A few weeks ago I bought an 80mm medium format lens with a few to making one of these, but I hadn't managed to find anything to use as the bellows until today.
Well, I thought I'd found something decent to use – a rubber gaitor for a car's suspension arm – but it didn't really work out. The rubber was too rigid and I couldn't really manipulate the lens as I would have liked, which made taking this shot a bit of a struggle. Also, I left it a bit late for taking portraits as the kids were about to go to bed and weren't at their most cooperative ;-)
Anyway, this shot was the best of the bunch, and while it's something like what I was after I'm not exactly delighted with it.
Oh, and as the lens isn't exactly finished I haven't put up the EXIF data.
comment byFellow Eskimo at 12:32 AM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
Well, I prefer yesterdays for sure. This one definitally has a soft touch, that is something I like about medium format (I only know about toy cameras though, so no big lenses for me). It still has a very nice effect to it, it might help if there were some sharper focus maybe? Or more depth?
comment bySmallest Photo at 01:52 AM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
I really like the effect and strangely I think it works best with a dark or black background.
comment by kate at 02:39 AM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
what i like most about this is the complexity of her expression, eminating mostly from her eyes, pensive, as if she's looking into her own future.
nice. :)
comment by Sharla at 04:08 AM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
Sorry, it really doesn't do it for me. I think you did alright with the bellowed lens but there is nothing appealing about the shot except the eyes. (Now why would that be?) The tilted plane over accents the out of focus on her mouth way too much.
Now, I do believe you'll find many interesting ways to use this lens setup. I can think of situations where you could have near infinite dof and yet have ceilings or walls or other body parts out of focus.
But this wasn't it.
comment byKayleigh at 05:54 AM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
i do love the expression
comment byAdriana at 07:33 AM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
Well I think that her expression shows somtehing we haven't seen on her. The softness of the picture gives it a very nice touch. :)
comment byvortexstorm at 02:28 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
this is an amazing photo. such innocence and beauty and simplicity captured so clearly.. and the softness just accentuates the entire feel.. wow.. =)
comment by acheena at 02:51 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
the first thing that strikes me is the eyes! your daughters certainly have the most beautiful eyes ever! but i would have preferred if her mouth was in focus a little more.
comment byCatorze at 03:11 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
Muy bueno el degradado, felicidades
comment byhungaro at 04:41 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
very sweet
I prefere yesterday's
the blur seems to be a bit strong on this one
comment by Jay at 05:08 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
The colors in this photo are not very vibrant.
It looks almost like a painted B&W.
Or maybe you desaturated it a bit?
To be honest though, the DoF is a little to extreme in my opinion.
The eyes are almost in focus and the mouth is totally out of focus.
It just doesn't have the "natural" look.
Keep experimenting though, I'm sure you are going to put out some really nice stuff with this lens in the future!
comment bypicturegrl at 09:33 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
This one is pretty, but I agree with the others who stated that the mouth is definitely too soft for my tastes. They eyes are okay, although I would like to see them a little more in focus as well. However, the light is pretty and her expression is lovely, making it not a bad picture, just not quite as nice as most of your pictures of your daughter. It's such a beautiful pose... I wish this had all been Photoshopped so that we could see an original without the blur.
comment bylisa at 10:04 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
I like the picture a lot, very cute. But the bottom half of the picture seems almost too blurred to me. Still nice though.
comment byflygirl at 10:26 PM (GMT) on 16 April, 2005
I'd have to agree with Lisa. It is a nice shot, don't get me wrong, but it's also a little too blurred and soft for me...
comment bydoffer at 12:12 AM (GMT) on 17 April, 2005
Really great child photo! Really rove the dramy quality of your pics, and try to mention things seen on chromasia when taking my own images... Longing for a pic of your quality, and trying to become a better photograph by learning from other peoples pics and my own mistakes... It's hard though.... :s
Btw: Think you blog is screwed up ;(
comment bydjn1 at 01:29 AM (GMT) on 17 April, 2005
Thanks everyone.
I tend to agree about this one, it didn't quite work. I don't mind about the extreme loss of focus around her mouth, that was intentional, but what doesn't work for me is that her right eye, the only one that is in focus, is obscured by hair. I think that if this hadn't been the case the shot would have worked a lot better.
doffer: see tomorrow's entry.
comment by m at 09:15 PM (GMT) on 19 April, 2005
:-(
comment byGabriel at 11:53 PM (GMT) on 19 April, 2005
Interesting idea and good composition, although I agree the DOF may be a bit extreme on the lips.
