Don’t Leave Home Without Your Camera

NYC_STORE_1That’s of course one of the tricks to getting a good photo. Just keep taking pictures! But even when your doing some of the most mundane things, you might just find some perfect light and a child with a great attitude for the day! Here are two shots from our recent overnight in NYC. We went window shopping down in SOHO and while in a furniture store, she sat down while we browsed. When I checked on her, I noticed that the window light streaming in from the high broad windows was beautiful. Her eyes just sparkled when she looked up at me. Of course, I said, oh, you look so pretty, stay right there! The warm tones in the store made it even more beautiful and she cooperated for two or three shots. (32mm; F/5; ISO 400).

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At the next store, there were floor to ceiling windows all around the 2nd floor store. And she picked up a nice prop- a bouquet of artificial sunflowers – and promptly sat on the floor in front of the window. Because I was so close to her, not more than five feet, and used a focal length slightly more than normal (65mm), the flowers are out of focus. (65m; F/5; ISO 400). For both shots, I had my camera in aperture priority mode so that I could always pick the most wide open aperture I could get given the lighting. This way I ensured the background would be a little softer to make her pop out. And I always focus on the eyes (or the eye that is closest to the camera).

Eggs-tra Fun Weekend for Photos

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Like millions across the country, we dyed eggs this past weekend. And took pictures of the whole process. I have about 5 years worth of egg-dying photos now. (I see a big scrapbook collage with lots of 2×2 photos in my future). And each year I try to capture the one with the egg in focus and her face in the background smiling as she shows off her masterpieces one by one. Well, I got the egg in focus, and she’s nicely out of focus in the background. But no smile this year! I set my camera to “A” (aperture priority) and dialed in the widest aperture opening I could (f/5.7 at 97mm) so that the in front of and behind my subject (the egg) would be out of focus. I had my ISO turned all the way up to 3200 so that I would not have to use a flash. I like the result. And the egg went on to be further decorated and then promptly turned into a deviled egg!