I’m renting a fabulous 50 mm 1.2 lens from BorrowLenses.com and before I send it back I’m taking pictures of everything around me. It’s a great portrait lens, but with no human model nearby, my worn gloves and shoes serve quite well as still-life models, don’t you think? I used a shallow DOF for this shot, focusing on the thumb.
Canon 50 mm 1.2 lens, image shot at f/1.6, 1/16000 sec, ISO 200.
Spring Break: Time to take my camera out. I tried out two wide-angle lenses while hiking in the desert mountains on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. On Wednesday afternoon, my young friend agreed to be my guinea pig (eh, model) as I practiced portrait photography. I’m learning that there is SO much to be aware of (camera settings, lighting, background, model’s expression, composition and so much more), and I applaud those of you who are professional portrait photographers.
70 mm ISO 400 f/5.0 at 1/60
Spring Break! Yesterday, I took a hike in the Dreamy Draw, one of our Phoenix mountains, to try out two wide-angle lenses which I borrowed from BorrowLenses, a Sigma 1-20 and a Canon 10-22. Notice the lens flare? I found out today this is a problem when amateur photographers don’t know what they’re doing with a wide angle lens. (This shot was taken with the Canon lens.)
I don’t know if I’ll buy either of these lenses; the image quality is not nearly as good as the images I get from my 24-105 lens (better glass). I don’t have the ultra wide capabilities, but I think I might sacrifice this to get the sharper image.
Next, I will borrow the 50 mm fixed. I’ll let you know how that works out.
Oh yes, I’m also trying out a new blog look (I change hair styles frequently too).
Light rain softens the glow of the setting sun.
Just before guests arrived for my granddaughter’s birthday party, I caught her with her baby sister. One is 3 years old; the other is 3 weeks old.
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
Sedona, Arizona, October 2012; ISO 400 24 mm f/14 at 1/250
I had initially dismissed this shot because she’s not in sharp focus, but there’s something that brings me back to it. Her energy. Her pure love of life. Listen. Can you hear her giggles?
Sometimes she’s a blur of joyful energy.
