Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Sick today. Some flowers I shot Sunday in Anza Borrego.

I suspected I wasn't feeling all too hot on Sunday. Today I know I'm sick with a cold or flu. Never got out of my jammies.

Sunday I shot photos with a 100mm macro lens and all shots were taken on a tripod. I kept shooting away. I knew I wasn't liking what I was getting. I hiked up the trail and found the little shade there was and set up. The only other time I used this lens I was on the ground with the camera. I could see better whether what I wanted was in focus or not and I was comfortable. Sunday, the rocky terrain had me standing, set up low and I just never got comfortable. Of all the photos I took, there were only a few that were in focus enough to keep just for this post.

What I learned this day:
-Go earlier before the wind picks up. Shooting macro with even the slightest breeze is almost impossible.
-Don't start shooting until I find something pleasing. Just take the time and keep looking for color, patterns, texture, etc.
-Don't go to a popular trail area. I had to be concerned about someone walking by and my being in their way or kicking over my tripod.
-I don't know much about macro photography.
-Setting the aperture to 32 isn't enough for macro photography unless the flower is on the same plane. Depth of field is only very limited.
-Basically know what I like about what I'm attempting to shoot and shoot for that.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love this pictures!!! they are beautiful!!!!

lamont said...

lj,
hope you feel better. lr

Anonymous said...

Rather than trying to squint through a tiny viewfinder at ground level, borrow a right angle finder. I find one real useful when shooting straight up or close to the ground.

When it comes to depth of field, a tilt & shift lens on an extension tube takes some beating. But that gets in to the realm of silly money for glass.

None the less, I do like the blue flowers ;)