Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/24

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Subject: [Leica] A couple of Photos
From: phong at doan-ltd.com (Phong)
Date: Fri Sep 24 06:01:04 2004

leo wrote:
> Dumb question:  how do you fish without bait?

Hi Leo,
You just don't put any bait on.  Fishes might just bite
on the hook anyway, and once in a while they do.
My son has been thinking about fishing without
a hook (it hurts the fish), but hasn't figured out how
yet.  I have a feeling that when he takes up photography,
he might just enjoy shooting without film.   :-)


Juan wrote:
> I love the "volume", and I find surprising because I would have tried
> to open the diaphragm to reduce DOF. In both pictures (particularly the
> second one), the background is not completely out of focus, but you
> still get a lot of separation between it and your son. Was this a lucky
> accident or did you aim for this effect?

Hello Juan,
I wanted the background to be slightly out of focus.
I am glad you noticed.  For years, I shoot wide-open
most of the time,  certainly for portraits, to get a
very strong background separation.   One of the reasons
I like Leica with their superb fast lenses, I suppose.
 I also preferred a tight crop, to single out the subject unequivocally.
In the past year or so, I started preferring
a wider look to show the subject more in his enviroment.
But I was still shooting wide open for the most part.
Last year, both B.D. and I were sitting across from Bill
Harting and we both took photos of Bill;  here's my version,
wide open: http://www.phongdoan.com/Photography/BLUG03/crw_5827.htm
(sorry I did not have a wider lens).

I noticed that B.D.'s version gave a bit more of details of the background,
without distracting from the subject, so I have started shooting a bit more
closed down, using the middle apertures (f5.6 to f11) more, and focus
on a close subject.

Had there been an object of graphic interest in the upper right corner in
http://www.phongdoan.com/Photography/Walden-2004/040923-xx-bekhangwaldenpond
.htm
I might have decided to close down the lens more to f16-f22, and also shift
the plane of
focus a bit further back.

It is interesting that about 3 years ago I had four  90mm lenses
and one 50mm lens for my Leica; now I have five 50mm lenses
and one 90mm lens (though I think I will eventually buy the 90mm
Apo Apsh M - had it, sold it ,now miss it).

Thank you both, and Jim Hemenway for your comments.
And Jim, I will tell Christian about the canned corn.

Happy clicking,

- Phong


Replies: Reply from jbcollier at shaw.ca (John Collier) ([Leica] A couple of Photos)
In reply to: Message from leowesson at charter.net (leo) ([Leica] A couple of Photos)