Photography

These photos were captured in the same location, shot with the exact same lens and  settings only seconds apart. They were edited the exact same way as well. So why do they look so different? It’s all about the light – in the case, the quantity of light.  In the first image, I asked Basia to position herself directly behind the sun. I positioned myself at eye level and allowed the light behind her to flood my lens. This created the soft, hazy look you see in this image below.

Even though I do like this type of effect for certain scenarios, I tend to favor images that pop. So we made some few changes to add more contrast and clarity to our next shot. This time I had Basia turn another 45 degrees away from the sun ( I used a reflector to bounce more light on to her face). I also took advantage of my trusty step stool to shoot at an angle slightly above her eye level to avoid flooding my lens with light this time. You can still see the glow and warmth of the backlighting, but my subject clearly pops in this image. This shot is definitely more my speed, but there’s no right or wrong way to do things.  It’s all a matter of preference. However, it never hurts to try something new. The more you learn how to manipulate light (whether it be natural or off camera), the better photographer you’ll be!

Lens: 24-70mm • ISO: 100 • Aperture: f/2.8 • Shutter: 1/400

This month’s Creativity Project theme is street photography.  According to Wikipedia, street photography features subjects in candid situations within public places and does not necessitate the presence of a street or even the urban environment. It can also be devoid of people entirely.  This type of photography is always a challenge for me. But when I’m on vacation, it’s a different story! I think it’s the “tourist” mentality that allows me to relax and capture my surroundings with more ease. Here’s a few “street style” photos from my most recent travels – places both near and far. To continue the circle, visit Scarlett at House of Emery for her take on this month’s theme.

Step aside, nifty fifty…there’s a new lens in town! I’ve had the 35mm for at least two months now, but I wanted to “really” test it out before I posted my thoughts on it. I rarely shoot closeups nor do I shoot wide open. But now I do thanks to this lens! I  saved up for this purchase for a very long time and when I finally did, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and test it out.  The verdict is in: I’m in love with this lens! Though it’s on the pricey side, the quality is top notch! I wouldn’t consider it a portrait lens per se (it’s better for photojournalistic photos), but it does a beautiful job especially at it’s lowest aperture, regardless of the subject matter. My 50mm never yields such tack sharp results at 1.4. And in low light, it’s an absolute dream. For the types of things I shoot and for my overall style, this lens works great for me.  All the images below were shot with my 35mm at f/1.4.

* You can find the 35mm lens here.