In my small world, I'd call all of these very fine. Particularly the first one. I love it. Ambient light does give a quality all it's own, that's for sure. And having the right 'glass', as you say, to record it, makes it even better. Very nice work (or play, disguised as work ) indeed. You definitely have this art form down well. I hope you get a large-windowed, sun-filled studio one day soon. Cheers
I appreciate that, @ddschteinn! It's interesting to look back at the very beginning.
I mean – I suppose it was really far past that at this point; I'd been in love with photography my whole life, and had taken B&W photo classes in my early 20's, but this was the beginning of me taking it seriously.
What I find so fascinating is that I was already getting pretty decent shots, with considerably shitty glass! Not long after this, I entered into mid-range lenses – a 50mm f1.4 and and an 85mm f1.8. Being able to open up that wide was mind-blowing! And then I finally bit the bullet and bought my first L-series prime in the spring of 2009 – a 35mm f1.4. Ohh...eeeeM...Geeee!
I still have that lens. It's traveled with me all over the globe and has yet to disappoint. But that was my gateway prime, for sure! Once I went L-series prime, I never went back.
Here's how lovely that 35 is – so deliciously intimate!
I can relate to the photography bug from an early time in life. I think I got my first camera when I was 9. The photos were pretty shite, but I had a blast. All the way up to today, photographing the train while waiting at the station. Not only fun, but allows us to stay focused and creative while doing just about anything. There is SO much of interest all around us daily.
That is an amazing photo, and lens. Allows for, as you say, intimate close ups, a marvelously muted and soft view, or at least that' what I call it, without giving the subject a monstrous probosci either. Or bugged eyes. (So many euphemisms(?) from the bug world in photography. Must be a reason. Maybe because there are so MANY bugs, we have a lifetime's worth from which to choose ).
Though the artist and their craft is the ultimate driver of the view in this realm, the use of nice equipment definitely helps. I shot with a Nikon D200 in my first toe-dipping into digital, after film, and once I wore it out, now shoot with a small Lumix, until I can afford more and better. And there surely IS a large difference, that's for sure. Overall image quality, and particularly speed and light gathering dynamics, and just the simple speed of the whole camera process. At times maddening. I had a small hissy trying to use it for my fireworks photos this year. Yikes. But we do what we gotta do in order to do. Thanks for sharing the inside view of your photo world.
Yes – so much around us at all times, if we're willing to pause long enough to notice. :)
I'm grateful for the tools that allow me to show the world how I see it – from the expensive yet delicious pro gear I've accumulated to the iphone and olloclip macro lenses in my pocket – I'm always at the ready.