Newbie here....please help! ...... primer to help in achieve such effects

[plsoong]

hi all,

newbie here....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/28/arts/design/28nach.html

click on the wounded marine picture to enlarge the pic so that u can see it larger....

how did he achieve the selective focusing?

*he's a trad b&w photographer who uses alot of scala*

options:-

1) darkroom DI ? (which if u've watched WAR PHOTOGRAPHER ... movie about him....its not as intensive as some dudes on CS!)
2) prime lenses? (but perspective is quite wide at such a distance... which prime wide is this wide which allows this near?)
3) manual focus? (seems like it....but have to be super fast and super accurate......)
4) zoom lens at super large aperture? (zoom lens at the widest perspective...but so far at f2.8 for good zooms, i don't seem to be able to achieve this "selective focussing" effect......)
5) call James to find out ..... (and prolly pay shitloads to attend basics of photography again)
6) ask CSers for help....... (they are always helpful.... )



so how?

 

[ihub88]

4) zoom lens at super large aperture? (zoom lens at the widest perspective...but so far at f2.8 for good zooms, i don't seem to be able to achieve this "selective focussing" effect......)

Selective focusing? just focus on the guy on the table can already.

as for lens, maybe he used a 12-24 lens

or a 16-35 L lens cause as you mention he is using film.

these camera does not have crop factor, will give you a wide view already.

 

[plsoong]

Selective focusing? just focus on the guy on the table can already.

as for lens, maybe he used a 12-24 lens

or a 16-35 L lens cause as you mention he is using film.

these camera does not have crop factor, will give you a wide view already.

yeap, he uses black and white slides....

hmmmmmm........ 16-35L can achieve such effects even though its a zoom lens?

it seemed super shallow DOF without and almost zilch distortions....
I think most zooms on the wide side will allow u such perspective, but the shallow DOF (resulting in this selective focussing) doesn't seem to be a feature of zooms......

please correct me if i'm wrong?...am trying to learn

THANX!

 

[ihub88]

its the distance to the subject. he is very near i believe.

 

[catchlights]

I think it is not as wide as 16 or 18mm on film, looks more like a 24 or 28 focal length to me, is almost shoot at wide open, as long you go close enough, the background will be OOF.

 

[catchlights]

click on the wounded marine picture to enlarge the pic so that u can see it larger....

add the link for easy viewing.

 

[plsoong]

ooops sorry bros....


here's the links

pics were taken from nytimes.com for purpose of learning and discussion about techniques involved. PLEASE DO NOT USE IT FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSES!

bro catchlights> i'm quite inclined to think of this as a prime lens with wide open ...but din really know how wide is the prime lens......
but on an educational point, a zoom lens cannot achieve this even though its say f2.8?

thanx to all who've responded....lets keep the discussion as a learning point for some newbies like me.....cheers!

 

[drumma]

i think an f2.8 lens can't achieve such shallowness.