What’s Up?
Yesterday I created the first three-image optimization BAA Digital Basics III Video. It will be in the store and offered for sale here on Thursday. Speaking of Thursday, the forecast for the end of this week has changed a bit. The wind and sky conditions are looking good for Thursday morning and even better for Friday morning. See the next item if you would like to join me for a morning or two and learn the ropes at this great fall location.
Today is Tuesday 7 November 2023. I have not yet decided if I will head down to the lake for a bit as the forecast is for a gentle NE wind. At this time of year, with the sun rising in the east/southeast, a northeast wind is OK early on but gets worse each minute as the sun makes its way to the south. Wherever you are a whatever you are doing, I hope that you too have a great day.
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Clockwise from the upper left back around to center: Osprey gaining altitude after missed strike; school of mullet under attack from below; Wood Stork with Southern Whiting; Osprey with Menhaden; Wood Stork with small lobster; Royal Tern with large baitfish; Osprey with Menhaden; juvenile Osprey directly overhead “t-shot”; Osprey taking flight with freshly caught Mullet. |
Sebastian Inlet In-the-Field Sessions
Join me for 3 hours of morning In-the-Field Instruction at Sebastian Inlet for only $300.00/session. The main target will be Ospreys fishing for a variety of migrating saltwater fish that visit the inlet each fall. Back-up subjects include fishing gulls, terns, and Brown Pelicans, Wood Stork, a variety of herons and egrets, sunrise cloud-scapes, and the occasional sea turtle or manatee.
November Dates: 9-11 & 20-25, 2023.
Please get in touch via e-mail to book one or more sessions.
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Gear Questions and Advice
Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are — out of ignorance — using the wrong gear, especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads. And the same is true in spades when ordering new camera bodies or lenses. My advice will often save you some serious money and may help you avoid making a seriously bad choice. Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. If you are desperate, you can try me on my cell at 863-221-2372. Please leave a message and shoot me a text if I do not pick up.
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This image was created on 5 November 2023 about one block from my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Crouching just a bit, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/250 sec. at f/2.8 (open) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure was determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:30:31am in the shade on a sunny morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #1: Blazing Star blossom |
The Situation
Just about a block from my house, a stand of Blazing Star blooms every year in November where one of the many run-off canals in the neighborhood meets the road, in this case, Toronto Drive. I have photographed the flowers in previous years with my Canon 180mm macro lens, the Metabones adapter, and an a7R IV or more recently, an a-1. As I never came up with anything interesting, I tried a new approach on Sunday morning by working with the tripod-mounted 400mm f/2.8 lens. The super-fast aperture worked perfect for the shaded conditions — there are fairly dense pine woods on both sides of the road. The trees also acted as a windbreak protecting the flowers from the 15mph breeze down by the lake.
The Same-Old Depth-of-Field Question in a Different Form
Why did the wide open f/2.8 aperture provide more than enough d-o-f to render the entire blossom sharp?
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This image was also created on 5 November 2023 about one block from my home at Indian Lake Estates, FL. Crouching just a bit, I used the Robus RC-5558 Vantage Series 3 Carbon Fiber Tripod/Levered-Clamp FlexShooter Pro-mounted Sony FE 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS lens and The One, the Sony Alpha 1 Mirrorless Digital Camera). The exposure was determined via Zebra technology with ISO on the Thumb Dial. ISO 640. 1/125 sec. at f/4 (stopped down one-stop) in Manual mode. When evaluated in RawDigger, the raw file exposure as determined to be dead-solid perfect (ho hum). AWB at 8:33:25am in the shade on a sunny morning. Tracking: Expand Spot/AF-C performed to perfection. Be sure to click on the image to enjoy a high-res version. Image #2: Blazing Star blossom (and more) |
Your Calls?
1- Which image features the more complete, more perfect blossom?
2- Which image is the stronger, more interesting photograph. Why?
I have a very clear favorite that I will share with you here on Thursday.
Typos
With all blog posts, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors.
…as to depth of field, the 20 foot distance helps.
a 400 mm on a full frame at 2.8 will never have much dof, but subject to lens distance is key
That is correct, sir.
a
Good morning, Artie;
I like the first image more (see a) but there are qualities I like about both images:
a) In the second image, as others have mentioned, the green foliage in the lower left is too bright/too well defined and draws my eye to it.
b) To my eye, it looks like you were in a slightly different position for the second image; I like how it moves diagonally through the frame and I like how it intersects the yellow background colors near the top of the frame.
c) It looks like in the second image there was a slight change in light as well; the colors in the background seem brighter, with better contrast.
