my big back yard...

terri · Jun 2, 2004

....it rained off and on over the long weekend at my house, so I decided to goof around with closeups, macro and DOF. I also tried a slide film OTHER than Fuji; this is Kodak Ektochrome 100 VS (very saturated?). The slides have better color than these scans will indicate, but I think Fuji is still the king.

This image of the ivy clearly states the need for a polarizer. I was playing "fill the frame" with 135mm lens.

It was very overcast for this shot, so I opened up to f2.8 so I could still handhold the camera at 60. I knew the DOF might suffer a bit.

A friendly Japanese beetle devouring my black-eyed Susans...

Ground view of a daylily.

Harpper · Jun 2, 2004

These pictures have a wonderful color tone to them. There's also a nice shine coming from the beetle's body. I'm assuming that's from the flash? It's gives the beetle a nice glass like look. Your 4th one has a nice composition.

voodoocat · Jun 2, 2004

Wow! Color from terri?

They look great. You did very well for such a short DOF. Love the beetle shot, just wish the whole leaf was in focus.

terri · Jun 2, 2004

voodoocat said:
Wow! Color from terri?

They look great. You did very well for such a short DOF. Love the beetle shot, just wish the whole leaf was in focus.

Yeah...color! Told ya I was bored...

(Actually, I shoot slide film quite often, for the purposes of further manipulation, once I project it onto various Polaroid films. It's always Fuji film though.)

ah - focus - phffft! :wink:

I think it's more a DOF issue than anything.

No flash was used in any of these shots, btw. The beetle is shiny because he is clean from the rain. :sillysmi:

Corry · Jun 2, 2004

Nice pictures! I'm looking into filters now myself...what exactly does the polorizer do??

terri · Jun 3, 2004

core_17 said:
Nice pictures! I'm looking into filters now myself...what exactly does the polorizer do??

Well, it does a few things, but for the ivy shot it would have eliminated the glare from those shiny leaves. Trust me, although I like the composition I got, the image is not what it should be. It should be all about shape, in varying shades of green, with none of that dull glare from above.

Polarizers are also used if you have a lot of blue sky in your image, with a circular polarizer you basically turn it until it has given you a more vivid blue sky. Apparently you can see the effect while you turn it so you retain control of that feature.

They're a little pricey, which is why I've held back on getting one, but I can't make better images until I do, so I'm over it. :wink:

I'm getting one too.

LaFoto · Jun 4, 2004

So, Terri, you mean to say that with the use of a polarizing filter the ivy leaves would not have reflected as much sunlight and the colours would have been deeper?

Sorry about adding own photos to what is originally YOUR thread, but this is just in order to take up your point and ask you:

Would these leaves have been less "shiny" had I not forgotten (

:roll: ) to put on my polarizer when I went out for these (and many other photos with very washed-out skies... :? :x ??)

Though, in fact, I'm quite happy about the outcome (of the print, not the scan!!!) in the first of the two for this "harsh" light brings out each and every little detail of the leaves, mostly so of the shiniest one.

terri · Jun 4, 2004

LaFoto said:
So, Terri, you mean to say that with the use of a polarizing filter the ivy leaves would not have reflected as much sunlight and the colours would have been deeper?

Sorry about adding own photos to what is originally YOUR thread, but this is just in order to take up your point and ask you:

Would these leaves have been less "shiny" had I not forgotten ( :roll: ) to put on my polarizer when I went out for these (and many other photos with very washed-out skies... :? :x ??)

Though, in fact, I'm quite happy about the outcome (of the print, not the scan!!!) in the first of the two for this "harsh" light brings out each and every little detail of the leaves, mostly so of the shiniest one.

No need to apologize for adding a photo to help show an example.

I see what you're saying here, and - yep, that's exactly what it would have done. Only you had a polarizer, you naughty girl, and I didn't, so I had an excuse. :wink:

Seeing the ivy image really kicked my butt; I know I have to get one now or forever have "snapshot" quality only.

LaFoto · Jun 4, 2004

So would you say that my photos of the leaves with the FORGOTTEN polarizer have snapshot character only???

"POLARIZER! HEY POLARIZER: hop onto that lense from now on and forever!!!!"

(You need sooooooo much more light with that filter on I found out today... oh dear, soooooo much more).

terri · Jun 4, 2004

LaFoto said:
So would you say that my photos of the leaves with the FORGOTTEN polarizer have snapshot character only???

"POLARIZER! HEY POLARIZER: hop onto that lense from now on and forever!!!!"

(You need sooooooo much more light with that filter on I found out today... oh dear, soooooo much more).

hee hee, I would never dare say that about anyone's stuff but my own... and yeah, I need to buy the thing and start playing with it. There is some compensating you have to do, but I won't know until I've blown a few shots (sounds like what you did today?)....you're way ahead of me, so buck up! :LOL: