Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Ann - Rocks Market 8

Another one where I couldn't get the focus right, it should be on the mask.

8 comments:

Julie said...

It is as Peter has mentioned on a couple of occasions: focus on your subject, realign your view holding the button half down, then press.

Experiment with shots that are not important. I like taking shots around the back of someone else's head: gives an intimacy and it is as though you are seeing through their eyes and not just your lens.

Joan Elizabeth said...

James Jordon at Points of Light says always focus on the eyes and get them sharp.

Julie said...

Yes, that is the blur that is most noticeable.

The more shallow the depth of field - the more open the aperture - then the more specific is the focus. On F5.6 no longer is the entire face in focus, but just the eyelash. With a shallow focus, if there are "edges" that are also within range but just slightly closer, then the focus will be on the edges and not on the centre.

Ann said...

I'm not used to using this lens in daylight. I've had some good results at night but in daylight it wasn't doing at all what I thought it would. I also think I've changed the focus back to all points which seems fine with small apertures but obviously isn't with wide ones because I can never get the focus on the points I want. I'm probably better working off the centre one and recomposing. Still, you learn by doing.

Ann said...

Believe it or not, I always try and focus on the eyes.

Julie said...

Yes, I think you are right about the focus points. With a small aperture and at distance, all the points are useful. With a large aperture and shallow focus, you need to really be specific about what it is that you are focussing upon. Therefore, just the one point might be better.

This is what has been stuffing some of mine up I think ... that and skill!!

Ann said...

Trouble is, I can't change from one to the other quickly enough. By the time I find the right button and change to the other setting, I've lost the shot. No idea whether this will ever become easier.

Julie said...

I simply force myself to interrupt the shot and let the consequences be damned. I really need to get control over all the aspects and that is only done by practice. So I check my settings for the time/type of day. Then I check my settings for the particular shot when it comes my way. Then I try to think of ways that the shot went wrong, fiddle and retake. Sure, I lose some shots. and sure, I feel like a dork. But I am getting the hang of all the settings and when to use them.

I talk to myself all the time ...