Spring Colors!

I'm so glad that it's Spring!  Looking forward to the many Spring blooms that should be appearing in our gardens over the next few weeks.  Unfortunately, the weather is not cooperating.  I'm still wearing my winter coat most of the day.

So while it's chilly outside, I'm inside comfy and cozy and testing out my Nikkor 24-120mm f/4 lens.  I'm shooting everything at f/4...zoomed in or zoomed out and everything in between.  I really like what I'm seeing.  While this lens is no match for my Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 prime lens (and it shouldn't be), I'm enjoying the center sharpness and even the lovely bokeh it produces.

Spring colors!

This 24-120mm f/4 lens is a monster.  Okay, it's the biggest lens I have.  It's the heaviest.  Probably uses the largest filter I have ever owned...77mm.  It feels hefty in my hands.  When I have it on my camera, D600, it's beautiful to hold and to handle.  Now, I do notice the extra weight around my neck and I'm using the well padded Crumpler's Industry Disgrace strap.  I have to hold my camera by the lens.  It feels that heavy.

I read a review where the Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is heavier than this one.  I can't imagine.

I've put my camera and my monster lens through some tests.  The first thing I noticed is how fast the lens focuses.  It's quick.  At first, it took me by surprise.  Now, I'm happily getting used to it.  The above picture called 'Spring Colors' was taken indoors in natural light.  More like not much light.  I set my camera to aperture of 4 and zoomed all the way out.  Auto ISO came out at 1600.  The focus was fast!  Not like my 24-85mm lens which would have spent seconds "hunting" for some better light.


Here are a few more pictures taken with my monster lens:

I'm a Nikon Nerd!

It's after 5pm and so bright outside!

The heavy limbs reminds me of fingers

In a hurry to get to the other side...as the commuter train is leaving....

In my head, I've decided to stop comparing lenses and use each one to it's fullest potential.  Each of my Nikkor lens has it's own personality.  Gosh darn, I hope I don't start giving each of them nicknames....

Outside with My Full Frame Camera

Early this week, I jumped at the chance to take a quick field trip to test out my new camera in bright daylight.  I headed over to a local nursery as they have more interesting and colorful props to help with my test.  

Colorful gourds

Reminders of Fall:  mums, gourds and pumkins

Mums on a bench

A small fountain in the garden

Colorful pansies

Wood carving

Orchids with watercolor-like background

Striking flowers

At first, I wasn't sure how my D600 would handle the daylight.  Compared to my D7000 which has the tendency to overexpose in bright sunlight, my D600 handled it well.  I left my exposure compensation at 0.0. 

All pictures taken with 85mm f1.8 lens and in Aperture mode.  

My Nikon...Another Milestone!

I did it again.  I rolled over my Nikon D7000 DSLR for the second time.  This year.  Another 10,000 pictures taken.  I've taken over 20,000 pictures.

The 20,000 picture...blooming hybrid tea rose

Our Anemones are still blooming like crazy

I found a bee in our daylily patch

I have a lot more pictures to take this month.  I get to do a photo shoot at a local private school.  They want me to take pictures of individuals as well as group shots.   I am so looking forward to this.

Swallowtail Butterfly in Our Garden

I followed several Swallowtail butterflies in our garden.  They flittered to and fro and around several buddleia flowers.  The common name for this flowering plant is Butterfly Bush.  How appropriate.

The background in this picture reminds me of a watercolor painting.  I just might have to add this picture to my portfolio for a future painting.

Anemones in Bloom

My hubby spotted these Anemones in bloom.  I'm looking forward to the next few days as more and more of them open up.  I took this picture using my 85mm lens and compact speed light.  I was waiting for the rain showers to stop and by then it became evening.  Still not a bad time to take pictures.  

Using My 50mm Lens: A Picture for Photo Challenge #3

When I came home from work I noticed a Swallow Tail butterfly was flittering around in our front garden.  I grabbed my camera and whatever lens was attached and ran out the door.  This was one of a dozen pictures I snapped.

Check out the lovely bokeh this lens produces:

50mm, f2.8, 1/500, ISO 100

Here are a few more shots of the Swallow Tail:

50mm, f2.8, 1/800, ISO 100

50mm, f2.8, 1/1000, ISO 100

Putting My New 50mm to the Test

My new lens was patiently waiting in its box for my new B+W filter to arrive.  When I purchased the lens I thought I had a 58mm filter laying around.  I was wrong.  I'm that kind of person.  I won't touch a lens unless it has a filter.  So the lens and I waited...until this evening.

I took a few shots inside my house in low light.  Here's the results:

I'm enjoying the bokeh

Flower bouquet

A quick portrait shot

I then took a step outside to see what was blooming and found this beauty:

Lily of the Nile

All it took was 30 minutes of my time and I'm hooked on this lens!  This 50mm f/1.8G lens equates to a 75mm lens on my D7000 camera.  I think this will be a fine portrait lens!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I'm celebrating the big 5*0 today.  I've been celebrating since the beginning of July and will continue to the end of this month.  Today, I spent time at a fabric shop looking for additional back drops for my simple studio.  I also went to my local camera shop and bought an inexpensive 50mm f/1.8 lens (equates to 75mm in DX format).  A 50mm lens for my 50th!  Neat huh?

