I decided to use 365 as an opportunity to pace my practice with lenses I own but don't know how to use well. The 50mm 1.4 is one that I have used to take snapshots but I find it so limiting without a zoom that I have failed to see its value and it almost always just sits in my camera bag. I chose something I have photographed in the past, "straight on" but in order to meet my own challenge of trying to figure out how to use the 50mm for its strength, I needed to learn how the f/1.4 would be featured. After taking multiple shots at various angles, I saw why I hadn't recognized the value of the lens when walking up to a flat object and simply photographing it. Here's my first attempt at learning how to use the f/1.4 but I'm posting the first, traditional shot in my "extras album" at http://365project.org/jyokota/challenges-and/2013-02-01#post-comment
I love what you can do with focus on areas of a repeated patterns. I love the angle of this shot as well. Have you played around with focus on the foreground/background?
@amyamoeba -- Kaffe Fasset is the master of color, and this quilt is a variation of one of his designs, using his colors. He's the only living person to have had a solo exhibition at the Victoria and Albert.
@pflaume -- thanks for noticing what I was trying to achieve through the quilting! :)
@anazad511 -- thanks, I took quite a few before settling on this one.
@steampowered -- you should have seen what strange positions I had to get into in order to get this PoV since the quilt is hanging on the wall!
@145lewis -- that's exactly what @taffy suggested - that I try focusing on the foreground so the focus fades into the background, or the reverse so that you build up to the focus. Good thing I finally learned how to change the point of focus on the camera so it's not always on the center. Will try this in another shot. Thanks for suggestion.
Thanks, all. I appreciate your feedback very much!
Such a great way to convey the quilting -- wonderful color and shape. You could actually do a series of these to fill in on those days where photo ops aren't plentiful.
@taffy -- brilliant idea! Do you think I can get by doing more than the three I've already posted (one in my "extras" album, too)!?? And, I have more quilts! :)
@jyokota I'd eventually think about combining them into a quilt book or calendar, but for now, just have them in mind. Your quilts are each unique, and each one provides several options for photographs using different lenses and POVs and DOF so you have a really rich source to draw from. I'm envious!
Since we are partners this week for the get pushed challenge, I'm going to challenge you to take a black and white picture with a moody feel to it. You kind of seem like me when it comes to my pictures, I try to show the "pretty" and joyful side of life, but moody images fascinate me.
@mwac -- hmmm . . . a b&w with moody feel? You're right. That's a push for me. I posted one on Jan 22 but that was a rare experience. I don't see the world in that way. OK, thanks for the nudge . . . off to see the world through a new lens!
@jyokota My focus is set to the left of the view finder. I have no idea how to change it. I've been looking for ages. But, I've trained many of students to take pictures with my camera so I guess changing it now would mess them up too. You know how it is when you're just used to something.
This is a wonderful shot and a gorgeous quilt. I love the Pov. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the use of the 'trad. lens' ant its value to you. This encourages me to take mine out of the camera bag in the future as well
@khirsch -- I'm notorious for not taking time to learn how to use things I already own, whereas I do thorough research about products before I buy them. I seem to run out of time once the decision is made. 365 has allowed me to pace daily practicing and I've challenged myself to do something I don't know how to do as often as possible. Let's share Germany photos taken with our 50mm lenses!
@pflaume -- thanks for noticing what I was trying to achieve through the quilting! :)
@anazad511 -- thanks, I took quite a few before settling on this one.
@steampowered -- you should have seen what strange positions I had to get into in order to get this PoV since the quilt is hanging on the wall!
@jodimuli -- many thanks!
@145lewis -- that's exactly what @taffy suggested - that I try focusing on the foreground so the focus fades into the background, or the reverse so that you build up to the focus. Good thing I finally learned how to change the point of focus on the camera so it's not always on the center. Will try this in another shot. Thanks for suggestion.
Thanks, all. I appreciate your feedback very much!
Since we are partners this week for the get pushed challenge, I'm going to challenge you to take a black and white picture with a moody feel to it. You kind of seem like me when it comes to my pictures, I try to show the "pretty" and joyful side of life, but moody images fascinate me.