Canon EOS 5D & EF 24-105/4L IS USM - A Magic Combo

May 10th, 2008

Why Canon EF 24-105/4L IS USM? This is an interesting lens, I find it a great lens for portrait and outdoor works, in particular, it is sharp wide open at f/4 which I find the best aperture for portrait. Some people would prefer the 24-70/2.8, a faster lens in similar range. For my style, I find the extended focal length and IS feature from 24-105 gives more advantages over the 1-stop faster 24-70 at most of the time.

If I have to go into shooting moving subjects or actions, I would always prefer one stop higher usable ISO level (thus double the shutter speed) instead of one stop faster lens, not only because the faster lens is more expensive and bulky, but also a bigger aperture means shallow DOF coverage and subjects are more likely at risk being out of sharpness.

Lenses at f/2.8 and faster are good to work with sensors (some work at f/5.6 and some need f/2.8 or faster) for tracking subjects during continuous shooting. Some people would also love to produce special blur background effect given by a very shallow DOF.

Life run of my 5D kit combo for about a month, it is a very capable system ideal for travel and trip. The kit lens 24-105/4 is capable of covering most everyday work.

These are samples taken during our visit to Ocean Park and a flower/ gardening exhibition, just with some minor adjustment in contrast and sharpness, in general the 5D and 24-105 delivers very nice result, specifically, still very nice wide open at f/4 …. full article.

DIY Portrait Approach

May 5th, 2008

Usually I will have a vision popping up suddenly. Then I will think about how to visualise the vision with the limited resources. You may check up my past work.

Sometimes I used drawing paper with paint on it as backdrop. Thanks to the DC technology, I can use the common house lighting with no serious color temp. problem.

To produce a set of outstanding pictures, the concept is utmost important…. without a theme, it is purely a capture of the nature beauty of the model…. Frankly it could be quite boring to take such standard studio shots for an amateur photographer.

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The Making of an Image: Scalebar Force

May 4th, 2008

In April 2006, I’d been enjoying a day out in Malham, one of the many picturesque villages in the Yorkshire Dales. For anyone who doesn’t know Malham, the village is surrounded by some of the England’s finest limestone scenery. I’d made quite a few images in Malham but was finished a little earlier than planned so I thought I would drive around and see some more of the local sites. Whist exploring I saw a sign for Scalebar Force so I stopped the car and went to have a look. The waterfall captivated me from the first minute I saw it. It’s quite a high waterfall around 40 feet and has 6 steps, which change the flow and direction of the water. It’s in a small wooded ravine and getting down to the lower level involved a tricky scramble down a muddy bank.

Unfortunately, It was a very sunny day not really conducive to photographing a waterfall. The sun’s reflections were bouncing off the water and the surrounding rocks making it almost impossible to get a successful image. I decided to take a few shots to try an establish a great composition that I could come back and capture on another day. Once I felt I’d I found that view I decided to head back home thinking about the image that one day I’d make….. full article.


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