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Category Archives: lenses

exploring with my boys and my macro

Sunday, January 8, 2012

I took my two little guys exploring this weekend and I took my camera along. But I took a different lens than I normally would. Usually I’d take my 50mm or my 85mm. But this time I took only my 100mm macro lens. (note: my macro lens is my lens that is usually only used for the baby toes, eyelashes, fingers, and the occasional wedding ring.) I wanted to challenge myself to try something new. So, while they were playing with their sticks and rocks and each other I snapped a few here and there.

Here are my settings and a few comments/tips:

Settings for image below:
ISO – 100 (bright sunny afternoon, even though it’s january)
aperture – 3.2
shutter – 1/250
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L
camera – canon 5D mark II

Settings for image below:
ISO – 100
aperture – 2.8
shutter – 1/500
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L

I do love how the macro lens narrows your focus to your subject and that alone. :)

But look at the out of focus image below. One of the tricky things about using a macro lens on wiggly little people. It’s easy to miss focus and ruin the whole image.

Settings for image below (more distance between me and my subjects):
ISO – 100
aperture – 2.8
shutter – 1/1000 (more in the sun)
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L

Settings for image below:
ISO – 100
aperture – 2.8
shutter – 1/400
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L

Again when I’m somewhat close to my subject all else completely falls out of focus. It’s all about him. Love that.

Settings for image below:
ISO – 100
aperture – 4
shutter – 1/320
lens – 100mm macro 2.8L

Super fun playing around with my macro lens in a new way. I just may have to take it on some shoots with children soon. :)

Posted in lenses, my manual settings | Tags: how to use a macro lens, macro lens, macro lenses outside

what lenses to use

Thursday, June 2, 2011

I’ve been asked quite a bit what lenses I would recommend and what lenses are best for the different situations. Here’s my input…

All of the equipment that I currently use is listed in much more detail on my equipment page here on my blog. But I will share a quick list here as well. The lenses in my camera bag are:
Canon 50mm 1.2L
Canon 85mm 1.2L
Canon 35mm 1.4L
Canon 100 macro 2.8L

I used to have Canon’s 70-200mm 2.8L IS as well. But it was stolen and I have not yet replaced it. It is a very fabulous lens and I’m sure I will be replacing it at some point. It definitely serves a great purpose.

Below are some pictures that I’ve shot using the different lenses. Now take note that the pictures taken with these same lenses can look much different based on your distance from your subject and the angle you use. But the lenses do have some differences to them and some things that I love differently about each one.

This image below was shot with an 35mm lens. I love my 35 mm lens for times when I want to show the whole scene. I also love it for those situations where I’m really close to my subject and I want to see all of them. For example a 35mm lens is great for when you’re in a row boat with your kids so you can’t move any further away from them but you want a picture of their whole upper body and the water behind them.

This image below was shot with an 50mm lens. My 50mm lens is my most practical lens and the one I use the most by far. It is the perfect lens for photographing life on a daily basis. It displays life the way you see it with your human eye, not any more zoomed in or out (on my full frame camera body…see notes at end of blog post). This is my go to lens for newborn photography as well.

This image below was shot with an 85mm lens. This 85mm lens is my favorite lens. It is beautiful. I love the blurry, yummy background it creates. It takes a couple of seconds longer to focus but once it’s in focus it’s sharp and fabulous. I love this lens.

This image below was shot with an 100mm macro lens. The 100mm macro is a fun lens. This is the lens that I always use for those close ups of baby’s fingers, toes, and more. It’s also a great lens for capturing intense expressions and close ups of kids. But it’s a bit more tricky to use in those settings due to the combo of the wiggly kids and the sensitive macro focusing.

Okay, now my disclaimer. I shoot with Canon’s 5D Mark II camera bodies. These are full frame cameras. The pictures above are examples of how these lenses will look using my full frame camera body. If you have a Canon rebel, a 50D, or a 7D those are not full frame cameras. They are great cameras but they are not full frame. So each of these lenses when used on one of those cropped sensor camera bodies will appear to be more close up, more zoomed in if that makes sense. So the 35mm may appear to look more close up and more similar to the 50mm. The 50mm may appear more zoomed in and closer to an 85mm. Does that make sense? You should borrow or rent so that you have a full frame camera (like a 5D or 5D Mark II) and a cropped sensor (like a rebel or a 50D) and see what the difference is.

