Hi all, just finished to process the first bunch of pictures from Prague. We stayed there for 4 days (in Ibis Karlin hotel - very nice place and not too far from the center) and the wheather was really good. What can I tell - Prague is beautiful !

Anyway, here is the gallery -
http://www.pbase.com/olegis/prague

Please be welcomed to return again in a few days, as i will be adding new pictures (I shot about 600 pictures and it takes a while to select and to process the good ones).

Well done!

Best travel pictures I have seen posted. Also looked at the Paris and other pictures you posted. Same high quality. I have technical questions about the pictures. (1) How many were shot used a tripod or monopod? (2) Were the pictures shot using a digital camera? I wonder about the focal lengths since I am calibrated for film 35 mm. Do the values under the pictures mean that I have to multiply the focal lengths by 1.6 to get the equivalent focal lengh in mm that would apply to a film camera? (3) How much cropping, maninpulation was done with these pictures? (4) Were the black and white photos the result of removing all the color in a program such as photoshop or were they the result of using B&W film?

Oleg, you have outdone yourself this time! Absolutely fabulous!

I will be in Prague for 5 nights this July, so this is very exciting to see something so very recent.

They are all so beautiful, especially the ones at night along the river.

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

Wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing them here.

Olegis - simply stunning photos, with a creative twist far above the usual tourist shots.

May I ask if you are a professional? - I checked out the camera you said you used. It's of great interest to me as I'm looking to buy a new digital camera myself. I've been looking at the Canon Powershot S2 IS (yet to physically check it out though - the local stores either ran out or aren't carrying it). The 12 optical zoom being the main attraction.

I'm strictly amateur but love taking photos - your comment of shooting 600 pics made me smile. I do the same thing.

I've shied away from the more 'professional' cameras in the Canon EOS range thinking it would be too much. Could I pick it up with a through reading of the manual and plenty of practice? All thoughts greatly appreciated!

Hi Paul, thanks for your comments

Here are my answers :
1. A tripod was used only for night time pictures.
2. I use the Canon EOS 10D digital camera only, so in order to find out the effective focal length, you should multiply the actual focal lenght shown in the EXIF by 1.6.
3. It's different for every picture, but as I improve my photography skills I find cropping less and less needed. Other than occasional cropping and rotating, the "usual" post processing was involved - WB, exposure compensation, levels / curves and colors adjustements (and sharpening for output of course).
4. The B&W pictures were shot in color and then converted using channel mixer in Photoshop.

Hope it helps,
Oleg

Hi Venetian30, thanks for your comments

No, I'm not a professional photographer (unfortunally).

If you are looking into some serious photography, you really should consider the EOS 350D kit - it doesn't have x12 zoom, but the quality of the output, the flexibility and the overall shooting experience is totally different (so much better !). You should not fear the complexity of the camera - it also has automatic modes and with little practice you will be able to master it also in semi-manual modes (I use the Aperture priority mode almost exclusively). The 350D is small, extremely fast and very high quality camera - and not that expensive either. The kit lens is OK for starters and you can always upgrade and extend your arsenal.

Hope it helps,
Oleg

Oleg, these are just sensational! You should be a prof photographer.

We were there three years ago at the same time over the Easter festival and like you we also had fantastic weather, it makes it that much more special I think.

Well done, you are amazing.
Schnauzer

Those are the most stunningly beautiful photos I've ever seen. What's stopping you from doing this professionally?
Laurie

Oleg,
Many thanks for your reply. As I said before the pictures are wonderful. You have an excellent "eye." I have taken thousands of pictures over the years, almost all of them using film. At this point a have 4 Nikon bodies of various ages and a good set of different focal length lenses. I did buy a simple Fuji point and shot digital whose only advantage is its small size. I also use Photoshop. Now here is my problem. Should I invest in a digital SLR and more lenses or should I buy a Nikon Coolscan scanner. If I do the latter I can convert all my old negatives and slides to digital format plus using my exisiting cameras to continue taking pictures. The size of my existing Nikon bodies I use is a bit smaller than the digitals and they are much more rugged. However I have found that conversion of negatives to digital format is terribly expensive if you want any decent resolution. The Coolscan resolution is 2-5X better than any digital camera now on the market so the conversion will not lose any resolution. I really would like to lug the Nikon around since it is much more versatile than the small point and shoot digitals. The pictures I am getting from my digital are fine but their scope is limited. I am interested in your commments and experiences. Thanks.

What amazing light and colours. You really got into the feeling of Prague. What surprised me was the difference between your pictures of Prague now and Prague as I saw it in 1991. Unbelieveable. Thank you.

Thanks Olegis - I'll definitely check out the EOS 350D kit. Sounds like what I'm looking for, as well as giving room for 'growth'! After seeing your photos, a tripod is now also a must as I love the atmosphere of night shots (as well as the play of light on wet surfaces).

I also like to play with Photoshop a bit, but usually only minor cropping and sharpening, and removing 'grey' from snow etc. I do get a lot of practice though cropping my sister's ex-boyfriends out of photos!

Ditto schnauzer!

Oleg, tremendous pictures! Make all my travel pictures look, well, sick! You do have an extremely good eye for shots. Thank you so much for sharing with us. These shots make me want to get to Prague yesterday!

Nice photos! What statues are those (clay, it seems)? There is a statue like those in the Vysehrad cemetery as a tombstone, and also in the lobby of the 4 Seasons. I've always wondered what it is, who it is modelled after, etc. Are they a special exhibit somewhere?

Hi Venetian30,

As for the tripod - I can recommend a Manfrotto line of tripods, especially the 190PRO legs with a nice head (486RC2 or something like that). They are not cheap, but very high quality and steady like a rock !


Paul, I really don't know. I have very little experience with film photography and even less experience with film scanners. I think digital camera gives you much more freedom and chances to learn and to improve - but it's just my opinion, photography forums all around the Internet are flooded with discussions like that You may want to invest in one of the D50 kits (I saw one for as little as 629 US$ in B&H) and see how do you like it. I'm not very familiar with Nikon hardware, but I think you can fit your older lenses on a digital body as well (you might want to check this with some more knowledgeable people).

Laurie, I guess I'm too lazy ... I have a nice day job with very nice conditions and salary - so it's kinda hard to leave it all and go into a completely different area with a very stiff competition and not so nice income ...

Those are incredible and astounding - what an excellent job. WOW. These are some of the most well-captured pictures I have ever seen. The vegetation is a lovely pure green! We leave for Prague tomorrow and are absolutely thrilled that we get to see these things in person.

Oleg, Your work is truly awesome--I had seen your Italy gallery before. You tend to put we mere mortals in our place.

Thanks Oleg

I checked out some great sites on the EOS 350D over the weekend. Feeling rather comfortable with the tech side already - very informative. I love the internet!

The cost of the camera & tripod aren't a real issue for me. I'm after quality that I won't need to replace too quickly and will allow me more creative freedom - only myself and government taxes have a demand on my pay cheque so I can be self indulgent