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Elaine Mueller Tweedy
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Project 52 - Week 49: Get Closer

12/9/2016

5 Comments

 
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It's December, and there is a high of 30 predicted for us on Saturday as an arctic front moves in.  "Trough" and "arctic front" are my two most feared weather phrases in Northeastern Pennsylvania.  That cold is a good catalyst for getting closer to the fire, our doggy lap covers, and any other significant snugglers we can find.

This week I used and experimented with several different lenses in an effort to get closer to things. I could not get out of my mind those flip board games we used to play as a kid.  You know the ones that would have 5 different faces, 5 different mid-sections, and 5 different rest-of-the-bodies?  You would flip one face, then flip until you found the middle section you wanted to match it, then flip for the bottom sections.  They were made with both animals and people.  I have seen versions of them in today's world with Disney princesses.

Maybe this came to mind because it is flippin' hard to get really close to animals with a camera and lens in your hands unless they are asleep or heavily sedated.

At any rate, some lenses will let you get close and some will not.  Some will present a shallow depth of field the closer you get and some will not (and this can also depend on your settings with a particular lens).  I tried a 50mm, my 24-70mm and a macro (35-105mm).  Over and over again.  Not in a PITA over-and-over again sort of way, but in a FUN over-and-over again mode.

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What you are seeing here are the fruits of my labor.  By now you may even know which body parts belong to which dog in my household.

Because getting closer will undoubtedly leave quite a large portion of your image out of focus (that depth of field thing) I always feel it's a good thing to use a creative crop.  I also used texture overlays on all of these images.

As part of the process, I learned that Lilah will sit for anything, even getting uncomfortably close to her with the camera because she knows beyond the shadow of doubt that a treat will follow.  It is often hard to keep her OUT of photos you don't want her to be in.
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Luke, on the other hand, will walk behind you whenever you point the camera at him and want him to be in front of you.  I use the very effective throw-a-treat-on-the-ground-somewhere method, which Luke will run and try to find.  Once he finds it, he will eat it and then he will look right at you for more.  By that time I'm focused in and ready to go and BOOM, I snap the photo and feel like I, the human, have won!

Of course, this method CANNOT be used with eight dogs in the room.  The resulting kerfluffle would not be something ANYONE would want to be close to.

So my question to you would be, do you think you can recognize which image I took with which lens?  I am not quite sure how to give you the answer.  It's not like a crossword puzzle, where I can put the answer on the back of the page, or write the answer upside down at the bottom. 

But, if you decide to respond in the comments section, I will reply and let you know if you are correct.  Give it a whirl.  See what you think.

Here is a final photo of Lilah's full head shot.  It's her close up, Mr. DeMille.  I find it much easier to get closer to flowers, insects and small amphibians. Except spiders.  Never spiders.

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Now get up close and personal with the rest of the blog circle, starting with Jessica Wasik of Bark & Gold Photography, serving Pittsburgh pets and their people.  If you are in an arctic air mass this weekend, stay warm!
5 Comments
Jessica link
12/9/2016 05:40:09 am

Oh, I just love that first shot! I've always wanted to get one like it. And the second one of just the nose is too adorable.

Now, from one fellow Pennsylvanian to another--stay warm!

Reply
Kim Hollis link
12/9/2016 06:19:39 am

Because I don't know which photos you cropped, it's hard for me to guess which lens is which and I'm not sure I'd really know then either. Would the nose shot be the macro lens? Or is that with you 50mm at f/1.8 since the nose is so sharp? See... I really don't know. I could see either reasoning work. Is the last shot the macro lens? More of the face is in focus in that shot but you may have been at f3.5 or 4 to achieve that? Thanks for posing this question b/c I really don't know the answer but I would like to know. :)

Reply
Elaine
12/10/2016 05:17:10 pm

Well, I commented before, but only through the magic of Weebly, the comment seems to have disappeared. At any rate, my original reply went something like this: It would probably be easier for you to figure out which lens did which photo if I added the settings. The half face photos were done with my 24-70mm. The nose photo was done with my 35-105mm macro, and the full head shot was done with the 50mm. Hope this shows up.

Reply
Kelly link
12/15/2016 10:09:26 am

OMGosh I just love this face! I loved the first one until I saw the 3rd one until I saw the last one. . . Such wonderful images. Beautifully done. :O)

Reply
Darlene link
12/15/2016 10:20:19 pm

These are great! I LOVE nose shots and this is perfect! :) Yes, it's a "flippin challenge to get close!!!" I agree! The last one is stunning - always enjoy your posts! (I would have guessed the nose was done with the macro).

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