Indecent Exposure 35: Interrogative excitement
Reflections on our reflections contest, why depth of field varies deeply, and digitizing Mom's photos.
Listen now: Download today's podcast
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Episode 34 |
Too many good choices this week for a definite runner-up!
To enter, please use the blog comments to provide a link to your entry plus any background information you'd like to share with us and other listeners.
Hi Lori and Matt:
1. Is there a preferred method to get my mom's old b&W photos into digital format?
2. Do you have any information (or guide me to another source) about the quality of those photo books producers such as Shutterfly, Snapfish, etc.? (I'm wanting to create many of them for my mom.)
Thank you,
Claire
Hi
This is a question that's been on my mind for quite some time. I do know a bit of thigs about depth of field. For example to achive greater detail and focus with subjects both near and far, one should increase the f-stop on the lens for something like f11 or up. If one wants to achieve grat macro shots with "blurred" backgorunds one should use a small f-stop like f3.5 or f2.
The thing is that with the lens I have (14-45mm f3.5 f5.6 olympus ED) I can achieve the great macro "blur" when I extend the zoom to it's greatest (45mm f5.6 minimum). Why is that? I don't get the great macro "blur" at 14mm f3.5.
This also happens with my larger lens (54-140mm).
- JD
Senior Editor Lori Grunin has been covering digital imaging for two decades, but her memory's kind of sketchy on the details. You can hear about it every week on Indecent Exposure, the podcast she co-hosts with Matt Fitzgerald.
Lori Grunin has been an avid photographer for almost 30 years, and spent the past 15 attempting to master every aspect of technology.
Matt Fitzgerald has been involved with digital camera technology and the photo industry for more than 15 years. Matthew's background includes work as a professional photographer, a technical representative, and a repair technician.
http://flickr.com/photos/stankus/3224259112/ ( This is my entry )
I took this photo last summer around July with a friends 10-22mm EF-S Ultra Wide Angle Lens. It is comes in handy with self portraits if you don't mind being a little distorted.
Here is a gallery of some of the other shots I took when I had that lens.
http://stankus.smugmug.com/gallery/5593765_5zbQu#343492419_RZNPR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/allex/3223328239/
I love photo assignments, I would love if you asked us to do "our homework" once a month, I definitely think you should pursue this idea further.
Shot details:
This week I had to take a shot of mine for my C.V. (Curriculum Vitae) because I've reviewed my archive I didn't found anything useful.
I setup my Canon HV20 on a tripod, I twisted the LCD around to face me, I went in the menu and I setup on a 2 seconds self timer and I've used the included remote to take the shot.
In the background you can see my blue screen(i.e. a blue bed sheet nailed to the wall) lighted by two 500W strobe lights, and one strobe lighting me. I've used this setup many times for chroma key on video.
By the way, the lights are inherited from my late grandfather, he also photo enthusiast, but in his days he used soviet film cameras with brand names like Zenit and Zorki.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcfishhk/3086703842/sizes/m/
This was done a while back when I was absolutely bored at home. Very simple setup, D300 on a tripod using a 50mm f/1.8 lens (best portrait lens for beginner, imo), Nikon SB600 on a desk left to myself fired remotely (by the way, wireless i-TTL is awesome, and it's free), and a cheap wireless shuttle release you can find on ebay for $twenty something dollars.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/damienfranco/2167306076/in/pool-indecentexposure
Nothing too fancy really. I was going for "brooding" or perhaps "contemplative" but not really sure if I accomplished either of those. Went with black and white to add interest.
I use this as my icon on all of the social networking sites I use because I figured that it would work better for transperency issues. People get to see who I am as I comment, fave, buzz, or whatever.
I did still manage to hide behind my camera with this image as most photographers are prone to do.
Here my submission for this weeks competition.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/leeadc/3108395636/
It was an impulse idea after the Christmas tree went up last year.
I like the idea of monthly assignments. The last competition passed me by and I didn't find the time to get out and get a reflection shot.
Looking forward to next weeks podcast, Lee.
My self portrait was done as part of a photography course I took this fall.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8415659@N04/2951883722/in/set-72157608137316162/
It was done as an assignment in full manual settings while hand holding the camera.
Funny exercise that force you to snap a lot of pics.
Taken with a Canon 450D and the 18-55mm IS lens, but you can read all about it in the EXIF.
Regards Jesper
Here's my photo...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9314116@N06
I was trying for a lot of things here...
I wanted to make my portrait using only 1/2 my face - this was to try and represent an unwillingness to fully commit.
Secondly I wanted to highlight my eyes in the fashion of film noir, with a light bar across my eyes are a very shallow depth of field- perhaps the subject (me!) wants to watch how things progress before commitment.
Finally no editing, no cropping, no photoshop etc...
Having taken the photo, I did have to do an auto-level, but i dont think that counts as real editing.
I used 2 flashes - one off camera and diffused by a paper towel the second flash was mounted on the camera with the "light bar" filter stuck on it.
I made the light filter using flute board, you can see the device in flickr - I was really happy with the way the filter worked and plan to use it again.
I had to make a mini-studio to get the light right. To get the light looking how I wanted, I took the photo in the dark.
The biggest problem was getting the X, Y and Z co-ordinates correct because I was so zoomed in. I had to use 'X's" on the floor and and 10 second delay timer.
I used a Sony a350, with the Kit 55-200 lens fully zoomed.
Best regards,
Mark
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pillarofautumn/3228374669/
I love the idea of having an assignment at least once a month but leave it open to the individual on whether they want to take new photos or submit older photos for the contests. I would love to go out shooting now but its really cold outside.
Paul From Chicago
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whertha/3226587075/
Regarding the contest vs. assignment both have their good points. The "contest" option allows the opportunity to get some feedback on shots I'm happy with, and for me that's the prize. The assignment is fine as long as there's enough time. I think you said monthly, so that should be OK.
Take care
--Bill from Thornhill ON
I took this back in the spring... I had just gotten a light kit and I was desperate for a subject.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsimmonsonca/2477503870
Here is my submission taken on a farm just up the way from here. We go at least twice a year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmacke/3230727034/
As far as contest vs assignment I was only thinking that it would give us more of a chance to push ourselves. To think about what we can do. Not to imply that old photos shouldn't be used, just maybe a new way of seeing things. I also agree that the best reward is the feed back we all get even from other submissions. It helps us become better (hopefully) in the long run. Like I've heard so many times "if you what to get better you need to practice and look at other work and see how to grow".
I look at photography as a double sided passion. You can Be a Geek and a Artist at the same time. The best of both worlds. Here is my link.
http://flickr.com/photos/hmfw/3232339665/
Love the show,
Hans Westermark
HMFW@ec.rr.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adambindslev/3218462272/
Taken with a Sony a700 and the shallowest DoF i could get with the lens (fully zoomed and max aperture).
Adam Bindslev
Took it last year getting to know my new camera. Maybe this week iŽll take this year's self portrait.
If you are shy or something post it on some random website like ImageShack were nobody except us will care.
Act quickly you don't have much time.
http://api.photoshop.com/home_4e3ad7026a0a43379eca7dd763b74b7f/adobe-px-assets/2969ed80797f4c73bfbe875773f8f24e
What can I say?...I ran out of time.
http://tinyurl.com/btsdro
This is my entry, out for a Sunday morning walk in Mexico City.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9433354@N04/3234414597/
Keep up the great work!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/walakazoo/3235139393/
Shot with my 12-24mm, the lens was almost touching the mirror in this shot.
here's my entry for this weeks competition:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grapemac/3230659501/
I woke late one Sunday morning with amazing sunlight streaming through my blue curtains, not wanting to get up yet I was absentmindedly fiddling with my phone, taking pictures of the beams of light streaking across the ceiling when vanity caught hold and I pointed the camera at myself... The image I have submitted is the result (save for a slight tweak of the exposure and contrast to accentuate the effect!)...
From Flickr:
Camera: Sony Ericsson K750i
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: +2 EV
Flash: No Flash
File Size: 336 kB
File Type: JPEG
MIME Type: image/jpeg
Image Width: 640
Image Height: 511
Encoding Process: Baseline DCT, Huffman coding
Bits Per Sample: 8
Color Components: 3
X-Resolution: 72 dpi
Y-Resolution: 72 dpi
Orientation: Horizontal (normal)
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh
Date and Time (Modified): 2006:02:15 19:51:13
YCbCr Positioning: Co-sited
Date and Time (Original): 2006:02:04 10:42:31Z
Date and Time (Digitized): 2006:02:04 10:42:31
Metering Mode: Average
Light Source: Unknown
Color Space: Unknown (-1)
Custom Rendered: Normal
Exposure Mode: Auto
White Balance: Auto
Digital Zoom Ratio: 1
Scene Capture Type: Night
Subject Distance Range: Macro
Compression: JPEG (old-style)
Global Angle: 30
Global Altitude: 30
Copyright Flag: False
Photoshop Quality: 12
Photoshop Format: Optimised
Progressive Scans: 3 Scans
XMPToolkit: 3.1.1-111
Orientation: Horizontal (normal)
Creator Tool: Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh
Metadata Date: 2006:02:15 19:51:13Z
Format: image/jpeg
Color Mode: 3
ICCProfile Name: sRGB IEC61966-2.1
Color Transform: YCbCr
Flash Return: No return detection
Flash Mode: Unknown
Flash Function: False
Flash Red Eye Mode: False
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by puraime
January 29, 2009 5:13 AM PST
- Hi guys,
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (30 Comments)here's me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bleh/3198511739/sizes/m/
Usually people who takes photos stay behind the lens most of the time. when I'm bored enough, I get a good deal of time in front of the lens too. yup it's out of focus.