You really should consider playing with a Lensbaby if you want some innovative distortion effects. They're fun and cheap. I've been getting great use from mine.
comment bynomar at 06:40 PM (GMT) on 20 April, 2005
Wow I can see why your blog is listed at the top stop. Nice work you got here.
comment bysarah at 01:12 AM (GMT) on 28 June, 2005
This portrait has major tension for me. Her expression and the blur create confusion about her age. The way her smile doesn't touch her eyes makes her look sophistocated and grown up-- like maybe this is a neotenous, pretty adult-- but the baby cheeks are obviously a little girl's.
So it's hard to see the blur as plain sweet... I find it really interesting!
comment by Erica at 04:30 AM (GMT) on 5 July, 2005
Just beautiful. One she will love when she is older :)
Well, I prefer yesterdays for sure. This one definitally has a soft touch, that is something I like about medium format (I only know about toy cameras though, so no big lenses for me). It still has a very nice effect to it, it might help if there were some sharper focus maybe? Or more depth?
I really like the effect and strangely I think it works best with a dark or black background.
what i like most about this is the complexity of her expression, eminating mostly from her eyes, pensive, as if she's looking into her own future.
nice. :)
Sorry, it really doesn't do it for me. I think you did alright with the bellowed lens but there is nothing appealing about the shot except the eyes. (Now why would that be?) The tilted plane over accents the out of focus on her mouth way too much.
Now, I do believe you'll find many interesting ways to use this lens setup. I can think of situations where you could have near infinite dof and yet have ceilings or walls or other body parts out of focus.
But this wasn't it.
i do love the expression
Well I think that her expression shows somtehing we haven't seen on her. The softness of the picture gives it a very nice touch. :)
this is an amazing photo. such innocence and beauty and simplicity captured so clearly.. and the softness just accentuates the entire feel.. wow.. =)
the first thing that strikes me is the eyes! your daughters certainly have the most beautiful eyes ever! but i would have preferred if her mouth was in focus a little more.
Muy bueno el degradado, felicidades
very sweet
I prefere yesterday's
the blur seems to be a bit strong on this one
The colors in this photo are not very vibrant.
It looks almost like a painted B&W.
Or maybe you desaturated it a bit?
To be honest though, the DoF is a little to extreme in my opinion.
The eyes are almost in focus and the mouth is totally out of focus.
It just doesn't have the "natural" look.
Keep experimenting though, I'm sure you are going to put out some really nice stuff with this lens in the future!
This one is pretty, but I agree with the others who stated that the mouth is definitely too soft for my tastes. They eyes are okay, although I would like to see them a little more in focus as well. However, the light is pretty and her expression is lovely, making it not a bad picture, just not quite as nice as most of your pictures of your daughter. It's such a beautiful pose... I wish this had all been Photoshopped so that we could see an original without the blur.
I like the picture a lot, very cute. But the bottom half of the picture seems almost too blurred to me. Still nice though.
I'd have to agree with Lisa. It is a nice shot, don't get me wrong, but it's also a little too blurred and soft for me...
Really great child photo! Really rove the dramy quality of your pics, and try to mention things seen on chromasia when taking my own images... Longing for a pic of your quality, and trying to become a better photograph by learning from other peoples pics and my own mistakes... It's hard though.... :s
Btw: Think you blog is screwed up ;(
Thanks everyone.
I tend to agree about this one, it didn't quite work. I don't mind about the extreme loss of focus around her mouth, that was intentional, but what doesn't work for me is that her right eye, the only one that is in focus, is obscured by hair. I think that if this hadn't been the case the shot would have worked a lot better.
doffer: see tomorrow's entry.
:-(
Interesting idea and good composition, although I agree the DOF may be a bit extreme on the lips.
You really should consider playing with a Lensbaby if you want some innovative distortion effects. They're fun and cheap. I've been getting great use from mine.
Wow I can see why your blog is listed at the top stop. Nice work you got here.
B&W Photography
This portrait has major tension for me. Her expression and the blur create confusion about her age. The way her smile doesn't touch her eyes makes her look sophistocated and grown up-- like maybe this is a neotenous, pretty adult-- but the baby cheeks are obviously a little girl's.
So it's hard to see the blur as plain sweet... I find it really interesting!
Just beautiful. One she will love when she is older :)