Messin' with the New Lens

Once my new lens arrived, I set out to try to learn how to use it. It has very nice focus settings on it that allow for some wicked bokeh. It also lets in a ton of light.

Note to self: brush your hair and maybe put on make-up before using yourself as a photography subject.
Geesh.

It, however, as I noticed right away, can lead to out-of-focus or wrong-focus photos if you don't pay close attention to what you're doing. This isn't your mama's point and shoot if you know what I mean.

So, in the interest of learning how to use this thing before I went to Indiana, I tried shooting stuff around the house to get the hang of it. It didn't really keep me from shooting several duds while in Indy, but it put me on the way to learning how to use this monster. I should also point out that the assessments in this post of focal points and photo quality are all my own and not based on actual real knowledge of good photography. They are my opinions, people. Take 'em or leave 'em.

See where the focus is here - sharpest on my left hand.

It would be a better shot with the focus straight on the camera or my face. The focus where it is makes no sense, in my opinion. Unless you're trying to show where the "shoot" button is...

Ellie, mostly blurry.

Ellie is of course always a willing subject. She was holding one of her new Christmas balls in her mouth. There is some fairly decent focus around her nose and the ball. But, the area isn't defined enough for me. I should have paid more attention to what was actually in focus.

Ellie - face in focus.

This one turned out better - more of her face is in focus. Isn't she so earnest?

The cats.

On this day, the cats were also fairly willing subjects. Yes, that is our printer/copier/scanner that they are sitting on. It's their favorite place in the house to sit. I can't keep them off of it when I'm not home. I would come home to them on top of it, probably there all day. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. (Always a great motto to bring up when you're trying to control your pets.) In this instance, I decided a towel covering the moving parts of the printer would be better than nothing. The long term solution is to relocate the printer to another room and leave them with a window seat. Emphasis on long term. We don't get in a hurry about anything here at Ate Up Amateur.

And yes, I have an elaborate filing system between the stapler and the candle. Don't knock it.

They're looking at me like I'm crazy or something.
How can that be?

I lost focus here - literally and figuratively.

And this one too, but I couldn't delete Mr. Norman looking right at me.

The focus here came out pretty clear around Lil' Bit's head.

She was paying me no attention.

This photo actually almost makes her look sweet.
Or like she cares. She does not care.
Do not be fooled.

I love Norman's sweet face.

In this photo, you can tell his left cheek is still slightly swollen. This was only a few days after the antibiotic shot and the first trip to the vet because his cheek was all swollen up around his eye. It's looking pretty good here, but you can definitely see the difference in the two eyes here, and you couldn't by the time we went back to the vet.

Here, I think he's saying, "I'm an old man. Can't you just leave me alone?
Whassup with all that clicking?" I think.

His usual spot on the printer.
Or, on the same spot, curled up in a circle.

I love this one. I know the focus is off.
Focus closer to the center of his face would have been better.
But I don't care.

The moral of this post is - I've still got a lot to learn, sister. (Or brother - I don't mean to be gender specific. I don't have any sisters, so maybe brother would be better. Or "sister-in-law." I have some of those. But that sort of ruins the heart of it. It's just a saying. A colloquialism. A phrase that means I've REALLY got a lot to learn.)

Don't we all. I'll keep at it. Stay tuned.

Editor's note: Echo is still alive and well. Don't you worry. She was just off sleeping somewhere while we shot all these photos. She likes to sleep.