All the best.
John
Hi John,
a- That o-o-f foliage is a huge plus for me! Different strokes …
b- Yes. I moved around a lot as there was no sun on the flowers.
c- A different angle with some light on the background.
thanks for commenting, with love,
a
Hi Artie,
I prefer the 1st image over the 2nd. I like the angle of the 2nd and the yellow, but the plant in the lower left is too much of a distraction for me. The 1st flower looks like it’s closer to its peak, there are more flowers and the small green leaves near the flowers are not yellowing like on the 2nd. It’s similar to a wildflower up here in the Pacific Northwest and on those plants the flowers die off from the bottom upward. I suspect that your flowers are similar. You can always monitor it if you have the time. I’m not going to wade into the DOF question. I’ll read and learn if what I think is correct or not.
Thanks, Keith. As for the d-o-f question, reading my replies here would shed some light on the situation.
with love, artie
Hi Artie. Both are great images. Image 2 holds the edge for me due to the angle of the stalk, which creates more interest and the balancing of the yellow background in the upper left and the out-of-focus plant and flowers in the lower left. The dof is a combination of aligning the flower stalk parallel to the sensor and the distance from the flower. This lens has a minimum focusing distance of just less than 9ft. The dof at 9 ft. at f/2.8 is 9/32 in. The dof at 12 ft. increases to 1/2 in. This lens can make some incredible close up images from a “not so close” distance.
Thanks, Dane!
You wrote, “The dof is a combination of aligning the flower stalk parallel to the sensor and the distance from the flower.”
Of those two, which is the vastly more important factor.
And BTW, the two focus distances were 7.08m for Image #1, and 6.27m for the second photo. Those convert to 22.3 feet and 20.57 feet respectively. In other words, I was a good distance away from relatively large blossoms; each is more than a foot in length. The total d-o-f at 21 feet at f/2.8 is 0.13 feet, or about 1 1/2 inches. As the flowers are no more than an inch in diameter, the d-o-f at a distance is more than enough to cover the blossom.
with love, artie
ps: Yes, a “not so close distance.”
Why did the wide open f/2.8 aperture provide more than enough d-o-f …………. camera was square to the whole stalk.
I like #1 better because pf the softer background colors being mostly horizontal against the vertical stalk, the oof purple showing on the left, and the arc of leaves at the base of the plant. In #2 the diagonal line of the stalk is good. The starburst of leaves and spot of oof purple balance the stem well. Just am not keen on the strong yellow.
Thanks for the comments, Elinor. As for the d-o-f question, there is a more important factor involved …
a
Hi Artie – Nice shots of a beautiful flower, Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata). I like both images but perhaps the second image more, likely because of the diagonal leading one’s eye up the stalk to the top with a beautiful yellow background. The plants in the lower left I think add compositional balance to the image.
Thanks for the species ID Larry. And for your comments.
Do you know which flower is farther advanced in terms of bloom?
with love, a
Good morning Artie. Both fine images for me the best one is the first although I am a sucker for the yellows in the second image. All is sharp at 2.8 because the flower is all on the same plane. I might have gone with the second image but the plant anchored in the lower left is distracting. It pulls my eye away from the main subject as it looks like it is coming out to grab you. Not familiar with the plant it seems like the second image is at full development looking closely at the pistils. I need to do more flowers.
Thanks, Kevin. I find flowers a pleasant change and a challenge. As for the d-o-f question, there is a more important factor than the one you mentioned.
with love, a
Hi Artie,
1) I believe image #2 has fuller blossoms at mid length down the bloom
2) Personally, I’d go with image #2 because the blossom is fuller, the angle is more interesting to me, and the plant in the bottom RHS is better placed and less distracting than #1
My guess is that you have better DoF with the 400mm because you were standing positioned further away when you took that shot, so the increased distance more than offset the wide open aperture.
Thanks, Dave.
While #2 is my favorite by far, it seems to that the blossom in the first image is fuller and more complete. nNo need to guess — as always, it is all about the distance to the subject.
a