Myeong-dong Intersection at Night

by Robert Koehler on February 5, 2009

Just taking the D300 for a walk. For full-sized photos, click here.

The Bank of Korea Museum, which needs no introduction.

Yep, it’s the fountain in front of the Bank of Korea Museum and the Post Tower.

The Shinsegae Department Store (originally the Mitsukoshi Department Store, built in 1930) and Korea First Bank (Originally the Choson Savings Bank, completed in 1933).

{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }

1 WangKon936 February 6, 2009 at 12:59 am: Looks like you got yourself a tripod Rob.
2 Robert Koehler February 6, 2009 at 1:05 am: No… tripod. Just Zen-like body control

(Yep, I got a new tripod)
3 WangKon936 February 6, 2009 at 3:47 am: Rob, you can’t fool someone who did this for a living to help pay tuition in college!..
4 JiMong February 6, 2009 at 10:23 am: Did you use any filter?
5 WangKon936 February 6, 2009 at 10:33 am: I’m gonna guess… no filter.
6 Robert Koehler February 6, 2009 at 10:57 am: WangKon936 is right again
7 red sparrow February 6, 2009 at 11:00 am: I always enjoy your photos, Rob.

But one thing I really don’t like about digital is how points of light always wind up with the starburst appearance. I don’t think I will ever be fully weaned off film.
8 R. Elgin February 6, 2009 at 1:17 pm: No… tripod. Just Zen-like body control

hehehe. Many aspire, few achieve.

I appreciate the grain one gets from real film too “red” but that gets kind of expensive unless one has connections with a good developing studio or loves having yellowed fingernails all the time from dipping in developer.
9 Scotty February 6, 2009 at 2:27 pm: Looking for free photography tip as a new owner of a digital SLR….how do you get the streaks of light type effect? I am too stupid to read through my user manual (blush)!
10 red sparrow February 6, 2009 at 2:36 pm: Scotty, light streaks = long exposure.

Rob, what I am talking about is how street lamps and other points of light always wind up with a starburst effect in digital rather than the natural diffusion that you see with the naked eye and that is faithfully reproduced with film.
11 WangKon936 February 6, 2009 at 2:43 pm: Scotty, light streaks = long exposure.

… and tripod.

Set your camera to shutter priority exposure. Put your camera on a tripod, compose and then click.
12 WangKon936 February 6, 2009 at 2:54 pm: Oh and make sure your ISO setting is no higher than 100. Set your shutter to about one or half a second.
13 Scotty February 6, 2009 at 3:54 pm: That simple? But then so am I! Thanks for the tips, pros!
14 WangKon936 February 7, 2009 at 1:05 am: Well it’s not THAT simple. Those are the general principles. It’s going to take some trial and error and some work on your end to refine your own style.
15 Scotty February 7, 2009 at 8:45 am: I meant the general principles sounded simple…
16 red sparrow February 7, 2009 at 7:27 pm: “It’s going to take some trial and error and some work on your end…”

Egg-zacly. You need and must mess around on your own. My only hope is you do it with film too.