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Plainview, Long Island
31 May 2010, Memorial Day

25 May   26    27    28    29   30    31 May    01 & 02 June 2010          Tech Details

Today we went to the parade! Everyone in town turned out. It's the first time I've been to this parade since the 1980s.

Here's a 1080p/23.98 .MOV video file directly from the 5D Mark II. It's 40 MB, and only runs six seconds. This is the lucky file; the other one was totally out-of-focus.

Not that these are awesome photos; what impressed me the most is the incredible spirit in my small Long Island community. The colors from the 5D Mark II aren't bad, either.

These snaps were easy. I stood in one spot under a tree in front of Howard B. Mattlin Middle School, which I attended in the 1970s, and pointed my camera down the street towards the marchers, with the sun at a convenient angle. I shot with only my 100mm lens, which was perfect. If I needed to crop some of the shots, the ridiculous resolution of the 100mm f/2 and the 5D Mark II made it trivial, again eliminating any desire for an unnecessary zoom, much less for its extra weight.

 

Flag and car, Old Country Road, Plainview, Long Island, 9:32 AM.

Flag and Red Car, Old Country Road, Plainview, Long Island, 9:32 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, Auto ISO 200, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/500 at f/10.

A grab shot out the window of mom's VW Passat; I was impressed at how hard-core we all are in Plainview. Heck, La Jolla had no parades, unless you count the Pet Parade and the Christmas parades. I'm so glad to be back in New York!

 

Start of the Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:12 AM.

Start of the Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:12 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, Auto ISO 200, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/500 at f/7.1.

 

The Old Bethpage Half-Track, Plainview, Long Island, 10:16 AM.

The Old Bethpage Half-Track, Plainview, Long Island, 10:16 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/320 at f/5, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

There's been a half-track parked on a street in Old Bethpage ever since I was in grade school. The bus would go past it every day. It never moved, not ever. When I was first back in January, we got up enough courage to go knock on the door of the house in front of which it was parked to ask "hey, what's up with this half-track that's been here for forty years?," and it was gone!

Well, the afternoon of the parade, another halftrack was parked in front of the usual location, so even though we're still trying to get over there and ask, it seems like maybe it had been out for some paint for the parade.

 

Flags, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:16 AM.

Flags, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:16 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/500 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Plainview Fire Department, 1938, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:20 AM.

Plainview Fire Department, 1938, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:20 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

The extraordinary Plainview Fire Department has been around since 1927. Even better, it's an entirely volunteer fire department. These guys not only risk their lives running into other people's burning houses to save other people's lives, they do it for free. Everyone works their regular jobs, and when the alarm goes off at 3 AM, they all get up and go out on the call, usually from their own homes, and then still have to go to their regular jobs in the morning. These guys are incredible, and all live in our community.

 

Fender, 1938, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:20 AM.

Fender, 1938, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:20 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Plainview F.D., 1938, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:20 AM.

Plainview F.D., 1938, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:20 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/320 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Ford Fairlane, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:25 AM.

Ford Fairlane, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:25 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Ford Galaxie 500 XL, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:26 AM.

Ford Galaxie 500 XL, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:26 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Ford Model A, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:27 AM.

Ford Model A, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:27 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

This shot and the next are a little hotter (brighter) than I'd like. If the whole parade would have stopped, I might have noticed and shot instead at -1 stop exposure compensation, but it's fine as-is. I wouldn't bother shooting in CR2; it would slow my workflow so much that I'd never get any pictures out.

 

 

Ford Model A, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:27 AM.

Ford Model A, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:27 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Troop 3398, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:30 AM.

Troop 3398, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:30 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

Are these kids cute? They made that banner themselves!

 

Troop ?, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:30 AM.

Troop ?, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:30 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

More cute banners, with everyone's names.

 

Troop 3257, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:30 AM.

Troop 3257, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:30 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/320 at f/5.6, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

This is too cute.

 

Troop 3434, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:32 AM.

Troop 3434, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:32 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

And now the dogs are out, too!

 

Troop 3558, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:32 AM.

Troop 3558, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:32 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

More home-made signs.

 

Plainview Varsity Cheerleaders, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:34 AM.

Plainview Varsity Cheerleaders, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:34 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

The cheerleaders were among the cheeriest marchers, one step behind the seniors, who were the most outgoing — honestly!

 

Sikh Space Ship, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:41 AM.

Sikh Space Ship, Memorial Day Parade, Plainview, Long Island, 10:41 AM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 100mm f/2, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/400 at f/6.3, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

Oour local Sikhs turned out, and had the wackiest float of all.The Sikhs are quite proud of their military service, something else at which they outdid the Girl Scouts (at least today, anyway). These guys are from India; they and their turbans have nothing to do with anything from the Middle East.

 

Hicksville LIRR Station and Thug, Long Island, 1234 PM.

Hicksville LIRR Station and Thug, Long Island, 1234 PM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/100 at f/4.5, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

After the parade and our devotions, we headed into Manhattan. This shot is about pulling your eye down the platform.

 

Watch the Gap, Hicksville LIRR Station, Long Island, 12:38 PM.

Watch the Gap, Hicksville LIRR Station, Long Island, 12:38 PM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 50mm f/1.8, shifted Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/100 at f/9.

This shot is about the orange and green. There was a lot of dark shadow in the tree, so it took -1 1/3 stop exposure compensation to make it look right.

 

Orange, near Penn Station, Manhattan, 1:49 PM.

Orange, near Penn Station, Manhattan, 1:49 PM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/320 at f/7.1, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

This is all about orange, and arranging elements so they're balanced in a flat frame.

 

156, Manhattan, 6:03 PM.

156, Manhattan, 6:03 PM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/50 at f/2.8, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

Just a grab shot in Manhattan.

 

O'Reilly's Pub, Manhattan, 6:20 PM.

O'Reilly's Pub, Manhattan, 6:20 PM.

Canon 5D Mark II, ISO 50, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/50 at f/3.2, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

Snapshot from the street.

 

LIRR Track 19, Penn Station, Manhattan, 6:44 PM.

LIRR Track 19, Penn Station, Manhattan, 6:44 PM.

Canon 5D Mark II, Auto ISO 250, Canon 50mm f/1.8, Professional exposure (P) mode chose 1/40 at f/2, -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

Snapshot as we jumped on the LIRR. Only the middle ground is in focus. If I had more than a half-second as I jumped-in, I'd have dialed-in Av mode and shot at about f/8 to get more in focus.

 

NEXT DAY > >

 

25 May   26    27    28    29   30    31 May    01 & 02 June 2010          Tech Details

 

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