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Wm. Bates | all galleries >> Picture a Day for a Year of Wanda Gallery >> Click here for Wanda In July Gallery > Wanda07_14_04a.jpg
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14-JUL-2004

Wanda07_14_04a.jpg

We got a new lens today, a Canon 135mmf/2.8 soft Focus. So todays photo was just trying out different settings to see how much softness we liked. Looks like about f4-5 and setting 1 works well. I'll continue playing with this lens for awhile.

Canon EOS 10D ,Canon EF 135mm f/2.8 Soft Focus
1/50s f/5.0 at 135.0mm iso200 with Flash hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time14-Jul-2004 17:22:18
MakeCanon
ModelEOS 10D
Flash UsedYes
Focal Length135 mm
Exposure Time1/50 sec
Aperturef/5
ISO Equivalent200
Exposure Bias
White Balance (-1)
Metering Modepartial (6)
JPEG Quality (6)
Exposure Programprogram (1)
Focus Distance

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Wm. Bates10-Feb-2005 16:44
In this picture I was in the mood to try and portray My "mean bitch" look. (laffin)

Wanda
Guest 15-Jul-2004 16:09
Dad and Wanda, it was good to see you guys yesterday! I'm glad that your lense showed up. It sounds like it will be a fun one to use.
I told Jeff that we need to head back down that way one of these days and you can do some portraits of us and the boys.
Love ya!
Wm. Bates15-Jul-2004 14:43
Thanks Ian and Manish, Wanda and I really appreciate constructive criticism. The main goal of this PAD project was to learn portraiture and constructive criticism is needed for that process to take place.

The part of this image that bothered me was Wanda's right arm is kind of a detached blob. We tried different things and it never did look right to me; so, after we had spent as much time as we could we picked what we thought was the best overall image.

The main objective of this photo really was just to try different settings on the new 135 SoftFocus lens. It is kind of a fun lens because you can dial in the amount of softness/blur to get a dreamy affect. On setting two it is really soft and I found setting 1 more useful. The amount of blur is also changed as you change aperture. Very open is very soft/dreamy and it gets less blurry as you stop down. It is going to take some practice to sort out all the variations but I think it will make a nice "over 50" lens that will soften up wrinkles and age spots and be great for fantasy images. I'll play with it more tonight.
Ian 15-Jul-2004 10:37
Bill, I think Manish has over stated the case. Technically I'd say you've achieved a good result but, perhaps, aesthetically it doesn't quite work / reach your normal high standard. I think it's the symmetry of Wanda's hair and upper arms forming too regular a shape, sort of conical. Maybe only one arm raised or the hair brushed back over one shoulder might do it? Hope you don't mind the small critism? Ragards Ian.
BTW I too, appreciate the tech tips which save us all hours of faffing about trying to get similar results.
Guest 15-Jul-2004 10:14
Wanda and Bill, another fabulous look . . . your work keeps getting better and better. I look forward to what you share every day. Thank you for all the attention, patience, skill and love that go into producing this wonderful series.
Guest 15-Jul-2004 09:46
Wanda as usual you are a wonderdul sight. New lingerie? I do not remember the hot red piece.
Cougar 15-Jul-2004 07:34
THANKS alot for the tech tips!! I am going to try as soon as I get some free time this week!
Manish G15-Jul-2004 06:03
Frankly this is not one of the best ones you have. This is not as beautiful as other photos, looks a bit crude. Phtography as ususal is skillful.
Dennis Steinauer15-Jul-2004 04:51
Oh, my! Can Lady Godiva be far off? (btw, thanks for the tech details)
Wm. Bates15-Jul-2004 04:39
Cougar, I use a black sheet for the background. I have my subject stand 3 or 4 feet from the sheet. Most in camera meters try to force things to 18% gray. If you leave the metering up to the camera it will over expose your subject trying to make that big black sheet gray or if the background is white it will underexpose trying to make the sheet gray. I shoot in RAW which allows me to tweak the exposure if needed. I also, meter off my subject in spot meter mode. With my flash setup I can use the ETTL (through the lens metering. With the black I add a little negative exposure bias -1/2 to -1 stops. With the white I add a little positive bias. That usually gets me close to spot on.

Then in Photoshop I just use the black color picker on the curves adjustment to set my black-point. I just pick the lightest black showing on the sheet. To set the white when using the white background I just use the white dropper/picker and pick the darkest point on the white sheet. Usually the exposure is close enough it doesn't change things much. Just enough to take the background to a nice solid color.
Wm. Bates15-Jul-2004 04:26
Wes, I was standing about as far back as I could. I didn't do any cropping to this image. I guess in the little basement studio this lens will be for head shots only.
Wesley Aston15-Jul-2004 03:47
now being a 135mm did you have to stand on the other side of the "Studio" I know my little 50 makes me back up a tad.
Steve Patterson15-Jul-2004 02:44
Very sexy, Wanda (and Bill). I had better get going on that side fund we talked about, Bill. Looks like money well spent. Great photo.
Guest 15-Jul-2004 01:20
I have that lens too! I really enjoy working with it. Nice shot for your first run with it!
Cougar 15-Jul-2004 01:16
What a sultry look!! Outstanding! I am going to have to really learn how to punch down the background without unbalancing the foreground like you do here. When I try to get the background as dark, I seem to lose the clarity on the foreground image. The only way I seem to be able to do it is through careful photoshop editing. Great job as always!!