Selective Focus

[pj1974]

Hi all

My final (planned) contribution for this challenge.

Taken with my Canon 50mm f1.8 lens on my Canon 350D camera at f1.8.

I was actually lying on my back on the ground (in pine woodchips!). First: focus near:

[pj1974]

... and secondly, the focus in the "background"... on the fully opened flower set.

The "background" is only about 30 centimetres behind the foreground flower, but because of the very shallow depth of field, the foreground flower is definitely WAY out of focus.

I love how the stems in both these photos converge between in and out of focus as they come closer to or further away from the focal plane.

Cheers. Hope you enjoy the viewing.

Paul

[Walter C]

Well done, but we won't ask how you wound up on your back in the woodchips. Here in the states we are constantly warned to drink responsibly. :-)

[pj1974]

Thanks Walter!! :lol:

And as I have worked with alcoholics and families affected by alcoholism for over 10 years, I should know better.!

But yeah, sometimes in order to get that "special composition" one needs to bend to extra-ordinary lengths. In this case... I literally DID have to lie on the ground in my garden... and here I had laid a carpet of fresh pine chips as a natural covering over the soil. It's easier to brush off large pine chips than have dirt and dust all over my shirt back, anyway!

Cheers!

Paul

[calr]

I like the composition of this set but I would like to see a bit better lighting using either a reflector or flash (dialed down a couple f-stops from normal).

I think your shooting position may have just inspired another challenge...

Cal

[pj1974]

calr wrote:

I like the composition of this set but I would like to see a bit better lighting using either a reflector or flash (dialed down a couple f-stops from normal).

I think your shooting position may have just inspired another challenge...

Cal

Thanks Cal

Yes, you're right... I could have put some more effort into it, to get better lighting on the flowers (against the comparatively brighter sky) - as you wrote, like using a flash / reflector

So... will the next challenge will be:

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"On your back, In the pine-chips - with good lighting!" ???? :blah:

Rules: You must be lying in your garden, taking a photo of something interesting from a "ground perspective". However - you can't just choose anywhere. You need to be where your pine-chips are. "Hey I don't have pine-chips!" I hear you say! No problem! Order a trailer load in and place them on the appropriate area of your garden.

"It's winter here... what about the cold... or snow!?" I hear you typing already... No worries! Global warming is happening. And if you live in the northern hemisphere, we allow you to employ a large heating device to warm the ground so you won't get frost bite.

"I don't have a garden! I live in an apartment (on the 73rd floor) - we don't even have a balcony at this level". Nothing will stop us as avid photographers! We allow you to buy (or rent if you really have to) a house with a garden for the purpose of this challenge, or if you live in a country where garden allotments exist, well that's an even easier option.

Ok, but we don't want this challenge to remain so untechnical. You must employ the use of a reflector or your camera's flash to obtain lighting on the subject which otherwise would not be possible without reflector / flash. If you use a flash, this must be included (not stripped out) of the Exif information. If you use a reflector, you need have someone photographing you WITH the reflector taking the photo, as evidence.

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There you go, Cal! I've written the next challenge description for you! You moderators have such an easy life!! LOL!!!!! :G

Thanks again... It's a Saturday morning here, my mind is obviously in it's "weekend madness" stage!

Paul