Blossoms, Fisheye Macro Style

Oh, I officially drank the Lensbaby kool-aid. Don't know when exactly it happened, but it must have been recent. I've been feeling all woozy, and like I.must.play.with.any.Lensbaby.optic.right.now!

These are with the Lensbaby Fisheye optic, focused with the flowers almost touching the glass. That is an AMAZING focusing distance, and deserves some kind of celebration. Probably a party.

I'll invite you when we decide on a date for the shindig, ok?

(Oh, and by the way, Quotidian Photography has its very own Facebook Page! I know, I'm drinking everyone's kool-aid. Check it out, though! I'd be tickled if you would like it.)

http://www.facebook.com/quotidianphotography

Leaf Bokeh

Bokeh's one of those words that photographers just throw around. It makes us feel smart, like we know something other people don't.

"Hey, nice bokeh!"

"That looks like a great lens. But what's the bokeh like on it?"

"Oh, I can't concentrate if the bokeh's really harsh in a picture."

Oh, silly photographers. All talk, no action. (Just kidding.) But bokeh is actually a useful concept. Basically it's the quality of the out of focus (blurry)  parts of a picture. Generally speaking, the smoother the blur, the nicer the bokeh. At least in my opinion.

For the Wikipedia article on bokeh, see here. And for TOP's take, a little more technical maybe, go here.

Sutro Baths

So last week I was lucky enough to go on two photo outings, and this is from the first one. Sutro Baths is one of my favorite places in San Francisco; it's just stunningly beautiful.

In the news: Zack Arias has a new blog, and has started doing critiques again! Be still my heart. If you are even thinking about having a photography website, you must go check this out!

Also, an interesting article about declaring war on friction in The 99 Percent.

Pinhole

Ok. So, yesterday I wished you Happy International Pinhole Photography Day. I may have been in fact a touch overexcited. Turns out that the real event, technically called World Pinhole Photography Day, which usually falls on the last Sunday in April, has been extended to a week, namely the week of April 23-May 1 this year. For instructions on how to participate, see this link.

In preparation for the great day, a few of us met up yesterday to have some pinhole fun, and create our own pinhole lenses, using a body cap with a hole drilled into it, a pinhole taped onto the inside, and then a clear UV filter stuck to the front to prevent any dust getting inside the camera body.

I was a wuss and bought the Lensbaby pinhole/zoneplate optic in preparation, as I was loath to give up any precious body caps. But I did watch a bunch of other pinholes get made.

Seems like the smaller the pinhole, the sharper the image. Not sure if that's totally accurate. Lensbaby says their pinhole is f/177.

Lensbaby pinhole, f/177, 50mm, ISO 200, 1.6 seconds on a tripod.

 If you're at all serious about pinhole photography, a tripod is a must. Exposure times are often many seconds long. Also, it will make you want to clean your sensor. Any tiny speck of dust that's on there will be visible. These images required a bit of spot cleaning in Lightroom.

The long exposure times mean you can do some fun stuff with your models, as soon as you throw out the idea that anything is going to be sharp. Sharp is for other lenses, not for pinhole. But motion is fun.

Lensbaby pinhole, f/177, 50mm, ISO 320, 8 seconds. 

Lensbaby pinhole, f/177, 50mm, ISO 320, 10 seconds.

Lensbaby pinhole, f/177, 50mm, ISO 640, 10 seconds

 The zoneplate function is also fun. It makes everything glow. Also, not sharp. Forget about sharp!

Lensbaby zoneplate, f/19, 50mm, ISO 1000, 1/8s. 

It was great. I felt instantly creative in a childlike way again. If you've tried any pinhole photography, I'd love to see your images. And if you feel inspired to make your own pinhole, there are tons of tutorials on the web.

Happy Early World Pinhole Photography Day!

Poppy Bud 2

Such SWEET light. My second photo stroll of the week with a willing partner. I think this is my favorite image by far.

PS Happy Pinhole Photography Day! I'll be trying my first pinhole shots out today. Wish me luck!

Tunnel