Rodney Campbell's Blog

Headed out for another late evening at pre-Vivid – this time with good friend Gerry. We started at Martin Place at 6PM tonight (it was the first port of call for the evenings media rounds of the various venues being displayed tonight). The television crews were already all out in force with their LED light panels lighting up presenters and interviewees all around the Cenotaph

Soon they started firing up the displays and we were able to visit and get some shots

Note: These images (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

This display of coloured light cannons outside the old GPO was just about impossible to shoot (the light sources were so insanely bright and the cannons moved around quite quickly)

GPO Beams

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 5.00 sec at f/8, ISO 100

This dome structure at the top of the mall was very interesting – especially to us light painters. We weren’t just looking at this as a very fine piece of light art but as a very nice set of light painting instruments :). Each of those light bars can be lit up with colour (pretty much any colour) anywhere along the bar and the transitions appeared super smooth and seamless (Gerry and I wouldn’t have minded lifting a few of these :))

Fragmented

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/3 sec at f/8, ISO 100

I asked the owner’s friend who was manning the display if I could go inside the structure and take some photos looking up and out from the centre, and thankfully I was allowed over the barrier for a quick visit so I switched to the fisheye and lay down on the ground right in the middle

Skyward

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/40 sec at f/4, ISO 400

What do you do when there’s almost no-one around and you’ve pretty much got the MCA to yourself – why you create an animated GIF of the occasion of course :). All props to my friend Gerry who came out with me for the night for the idea of how we should deal with 1000+ images (taken on a tripod)… sigh. This is some of the Gamma World at the MCA display for this years Vivid Sydney

This years MCA display at Vivid Sydney for your edification – I’ve got some others from the MCA to process and a sequence from the Play Me installation at Customs House as well

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 0.25 to 4 sec at f/5, ISO 800

It’s that time of the year again when that spectacular of Light, Music and Ideas that is Vivid Sydney comes to town – less than two days to go…

Each year Vivid is a mesmerising free public exhibition of outdoor lighting sculptures and installations and the spectacular illumination of some of Sydney’s iconic architecture

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 20 mm, 10.00 sec at f/8, ISO 100

This year Vivid Sydney takes place over 18 days from Friday the 23rd of May to the 9th of June, 2014. This year I took my push bike into the city tonight and rode around the city to a number of installations which were being specifically lit up for the press and media to take their photos and video in advance of the opening night on friday

There’s actually just over 60 installations spread around the Sydney city area from Darling Harbour through the CBD and across to the other side of the harbour bridge at Milsons point when Vivid goes live in a few days

Tonight I just focused on a handful of the light installations from Darling Harbour, around Circular Quay and a brand new installation for this year at MLC in Martin Place

The new MLC at Martin Place installation was very cool with a nice 4 minute sequence with this cool mushroom like building being the backdrop for a tree rising up and moving through the seasons

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 23 mm, 5.00 sec at f/8, ISO 200

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 20 mm, 6 sec at f/8, ISO 100

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

A selection of images from a couple of the locations

Vivid Aquatique Water Theatre at Darling Harbour

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 1/80 sec at f/4, ISO 3200

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 32 mm, 1/20 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 31 mm, 1/5 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1250

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 32 mm, 1/8 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

Play Me at Customs House

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 19 mm, 1/1 sec at f/6.3, ISO 400

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1/1 sec at f/7.1, ISO 400

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Gamma World at the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art Australia)

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1 sec at f/3.5, ISO 800

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/3 sec at f/3.5, ISO 800

A little selfie action at the Mystery of Creation (Fragments of the Seasons) at Cadmans Cottage

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 16 mm, 1.60 sec at f/7.1, ISO 200

NIKON D600 + 16.0-35.0 mm f/4.0 @ 27 mm, 6 sec at f/8, ISO 100

Continuing our exploration on day 7 we made our way up to 59th street and decided to have lunch in the legendary Plaza Hotel. Afterwards my wife and eldest daughter wanted to spend some time perusing the nearby flagship designer stores on 5th avenue (you know – Tiffany’s, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Sak’s and so on – you get the idea…)

This wasn’t sounding particularly appealing to myself or my two young ones so we decided to split up and we went off exploring by ourselves – first stop the flagship Apple store on 5th Avenue

