My 1st Bokeh Works (New Lens)


Shahrie

New Member
Jan 1, 2010
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Admiralty, SG
Hi CSers,

This is my first time posting on critique (or anywhere else). I believe pro CSers have the eye for details. Even for the faintest details. Therefore, the only way I can get better, is to learn from the pros. Keep the critiques coming in. Thks to all in advance!

50mm%201st%20day%20bokeh.jpg


1. In what area is critique to be sought?
Exposure, focusing and bokeh works.

2. What one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?
I am trying to potrait my new lens and kits and at the same time, using bokeh to highlight my subjects. I shot this using Av mode, F/1.8, 1/25, iso 800, -1 stop on exposure, evaluative metering with post processing on croppings, sharpness and slight tune up on contrast. I want my background to be as dark as possible to contrast my subjects and hence the -1 stop.


3. Under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)
I was truly excited when I had just bought a new Canon 50mm f/1.8 and straightaway head for the nearest void deck. I also noticed that there's some street lamps in the background about 30-40m away and decided to try bokeh shots (nervously, hoping it turn out right). This photo is to show my pride for my new lens. By the way, I'm a newbie and had just bought my 1st dslr about 1 week ago.

4. What the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture
I am really happy that it turn out the way I've imagined however, I could never get the focusing right on the subjects. I also have a tingling feeling that it is a bit underexposed. But overall, I'm super excited!! :D
 

nice photo, though you can adjust the WB. THe OOF street lights leads to the subject in a way. Glad you liked the lenses.
 

Nice try, but the lens and the suppose box is wrong. Whats with the filter case behind anyway? Though personal, I prefer the OOF light to be the aperture shape. Could work harder on that.
 

I like the warm WB. It's a little underexposure and could benefit from a tighter crop so that the sudject is right in the middle.
 

Nice try, but the lens and the suppose box is wrong. Whats with the filter case behind anyway? Though personal, I prefer the OOF light to be the aperture shape. Could work harder on that.
The aperture blades of 50mm F1.8 is not round, thus the OOF light is shape like a pentagon. :)

Nice picture, a more balance WB or colour modification might be better.
 

Nice shot. :thumbsup:
 

Hi all! Finally find time to reply. Thank you for all the comments!

nice photo, though you can adjust the WB. THe OOF street lights leads to the subject in a way. Glad you liked the lenses.

Thks! I admit, I didn't use AWB on this. It was some other mode. I was lucky to have the streets lamps lighted that way. It is true, different perspective give diff view. Need to find the best one.

Nice try, but the lens and the suppose box is wrong. Whats with the filter case behind anyway? Though personal, I prefer the OOF light to be the aperture shape. Could work harder on that.

Thks! About the lens and filter box, hehe, I put it there to make it a 'my dslr kits' scene. I had just bought them on that day (excluding the kit lens of coz). Maybe I shld rearrange in a way to make it more sensible I think? And how to I make thee oof the shape of a pentagon? I have no idea.

I like the warm WB. It's a little underexposure and could benefit
from a tighter crop so that the sudject is right in the middle.

I suspect it is a bit underexposed. But I wanna the background darker. How do I do this? And thk you! I also like the warm colour. It look nice on my LCD. Thats why I chose this one. I will try and crop it tighter. Didn't realised that.

The aperture blades of 50mm F1.8 is not round, thus the OOF light is shape like a pentagon. :) Nice picture, a more balance WB or colour modification might be better.

Thk you! I will play around with the colours a bit and choose the best one. Is it better to photographs with AWB and only play around with the colours later during PP? It make sense to me. And how do I do the pentagon shaped aperture oof?

Nice shot. :thumbsup:

Thk you kengoh! Glad u like it.

I am still new and theres still thousands of shots ahead of me. Your comments motivate me to take more photos. All the best to you guys too!
 