I also have a page of recommendations for the hobbyist if you’re looking to make a purchase. Check it out!

Posted in lenses | Tags: camera equipment, camera lenses, camera settings, canon lenses, what lens to use

my camera bag

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ahhh my camera bag….

What’s in it? What equipment do I prefer to use? I’ve been asked this quite a bit lately. I’ve also been asked a lot of “what do you recommend that I buy in this area or that area?” So, I’m doing some work to answer your questions on these goodies and my goal is to make it SUPER easy for you to find some fabulous camera equipment that fits your particular needs and kind of fits your budget. I say kind of fits your budget because really, come on, camera equipment isn’t real cheap. Good camera equipment costs some moolah. BUT…how can you resist? Amazing memories of the people you love in your life? Totally worth it. Right? :)

First, for this blog post, I’m focusing on what’s in my camera bag. Of course that’s the easiest for me to answer since it’s right there and since I love it all and I chose it all. So here it is.

My camera bodies. Love them. Not as much as my family or my friends…but on certain days they can make me quite happy. I’m a Canon girl. All my gear is Canon. It’s just great stuff. Period. So my camera bodies are Canon’s 5D Mark II. They’re really good at having clean high ISO capabilities. They’re fast. They’ve got great color. They’re fabulous!

my camera bag

My second favorite item would have to be Canon’s 50mm 1.2L Lens. I use it all the time for the kind of photography I do. It’s great paired with my full frame camera. I love the color, the 1.2 amazing bokeh (though I hardly am shooting open quite that wide), the sharpness. Fantastic high quality glass! Love it. It’s a prime lens so of course my feet are my zoom as it’s at a fixed distance.

my camera bag

All of the rest of the details of my camera bag are written out to help you on my new equipment page! Click on over! I’d love to show you my new page. I wrote so much more all about my other lenses and accessories:

My 85mm 1.2, my 35mm 1.4, flashes, camera bags, memory cards…oh my!! :)

Posted in lenses, purchasing | Tags: 50mm lens, camera bag, canon 5d mark II, professional camera equipment

close up photography

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

I am growing to love my macro lens. A macro lens is a lens that allows you to capture images very close up. The other lenses that are regularly on my camera (my 50mm, 85mm, and 35mm) do not allow me to get as physically close to my subject or object and photograph them. This lens is different. I love it. I can get very close to a baby’s toes or eyelashes and photograph them almost a bit magnified. It’s fabulous. The lens that I use is Canon’s 100 mm macro 2.8L. I love it and highly recommend it. I use this macro lens in every one of my newborn photo shoots. It is always on one of my cameras when I’m photographing a newborn baby. It allows me to get close ups of all their sweet little features, the fingers, toes, eyelashes, hair and more. I have also heard good things about Canon’s 1o0 mm macro 2.8 non-L lens. A macro lens is not necessary for every photographer but it is a great addition to your collection if you are looking to do close ups of some sort.

My manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 1600
aperture – F 7.1
shutter – 1/160 second
lens – canon’s 100mm macro 2.8L

My manual settings for the image below:

ISO – 1600
aperture – F 4.5
shutter – 1/160 second
lens – canon’s 100mm macro 2.8L

My manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 500
aperture – F 4
shutter – 1/200 second
lens – canon’s 100mm macro 2.8L

My manual settings for the image below:
ISO – 2000
aperture – F 3.5
shutter – 1/160 second
lens – canon’s 100mm macro 2.8L

Posted in lenses, my manual settings | Tags: 100mm macro lens, close up photography, macro lens, newborn close up photography, pictures of newborn toes

my camera bag (2010)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What’s in my camera bag?? Hmmm, that’s a fun question… I actually get asked that question quite a bit. So here it is. I’m a simple girl…but I’m completely a canon girl.

Update: See the current list on my equipment page.

Canon 5D Mark II camera body (my main fabulous camera)
Canon 5D camera body (my back up fabulous camera)
Canon 50mm 1.2L lens (by far my favorite)
70-200mm 2.8L IS lens
85mm 1.8 lens
a couple of 580 ex II flashes
pocket wizards
a white balance target
many memory cards and extras of everything
batteries and such