This second exercise in the Introduction asks us to focus, with a set wide aperture, and from the same place, take two or three pictures each focused on something at a different distance. We are ask to compare the photos and note how the sharp focus draws the attention, to state which photo is prefered, and why. I chose to shoot this on my Sony NEX6 with a 50mm (75mm) lens set at f1.8. I decided to shoot three colour objects on a windowsill lit by ourside natural light . My distance from the objects is three feet. The Bokeh effect at f1.8 is very apparent. The NEX6 is an amazing camera, compared with a heavy DSLR, and fits my hand rather like a table tennis bat or squash racket waiting to be positioned into action. My preference is the first shot. Why? Because my attention is drawn to the left of the picture (we intuitively read from left to right) and the rest of the picture leads us into 'a blurred vision of mystery'
First in focus: f1.8@1/2500 Middle in focus: f1.8 @1/2000 Rear in focus:f1.8@1/1600
First in focus: f1.8@1/2500 Middle in focus: f1.8 @1/2000 Rear in focus:f1.8@1/1600
The second part of this exercise asks us to stand at an angle to a row of objects such as railings and use a tripod to frame at a midpoint. Then to take three pictures, maintaining the same focus point at wide, medium and small aperatures, bearing in mind the reciprocal relationship between shutter speed and aperture. We are asked to print the results and compare them noting the limits of sharpness with a pencil, noting how each pencil band is arranged around the focus point. the three shots illustrate the reciprocal relationship as we change the f stops, hence the exposure is correct and maintained in all three shots. The major change is the depth of focus. In the first photo only the centre area is in focus at f2.8. But as the f stop is changed up to f22 the whole photo becomes sharply in focus from top to bottom.
My learning on these two exercises is that in the future, I will be more aware of the influence of focussing,aperture and speed on my photography, especially on portrait and street photography, where creating the right depth of field can greatly influence how we see the subject two diamensionally in a print.
f2.8@1/2000 f5.6@1/500 f22@1/25
My learning on these two exercises is that in the future, I will be more aware of the influence of focussing,aperture and speed on my photography, especially on portrait and street photography, where creating the right depth of field can greatly influence how we see the subject two diamensionally in a print.
f2.8@1/2000 f5.6@1/500 f22@1/25