reduction) make for a great walk around lens. This lens is a joy to use and is relatively inexpensive. The photos below are all taken handheld with no tripod–

Nikon 18-105VR–1/320sec f5.3 66mm
Congratulations Melanie! Nikon 18-105VR–1/200sec f5.0 30mm

Nikon 18-105VR 1/50sec f5.0 18mm

Nikon 18-105mm VR 1/20sec f5.6 105mm Only one out of the four shots of this was sharp. But can you believe it? 1/20sec handheld at 105mm!

Nikon 18-105VR 1/4sec f5.6 52mm–yes handheld at 1/4sec

VR will not stop action as demonstrated in the swing set photo. It does help to get sharper images at slow shutter speeds with subjects that are are not moving. I have three VR lenses and if I ever have to choose again between VR or not, I will go VR!

Tip: VR also known as IS on Cannon lenses, should be turned off when your camera is on a tripod. Because it is searching for camera shake it can actually cause camera shake when using a tripod. Some Nikon VR lenses have two modes, active and normal. Active is to be used when photographing from a moving vehicle — car, horse, elephant, bicycle– normal should be used most other times. I have found the active mode to be useful in other occasions where there is a lot of activity. Situations like standing on a crowded bleacher with cheering fans at a sporting event, and when working in high winds are good times to use active mode.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Exhibit

David Trozzo — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:19:32 +0000

Dredge –Nikon D300 1/125sec f/5.6 14mm(14-24 f/2.8)

If you’re in Annapolis, Maryland, anytime from June 25 to July 26, 2009, please stop in at the Maryland Federation of Art, Circle Gallery, 18 State Circle, to see the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Photography Exhibit. The exhibit has many beautiful photos including three of mine posted here. Gallery hours are 11-5 Tues-Sun.

The framed prints are 18×24 and printed on Epson’s beautiful Velvet Fine Art paper. If you would like to purchase prints, please e-mail me at david@trozzophoto.com

Thanks for looking!

Herd You First–Nikon D300 1/320 sec f/2.8 300mm ISO 1400
Painted Water– Nikon D300 1/80sec f/11 24mm (24-70 f/2.8)

Shake it up

David Trozzo — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:10:30 +0000

Spirits of Glass -Nikon D300 0.6sec f/20 62mm

Does the camera capture more then reality? The best thing about abstracts is that when you study the image you start to see things that were not visible when you took the image. This image of stained glass was captured as I moved the camera around with the shutter opened. This is a fun technique to try the next time you are around stained glass or a lot of neon lights. Looking closely at the image some small faces appear but these where represented in the original stained glass. As I studied the photo closer, an image of an old hag appeared. She is center top, taking up most of the image within the squiggly frame. She leans forward out of the frame and her hands are clutched together, center right. But what really stuck me was the gray face peering over her left shoulder. Spooky.

All of this can easily be explained by the slow shutter speed and camera movement. But if you leave your imagination and shutter open it’s a lot more fun. Isn’t it?

For some real inspiration, see Alan Babbit’s tremor induced work.

Father’s Day

David Trozzo — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:03:38 +0000

Happy Father’s Day–Dr. Frank Trozzo (1926-1966), third from

left, with his team at Georgetown School of Medicine.

Louisville Art Association

David Trozzo — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:21:26 +0000

Nikon D100 1/45sec f/3.8 22mm
While walking the streets of Rome, I saw a great reflection on a slate sidewalk. I shot a number of frames, but when this couple walked past I knew I had something nice! This image will be exhibited at the Louisville Art Association 18th Annual National Juried Photography Show. If you are in Louisville, CO from June 28, 2009 to July 12, 2009, please stop in and see- 801 Grant Street
Louisville, CO

Just Looking Around-

David Trozzo — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:39:58 +0000

Nikon D300 18-105 1/200sec f/5.0 50mm

Greetings from the Land of Smiles–Thailand! It’s only 23 hours from my home via jet. Total travel including car rides and layovers took about 32 hours. Touchdown in Bangkok seemed quite spiritual. Landing around 11:30 pm local time the city lights glistened underneath as “Enya-esque” music played lightly on the plane’s speakers. Everything and everyone was silent including the baby that screamed all the way from Tokyo.

Had a short look around today while my wife and daughter had their nails done:

Nikon D300 18-105 1/80sec f/5.3 66mm

Nikon D300 18-105 1/160sec f/5.3 38mm

Nikon D300 70-300 1/1250sec f/4.5 110mm

Nikon D300 18-105 1/50sec f/3.8 21mm

Nikon D300 18-105 1/125sec f/6.3 58mm

Nikon D300 18-105 1/15sec f5.0 58mm

A Market Experience

David Trozzo — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 12:37:49 +0000

These images are from the Jatujak Market in Bangkok Thailand. The pictures do not show the size of this huge marketplace but

they do give a little local color and flavor.

1/125sec f/5.6 70mm © David Trozzo

Learning to Drive

David Trozzo — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:51:13 +0000

©David Trozzo

There is something special about the way people greet you in Thailand. It is more than a wave and a simple hello. It is a heartfelt connection of mutual respect, a sincere and unique joining of persons. It starts with a wai and a “sawaadee’ and always ends with a smile.

I realize now, how important a greeting is. After a two hour drive from Bangkok to the Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak through traffic only Buddha could navigate, I miss the Baltimore Beltway. Most drivers here sit far to the right to leave room for Buddha to drive and have a mini shrine on the dashboard. It seems to work for them, considering how few accidents I have seen.
There is a point at which what is in control, and what is out of control collide. This is the point where you find faith. Thailand is a land of great faith.

©David Trozzo

Hills to the West

David Trozzo — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:10:51 +0000

Northwest of the low laying flatlands of Bangkok, there is the mountainous region of Kanchanaburi Province. A visit here refreshes one’s soul and creates a lasting relationship with nature. Surrounded by dense jungle, visitors can enjoy waterfalls, hiking trails, elephant rides, caves and villages of the native peoples. In and around the city of Kanchanaburi there is the “Death Railway” which was built by the occupying Japanese forces during WWII using civilian slave labor and war prisoners. It is estimated that there was one death for every railroad tie laid.

Yai-Yai-Yai

David Trozzo — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:17:54 +0000

© David Trozzo -New Friends
Meeting new friends is the best, but always be prepared. Our trip to Khao Yai started off well. When we stopped for lunch at a dairy farm we were pleasantly surprised by an English speaking monk who took great interest in us. Thus far, the people we have met have been kind-hearted and very genuine. The monk was no exception.

Things were a little different in Khao Yai. Khao Yai (”Big Mountain”), a national park northeast of Bangkok, offers mountain vistas and an opportunity to view the dwindling wild elephant population of Thailand. The people were nice but we did not prepare for the unwelcoming red ants, rodents, blood sucking leeches and wild tigers.
Fortunately, we left the park after being scared off by encounters with the first three before we met any tigers!