Magazine Pages + Handbag C&C

[mellowGOLD]

1.

magazine paper that I ripped out and arranged together

2.

A second one...

3.

I find myself shooting a lot with the aperture set at 5.6, which is the widest my kit lens can do. My other lens, the 55-250 does the same thing, so I'm debating whether to pick up a Canon 50mm 1.4 or a 1.8. I don't really need the faster speed of the 1.4, but I heard that its build quality is miles better, and I would rather have a lens that will stay with me than a lens that I will outgrow. I am open to other suggestions too for faster lens that cost below $500.

But anyways, I was hoping for C&C on some of these pictures,
Thanks

_______________________
My Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/themellowgold/

 

[brettmc]

#1 I like the best, though I don't know what to think about the words w/in the picture. I think your border works well with this picture; you have a good DOF, but there still is a lot of graininess (not sure if that was your intention). This pic develops some tension since my eyes want to go to the red and also the sharp portion of the picture. Good job overall.

#2 I can't say that I am a fan since there are many bright spots that draws my eye, but there is a lack of subject and I don't know where to anchor my eye.

#3 Good composition, but again the brightest spot which tends to attract the eye is OOF and the tag is underexposed which makes the picture confusing.

You have some great ideas here, keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing some of your future shots.

 

[RyanLilly]

I do like the first one, you have very good use of depth of field with the focus on the corners of the pages and the rest melts away. It is visually interesting and it's a little abstract, so you have to look at it for a while to figure out what is in the picture. However I do not care for the "paper torrent" text. To me it adds nothing to the image and actually detracts from its artistic value.

The second one does not have the same abstract feel, it just looks like some torn up pages.

The third would be better if the entire snap was in focus and I could clearly read the stamping.

A canon 50mm 1.4 is a great lens, and I use mine often, however you might want to also consider the sigma 50mm 1.4, its more expensive but all reviews I have seen place the image quality closer to the canon 1.2, than the 1.4 and for only $500. Basically its super sharp from 1.4-2.8, and the canon 1.4 is only pretty damn sharp, from 1.4-2.8. But the canon is still really sharp, the 50mm 1.4 is probably sharper wide open than a kit lens. I shoot a lot at 2.8 and wider, and quite frankly I have zero complaints.

 

[mellowGOLD]

thanks for the C&C. I will take care to keep in mind to put some more light on tags in the future. The "paper torrent" tag is in reference to a project I'm doing that involves a spread of cut magazine papers, forgot to explain that lol. I keep a version without the text in my HDD.

Since I was leaning toward the Canon 1.4 anyways, I'll be sure to check up on all options including the Sigma as it will be my first prime lens.