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backlight and bokeh
Aug 14, 2021 09:19:58   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
Yes, these are all just leaves. I knew that I was going for a walk in a forest that would be shading the forest floor (it is really hot in New Jersey lately and did not want to be in sun.) So I figured I would be shooting backlit leaves. I brought along a 200mm Takumar lens to give me the range that I would need and because it produces pretty nice out of focus areas of the frame. Here is what I came up with.
Erich

no. 1
no. 1...
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no. 2
no. 2...
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Aug 14, 2021 09:49:42   #
AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!
 
Lovely leaves, Erich. You got some really nice bokeh - and some really nice leaves! I must admit that in the last one, the two bright spot are a bit distracting. I've gotten similar in photos, and I always tried to either eliminate them or diminish them. I was never totally successful.

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Aug 14, 2021 10:19:42   #
Paul Diamond Loc: Atlanta, GA, USA
 
I enjoy shooting the light and dark, the play of sunlight coming through the leaves, the shadows being cast. Keep it up.

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Aug 14, 2021 10:31:14   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
AzPicLady wrote:
Lovely leaves, Erich. You got some really nice bokeh - and some really nice leaves! I must admit that in the last one, the two bright spot are a bit distracting. I've gotten similar in photos, and I always tried to either eliminate them or diminish them. I was never totally successful.


I noticed that about the bright spots in the third photo. Then, they started to appear like eyes looking out of the darkness, so I kept them. This could also be a bad case of " justification after the fact". lol Thanks for taking a look.
erich

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Aug 14, 2021 12:22:55   #
UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT
 
Beauties, Erich! I really like the light/dark contrast along with sharp detail.

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Aug 14, 2021 21:55:41   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
UTMike wrote:
Beauties, Erich! I really like the light/dark contrast along with sharp detail.


Thanks. I haven't used this lens very much since I only recently bought it. These were all taken at wide open aperture of 3.5. I think I will give it a go slightly stopped down. The lens has 18 aperture blades, so it should produce nice round bokeh even stopped down. We'll see. Always fun learning the secrets of older equipment.
Erich

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Aug 15, 2021 08:50:26   #
yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey
 
Very nice Erich!

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Aug 15, 2021 09:21:36   #
fergmark Loc: norwalk connecticut
 
You must have a look at what our Toby Marshall has done, if you haven't already. I think of him as a connoisseur of bokeh.

https://toby-marshall.com/galleries/bokeh-tales/bokeh-variations-on-a-theme/#

Always been fascinated with this aspect of lenses. This spring, yearning for something new and different to do, I borrowed the 85 f1.8 and went out in search of subject material to shoot with only bokeh. Nothing in focus. It was harder than I expected to find both color and light that I was after. I spent time in playgrounds where the swings and climbing apparatus were in bright colors, and at a florist, where there was a really good variety to shoot. Glass ware and flowers, but also just shapes and forms. Normally when I borrow this lens with the full intension to get some nice bokeh, I revert to high f stops and greater DOF. This year I decided to stick with it. The first of these is sooc and the rest with greater degrees of post manipulation.


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(Download)

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Aug 15, 2021 13:48:41   #
NikonGal Loc: Central Oregon
 
I enjoyed your idea of focusing on backlighting, and I liked your portrait orientation in the 2nd one. Bev

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Aug 15, 2021 16:44:08   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
fergmark wrote:
You must have a look at what our Toby Marshall has done, if you haven't already. I think of him as a connoisseur of bokeh.

https://toby-marshall.com/galleries/bokeh-tales/bokeh-variations-on-a-theme/#

Always been fascinated with this aspect of lenses. This spring, yearning for something new and different to do, I borrowed the 85 f1.8 and went out in search of subject material to shoot with only bokeh. Nothing in focus. It was harder than I expected to find both color and light that I was after. I spent time in playgrounds where the swings and climbing apparatus were in bright colors, and at a florist, where there was a really good variety to shoot. Glass ware and flowers, but also just shapes and forms. Normally when I borrow this lens with the full intension to get some nice bokeh, I revert to high f stops and greater DOF. This year I decided to stick with it. The first of these is sooc and the rest with greater degrees of post manipulation.
You must have a look at what our Toby Marshall has... (show quote)


These take on an abstract quality when there is no subject in focus. Still quite appealing. I really like the second and third photos.
Erich

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Aug 21, 2021 15:48:47   #
Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)
 
ebrunner wrote:
Yes, these are all just leaves. I knew that I was going for a walk in a forest that would be shading the forest floor (it is really hot in New Jersey lately and did not want to be in sun.) So I figured I would be shooting backlit leaves. I brought along a 200mm Takumar lens to give me the range that I would need and because it produces pretty nice out of focus areas of the frame. Here is what I came up with.
Erich


Wonderful, Erich!
You played the light like a violin!
Dave

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Aug 26, 2021 16:15:02   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
Uuglypher wrote:
Wonderful, Erich!
You played the light like a violin!
Dave


Thanks, Dave.

I'm planning to do something interesting with leaves this fall. I was just up in the Adirondacks and on our way down from a mountain we hiked, I stopped many times and took photos of fallen leaves. We'll se what comes of it.
Erich

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Sep 10, 2021 16:28:02   #
Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida
 
Love the bokeh. The fresh green color almost looks like spring!

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Sep 14, 2021 04:40:11   #
ebrunner Loc: New Jersey Shore
 
Cwilson341 wrote:
Love the bokeh. The fresh green color almost looks like spring!


thanks. I like this photo as well.
Erich

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