Tilt Shift in on Chicago’s Architectural Boat Tour

After several years of being in and around Chicago, I finally decided to take the renowned Architectural Boat Tour around Chicago.  What better way to kick back and enjoy the city this summer after completing the amazing 138-Way World Record.  Of course at the same time I figured I’d try out one of Canon’s top of the line Tilt Shift Lenses.  This was the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Lens.

As you can see, the TS lens literally tilts and shifts away from the straight line of site.  For an Architectural Photographer, it’s a must have.

Have you ever taken a picture of a big building while standing relatively near it?  The photo you end up with is a building that has a very wide base, but the top is narrow and it just gets skinnier the higher it goes.  Well, a Tilt-Shift lens will take care of that.  Here is a shot of the Chicago Skyline maxing out the Lens in both directions.  It’s a good example of what extremes a lens like this can accomplish.

While this example shows you the difference, it also opens your mind to something you might have never even thought was available.  Take a look at the following pictures and really note how different they might be with a standard camera lens.  

While I’m not going to rush out and purchase one of these lenses, if I’m ever hired for any type of architectural shoot, renting one of these lenses would be well worth while.

Denver City Scape

I’ve been wanting to take a nice shot of the skyline in Denver for some time now.  So when I saw we were about to have a Super Moon coming up right behind the city, I packed up the tripod and camera gear and off I went.  The clouds were a little iffy, but when I showed up and there were already 3 others setup with tripods as well, I knew I was in the right spot.  By the time it was done, there were over a dozen people taking pictures.  Unfortunately the moon only peaked out between the buildings for few minutes, partially covered by clouds.  Before too long, it was lost behind the clouds.  Nevertheless, the night shots of Denver paid off.

For a few more shots or to purchase a panoramic, click here for the gallery.