The box is in no way linked to the lens in the pix.:sweat: Nice shot but will prefer a tighter crop n a warmer WB:)
 

Hmmm. That's a good read up. Thks wootsk for the trouble to link the article. It is a good comparison between the 50mm lens too. I'll try experiment the diff f-stops to produce the blades shape. And I've read somewhere that MF helps too in situation to get better focusing than I did in my pic. Not to rely on AF all the time. Learn something new everyday.
 

The box is in no way linked to the lens in the pix.:sweat: Nice shot but will prefer a tighter crop n a warmer WB:)

Yeah, Ive got that a lot. Never before in my mind that the objects of the subjects are equally impt as the photography itself. Will bear that in mind. I'll play around with the color tones and see how it goes. Thks Numnumball!
 

hmmz..just curious, but which part of the picture did u intend to have in focus?

it's veri difficult to keep ur intended subject in focus at such a thin dof.
from what i see, the area in focus is the zoom ring and the small 'canon' on the side of the lens. was that intended?

try to bear in mind that f1.8 is realli not easy to shoot. i've friends who always keep asking why their shots with this lens always turn out blur. :)
 

hmmz..just curious, but which part of the picture did u intend to have in focus?

it's veri difficult to keep ur intended subject in focus at such a thin dof.
from what i see, the area in focus is the zoom ring and the small 'canon' on the side of the lens. was that intended?

try to bear in mind that f1.8 is realli not easy to shoot. i've friends who always keep asking why their shots with this lens always turn out blur. :)

Hi nysheng.

Sorry late reply. I think I get what you mean. I was focusing the centre of the whole subjects and you're right. Can't get evrything focused coz of thin dof. Maybe next time I shld only use 1 subject instead.

Thks for your feedback. Wish you and ur guys all the best in photography!
 

Nice bokeh. But as other mentioned, placing of the subject (box, lens etc) is not correct. You should have kept the lens alone. Anyway good try.
 

Just note... There's no such thing as a "bokeh shot" or "bokeh works". Photogs in other countries laugh whenever they see this mentioned on local forums.
 

Nice bokeh. But as other mentioned, placing of the subject (box, lens etc) is not correct. You should have kept the lens alone. Anyway good try.

Thks Nirenj for ur feedback. I wanted to showcase my new items that I bought that day. Well, it feel that its kinda inappropiate for this shot coz my subjects are not sharp. I guess I should produce normal shot instead of this one. Or like you said, just the lens alone so it wont compete with other eg; box, UV filter case, for attention. Thanks!

Just note... There's no such thing as a "bokeh shot" or "bokeh works". Photogs in other countries laugh whenever they see this mentioned on local forums.

Ohhh. Thank you for pointing it out! *paiseh already. :sweat: Wish can change the title. Learn something new everyday. Invaluable. Thks!
 

The bokeh in the picture does not 'add value' to the overall image.

If your intention is to showcase the bokeh with the rest of the item together in one picture. Then you have achieved the result. Otherwise, the bokeh is just distracting. Also watch how you arrange the items, not sure why did you hide the lens filter behind the lens? :)
 

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Well, if you wanna toy around with bokeh, I guess you got it figured out.

But this picture, is well, just a picture. No meaning to me, really.
 

The bokeh in the picture does not 'add value' to the overall image.

If your intention is to showcase the bokeh with the rest of the item together in one picture. Then you have achieved the result. Otherwise, the bokeh is just distracting. Also watch how you arrange the items, not sure why did you hide the lens filter behind the lens? :)

Thks Lunas. My intention is to use the bokeh lights to lead to the subjects. Afterall, I'm trying to showcase the items that I had just bought. Its just that I never really put a thought on how to arrange the subjects. And I really have no idea why I placed the lens filter that way .. :bsmilie: Just placing them randomly I guess.

Well, if you wanna toy around with bokeh, I guess you got it figured out.

But this picture, is well, just a picture. No meaning to me, really.

Its the first time I'm shooting at this kind of dof. Got really excited producing the bokeh. And I've learn quite a bit from this thread about producing bokeh. Thks to everyone for the inputs! Well, love my cheap 50mm F1.8 since day one!