Backyard Branches
Feb, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in our backyard. I had cut down part of a dead tree and had it lying in the field and the grass had grown around it. I was planning on breaking it up but the feral cats that live in our area like to perch on it to hunt mice so I left it as is. Its often fun to shoot around the house and look for new angles and perspectives you have not shot before even if you have been there a hundred times.Time
This photo was taken mid-morning when the light was bright enough to light the background but there was still shade in the foreground to avoid excessive shadows. It was very cold that morning and I love how the light brings that fall amber look to the shot.Lighting
My favorite part of the lighting is the background bokeh that makes the gnarled branches pop against the amber light. Most of the photo is relatively monochrome and the background light is what really brings interest to the shot. The morning light filtered over the distant mountains onto the the brush which gave a beautiful glow that really sets the mood.Equipment
This shot was taken when I was really first getting into photography. My Fiancee had just gotten a fast fifty (Canon 50mm 1.8) for us and it was amazing how much bokeh you can get shooting wide open and how sharp the lens is compared to the 18-55 mm kit lens. I shot it wide open at f/1.8 handheld with our Canon Rebel T3.Inspiration
We had just gotten the new lens and I was excited to shoot some bokeh shots around the yard. Bokeh is an awesome tool as there are a lot of elements outside our yard that are not very photogenic but now I suddenly had the ability to isolate the subject and smooth out the background into a beautiful abstract pattern. I am a technical person and found that I am often drawn to shots with lots of intricate lines and details that really come out in a sharp photo.Editing
This photo was actually as shot from the camera. This was back when I shot in JPEG and before Adobe revolutionized their photography software package with their monthly subscriptions. I shoot RAW now and use light room to post process all of my photos, I now consider it just as much as part of photography as taking the actual photo. One of the things I like about Viewbug is that I can look back at my earlier photos and see my progression as a photographer as well as see the those first shots that really got you stoked to keep pushing forward with your art.In my camera bag
I try to carry all the equipment I need to capture the full range of focal lengths and other necessary equipment to get the shot I need. I dont mind the weight and love the ability to see something and swap out lenses and not miss an opportunity. For lenses I carry the Canon kit 18-55mm for the occasional wide shot, a 50MM 1.8 for natural photos or if I need to shoot low light and a Canon EF-S 55-250mm for telephoto shots and portraits. I found that the 55-250mm is awesome for macro photography as well with use of extension tubes. I also carry a Newer flash as well as a tripod and a wired remote for doing long exposure work. Most of my gear is entry level but I feel that working around some of the limitations makes you focus more on all the details of the shot.Feedback
A big part of making creative shots is to find different angles and use foreground as well as background bokeh. I especially love the way grass becomes semi-translucent when it is out of focus which brings context and interest to the subject. When thinking about the background, look for repeating patterns and lights that will create a more visually interesting effect and always try to create contrast between the part of the background that is behind your subject to really make it pop. One of the things I love about shooting wide open is that you can work in areas that have unappealing backgrounds like chain link fences etc. but you can blur it away and tell a story with your subject that may be starkly different than reality. For example, there is actually a really ugly billboard that is behind the bushes in the background but by shooting low and wide open it looks like you could be in the middle of the woods.
