Assignment - Depth of Field!

Here's a great example of the tremendous difference depth of field can make when composing an image! Thanks to Buck Cooper for emailing these photos to me...from the Field of Heroes (the memorial set up at Century High School to honor our fallen soldiers). What a "humbling experience", as Buck wrote, "walking through 4440 crosses".

The first picture, here on the left, was taken with at f32 (a very small aperture)...and required over 1 full second to compose (absolutely must have a tripod for long exposures like that!). Everything is clearly sharp from foreground to background. The second picture, was shot at f2.8 at 1/100 second. Taking a photo with a wide open aperture like this results in much more light being let in, therefore, a very shallow depth of field...blurring everything but the focal point, which, in this case, is that front cross.

I want to stress, again, that neither of these choices is right or wrong...it is simply a personal, creative choice and should have a lot to do with your subject matter, the available light you have to work with, and the end result you are looking for.

In this case, with such a compelling subject matter, both depth of field choices are particularly valid. Nicely done Buck!

Photo-a-Day! Engaged!

I know, I know...I've been kind of slacking on my photo-a-day blog! What can I say, I've been kinda busy!!! We got to spend a really fun, long weekend with our daughters and their beaus...we hung a gallery of work at Marigold's Wine and Delicacies (go check it out, it will be up for the month!)...and...I got to hang out with these beautiful two people on Monday night! Love them! And I really love doing engagements! Being around young love...it's good for the soul!

Photo-a-Day! Another peek!

Okay, I can't help myself! Another peek at Ashley & Byron's engagement shoot! I am so in love with these pictures...and the two of them...! :]

Photo-a-Day! And...a little message about authenticity!

your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's
life. don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of
other people's thinking. don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out
your own inner voice. and most important, have the courage to follow your
heart and intuition. they somehow already know what you truly want to
become. everything else is secondary.

- steve jobs

Photo-a-Day! Depth of field assignment!

Okay, so this one has taken me awhile to get to, but finally...a comparison for our depth of field assignment. The first photo was taken with an aperture of f5.0...the second at f22...and the result is pretty clear in terms of what is sharp vs. what is soft in the photo. With macro photography (close-up), the difference is tremendous.
So, is one "better" than the other, that's a personal preference kind of thing! I kind of like soft focus in close up images as it makes it kind of creamy...but if the intent is to show detail, then a longer depth of field is a must!
Some tips with macro photography...a good macro lens is a must...it allows you to get super close focus! A tripod is also a must with macro...it is so vital to keep your camera absolutely steady and oftentimes you are working with longer shutter speeds with up close work making it nearly impossible to hand hold. Windy days are not good days for macro work outdoors...but practicing with the flower arrangement on your kitchen counter is a great way to experiment! Macro photography can force creativity because you see things so differently when magnified! Oftentimes it becomes about shape, color and textures, almost abstractually...so play with it...and enjoy!

Photo-a-Day! ...and assignment!

The last assignment that I posted (which was largely ignored...ahem...even by me...it must be the nicer weather..?!) was a depth of field challenge! Tyler has stepped up to the challenge and turned in an example of a depth of field comparison! Yay Tyler!
The first photo, he used an f3.5 aperture setting, his shutter (shooting wide open) pretty quick at 1/500, with his focal point near the front of the truck...everything else is a little soft. And the second, he shut down his aperture to f11, resulting in a slower shutter speed of 1/50 (less light coming in), thus more depth of field (same focal point)...the background is a little bit sharper.
This is a pretty subtle example of the differences in depth of field...but photography is all about subtleties! Nice job Tyler! Thanks for doing the work! :]

Photo-a-Day! My favorites...engagements!

Two months away...?! Yay!!! Had a lot of fun doing this shoot...two of my very favorite people!

Photo-a-Day! Sun-drenched weekend!

It seems I am obsessed with sunshine! I get that way in mid-May, when the days of true warmth and sun have been few and far between!

So, I am taking the weekend off, to play...and am wishing everyone a weekend full of sunshine and time to be outside enjoying the warmth and renewing powers of Spring! Whether you spend your time in a garden or in a lawn chair, playing catch or playing on a swingset, on the water or on a hike...breathe deeply and enjoy!

Here comes the sun!

Photo-a-Day! Spring has Sprung?!

The first day of Spring, according to my calendar, already occurred...in fact, months ago?! It, however, hasn't felt much like Springtime out my door...until today...and, it seems, this weekend the nice weather will continue! Yay! Flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, the days are getting longer and sweet little babies are popping up everywhere!

Enjoy the sunshine!!!

Photo-a-Day! Black bear encounter!

This is a bit of a preview... As I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband (Mike) and I will be featured next month at Marigolds in Pocatello...and this is one of the new prints we will be showing! ...a beautiful, healthy black bear we encountered in Yellowstone this past winter.

We are launching our new website soon...check back for more information!

Photo-a-Day! Cow!

Don't you just love their big eyes!

Photo-a-Day! Daisy!

My favorite flower arrangement...yellow roses with white daisies! I have a beautiful arrangement of those on my kitchen counter, thanks to my daughter (with the help of her daddy)!
I hope all moms were treated to your 'favorites' yesterday!

Photo-a-Day! Happy Mother's Day!

Happy day to all Moms! To mine...I miss you, always!

Photo-a-Day! Snow Day!

So, yesterday was definitely a snow day, much to my dismay...but I enjoyed it all the same! Sometimes you just have to take on the attitude of your pets...and just go with the flow!

Photo-a-Day! Snow? Really?!

Woke up to snow this morning. It's May. Hmmmm. So, I made an extra big pot of coffee, threw in some laundry, put on some music...and it's going to be a reading day today! Well, that, and working on our new website!
Hope you enjoy your day!

Photo-a-Day! Santa Fe!

I've been sorting through photos from some of our travels over the past couple of years (in anticipation of a new website coming soon!)...and came across these adobe images from a great trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico! I love the simplicity of the architectural style in the Southwest...driven by a need to keep the heat out, the adobe homes are simultaneously sleek/modern and rustic/antique. A charming combination.

Photo-a-Day! Abstract!

Spent some time with my macro lens today...experimenting a little with apertures (don't forget this week's assignment!!) and light sources...and kind of liked this abstract.

Photo-a-Day! Good-bye snow!

I love snow...in the winter...well, okay, honestly, I love snow from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day! Today, however, gave us our first real peek at Springtime and, even though my skin tone looks a little like these snowmen, I am so ready for the warmth and sunshine to stay!

Photo-a-Day! Wish I was there...

Photo-a-Day! Don't try this at home!

Don't try it at home...but definitely try it wherever you are traveling! I have a whole collection of these kind of abstract shots...taken from the car window...while someone else is driving!
As an experiment, and to cure the boredom of sitting in a car for hours, I matched my shutter speed with the speed we were traveling...set it on manual focus, kind of in the middle of the scene somewhere! I love it!
But really, try it...and see what you come up with!