Aperture gif animation

I was helping my sister decide which lens to buy for her camera the other day, and in going through the different options, I decided to show the benefits of playing with apertures, and what a difference these can make. In doing so, I took a series of shots from f22 - f1.8 (with my Canon 50mm f1.8).

This is a shot set up, with all the same settings, bar the adjustment of the aperture, hopefully this shows how much fun it can be to play with different apertures. I don't know about any other photographers, but my camera is 90% of the time set to aperture priority mode. I think getting the right depth in a photograph, is very often the key to turning good shots, to great shots. I think this also demonstrates how, not only at 1.8, can you knock the background out, and focus on the foreground, but get a totally different shot from f16 - f22, and create the star effect in the streetlights.

I've since turned this little tutorial into a small gif, which hopefully shows how different f stops create these different images:

A short video

A year after going, I wanted to put together a short video of some photos, and film I took while in Iceland on our (mini)honeymoon. We'd love to go back one day.

Diss Town vs Felixstowe & Walton

A good friend of mine was down in Norfolk for the weekend last week. He was here for a friends 30th, and at the same time, had rearranged it, so he could officiate a local game (he's a referee). So I thought this would be a good chance to go and see him in action, I also saw it as an opportunity to have a go at some sports photography. I've done a bit here and there, nothing ever more than casually. The game was between Diss and Felixstowe, so I contacted the home club, who more than happy for me to bring along a camera.

Sports photography has always fascinated me, I find it more and more common for me to watch photographers at a sports game, and see them at work on their laptops, processing images, and sending them off throughout the game, than sometimes the action on the pitch. Things have changed, and through the social world of Twitter, Norwich City send through images of the game for fans to follow as it happens. Luckily, I had a few days after the game to sort through what I shot. I trust my 6D for occasions like this, I have a modest telephoto lens though, so wasn't entirely sure how good my shots would be.

After the game, I sent my images off to Diss Town and Felixstowe & Walton United. They were both very kind and grateful, and even shared my images in their match reports. You can click on the team names to be directed to their websites.

I do think that if ever these opportunities arise again, I would love to go along to these games and shoot away. A thoroughly enjoyable game, and I'd love to photograph this sort of thing more.