Note: These images (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

Perpetual Stairs

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 32 mm, 1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

and then the legendary toy store next door – FAO Schwarz

My girls hadn’t really yet seen any of Central Park so we decided to go exploring in the park from the south east corner. The first thing you come to is The Pond so here are two nice portrait views of the girls taken in opposite directions on opposites sides of The Pond

Crossing The Pond

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm, 1/800 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Manhattan Pond

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm, 1/800 sec at f/3.5, ISO 100

We then made our way down through the park (from the opposite side to my early mornings walk) to The Mall and the Bethesda Fountain (about 13 blocks walk)

The Long Walk

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm, 1/640 sec at f/3.2, ISO 100

Fountain

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm, 1/1000 sec at f/3.2, ISO 100

We’d arranged to meet the others at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) at 4PM. The MoMA is down between 54th and 53rd street so not liking the idea of another long walk from where we were in the park on 72nd street we headed across to 5th ave and caught a bus :). Apparently the MoMA has free entry from 4PM on Fridays (UNIQLO Free Friday Nights) so as it was friday and we were here…

Little did we know that the queue for free entry was going to be MASSIVE – it literally went from the door on 54th street down the whole block to 5th avenue and along that block to 53rd street and then along 53rd street. I was a little worried we weren’t going to get a ticket and get in however the people there said everyone got in (eventually) :). The line actually moved very quickly and we soon made it to the front and got our tickets (my wife and eldest daughter still hadn’t arrived and were still shopping so we got two extras)

The place was absolutely jam packed – you could barely move inside – the cons of attending at a time when entry is free. The museum however was amazing – the level of incredibly famous artists and art works was awesome – not that my two young daughters cared that much – they were probably happiest playing Space Invaders in the retro section :). Another thing was that you could get right up to the art with no barriers blocking access or glass in front of the works

Still they came with me to see the incredible works

There are signs in many areas of the MoMA indicating not to take photos (lots of areas where you can as well), but with literally thousands of people packed in there almost everyone was taking photos of everything with their phones and cameras and the security there didn’t seem concerned (other than to tell people not to touch the art and not to use flash). There were literally tons of people standing right in front of each artwork with their phones taking full screen images of just the painting and of course those taking photos of themselves or others with the art

So who could resist a shot with my daughter and a very famous Van Gogh

The Starry Night

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 44 mm, 1/50 sec at f/5.6, ISO 4500

Ah yes the irony…

Campbell

NIKON D600 + 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm, 1/25 sec at f/4, ISO 500

Then back to the apartment after a very long day

For our seventh day in New York City we decided to start at the nearby Guggenheim museum – one of the many galleries and museums along the so called Museum Mile along fifth avenue

Unmistakably Guggenheim

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/40 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Note: These images (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger – so click any of the images below to see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer.

Actually before we headed into the Guggenheim I made a quick stop in the Church of Heavenly Rest next door to warm up the fisheye in preparation for the architectural wonder of the Guggenheim

Well Rested

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/15 sec at f/3.2, ISO 2000

Heavenly Light

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/15 sec at f/3.2, ISO 450

Like most attractions in New York we had to queue for a while to get in to then queue for our tickets – this line moved pretty quickly however and we were soon inside

Up

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/15 sec at f/3.2, ISO 110

I’m sure everyone must be familiar with this buildings iconic curves and I’m sure like our Opera House it’s near impossible to take anything new – still the architecture was mesmerising

Guggen Swirl

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/25 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Unfortunately the Guggenheim only allows photos to be taken on the ground floor (and I guess I have to be thankful they even allow that). You also have to check all your bags before heading up the spiral walkway through the heart of the building. You don’t actually have to check your camera but there are security people everywhere on every level stopping people from taking photos (presumably to protect the art) – I managed a few surreptitious no look shots from the waist with the fisheye but alas I must have bumped the focus somewhere along the way and the majority of them were way out of focus

Top Down

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/15 sec at f/4, ISO 110

I could have spent ages trying different angles and combinations in this place (preferably without it being packed with people :)) but alas with family time is limited – still I processed about a dozen different shots that I was happy with and I’ll share just a few here

Concentric

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/50 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Floral

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/60 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Running up one side of the museum is this funky minimal triangular staircase where the girls and I tried some funky portraits (the fisheye was all I had at this stage)

Two of Three

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/15 sec at f/4, ISO 1800

Tripple Threat

NIKON D600 + 15.0 mm f/2.8 @ 15 mm, 1/15 sec at f/4, ISO 2200