Birthday flowers from my brother

I have so much that I want to write and post for my blog and I'm so behind in getting photos together for several people.  Somehow they will get done.  For now, I'm celebrating!

Daylilies in Full Bloom

This week is definitely Daylily week for us.  Our gardens are in full bloom with these beauties.  My 85mm is the current lens of choice.  I'm still trying to get the feel for this lens.  I hope to get some portraits done this weekend for my remaining test shots.  In the mean time, I'm enjoying this lens and the beautiful results I'm getting.

Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G Bokeh: Daylily Pictures

I went out and photographed a daylily.  I wanted to see the results of the different aperture settings and the bokeh.  I also wanted to find the "sweet spot" for my new lens.  Here's the results at different aperture settings:

85mm, f1.8, 1/8000, ISO 100

85mm, f4, 1/2000, ISO 100

85mm, f8, 1/500, ISO 100

85mm, f11, 1/250, ISO 100

85mm, f16, 1/125, ISO 110

I set my D7k to Aperture mode and since the flower was in bright sunlight I set the exposure to -0.7.  My post production (PP) changes included cropping, adding copyright notice, and reducing the file size for posting on the web.

Just a Thought...

I'm thinking of another lens.  Real soon.  It's at least an 85mm fixed lens.  Hubby will be getting it for my birthday in a few weeks.  Will let you know which one I decide on.  I never thought I would enjoy working with single fixed lens so much.

Unrelated to this post is a picture of a Hibiscus flower taken with my Coolpix point and shoot:

After the rain with my Coolpix 7100

I couldn't do a post without a picture.  Especially when this is a photog blog.

What a Difference a Flash Makes

I was going through my photos from the last few days and I came across a pair that shows what a difference a flash can make.  This blue hydrangea shrub is located on the edge of our shade garden.  I took these two pictures with my D7000 and 40mm micro lens.  For the flash picture, I used my compact SB-400 speed light.

Which picture appeals to you?

While I'm taking my pictures, I can actually visualize "painting" the images I take.  The left picture without flash looks quite dark, it's actually quite "art-sy".  If I painted this picture in oil or watercolor, my painting would show the different values of color.  Light and dark colors.  My flower would appear to pop-out of my canvas or paper.

If I painted the right photo with flash, my flowers would look a bit flat because there are less values in the color.

When I see a striking subject as in a flower, I tend to take lots of pictures.  A straight on shot and then a different angle.  In natural light and then with a flash.  Zoomed in and then zoomed out.

I have plans to take my favorite floral shots from this Spring and re-create them on my canvas.  To paint the above hydrangeas, I would actually use both pictures as references for my creation.

In my mind, there really isn't a bad picture.

One Shrub...Many Colors

As the Spring flowers are winding down in our gardens, the final and magnificent blooms of the season is our colorful hydrangea flowers.  Yes, all the flowers seen in the photos below are from one single shrub.

Makes me think of God's palette of colors.

Latin name:  Hydrangea Macrophylla

Buzzing Around the Garden

No, not me.  Just the bumble bees in our garden.  My 40mm micro lens has been a joy to use.  I can get up close and personal.  Sometimes a bit too close for my liking when I'm looking through the viewfinder.  Bumble bees are pretty friendly.

I've learned to be patient and just wait for the bees to come within picture taking range.  Especially with my 40mm lens.  Sometimes, I wished I had a longer lens.  Maybe an 85mm?

Hydrangeas and My Point & Shoot

I thought I would take a break from my technical posts and show some pictures of hydrangeas that are blooming in our garden right now.  These were taken with my Coolpix point and shoot camera in aperture mode.  Unfortunately, I don't have the names of these beauties.  I have to wait for hubby to give me clues....

I'll be back to with a post about this nifty point and shoot camera!  Stay tuned!

A Bit of Patience With a Bumble Bee

I hung out in the garden this evening taking more pictures.  Our beautiful Stewartia tree was in full bloom.  I noticed a few bumble bees were hovering at the top of the tree.  I waited.  A lone bumble bee ventured down and buzzed around my ear.  I knew it was time.  I got my camera ready and focused on one of the flowers closest to me and waited.  These critters can be fast and I knew I had to do just click away and hope for the best.

Stewartia flower (40mm micro)

There was no way I could get a clear and sharp picture without my flash.  Good thing I had my SB-400 with me.

More Blooms

More flower pictures from our garden:

Peony

Bletilla Orchid

Geranium

All pictures were taken with my 40mm micro lens and small SB-400 flash.  I'm in a flash mood.  Can you tell?