Day 9 PDYP Project: Canon 100mm f/2.8

So today, the challenge was challenging. After loving the Sigma 24mm f/1.4, and the tried and trusty Canon 50mm f/1.4, the Canon 100mm f/2.8 was difficult to use for pics of a small person in a darkening living room. Too close! Too dark?! I had also been lazy and left the batteries in the flash and they seemed drained and slow to react so the first set had a bunch that were just total darkness. A battery change improved things. Also, on a side note, with the Canon 6D (using Aperture Priority) and with the Canon Speedlite 430II Flash, I set exposure compensation to +2/3 or else it's just really all too dark. Then in Lightroom I'm generally moving exposure up even more.

Shot with a Canon 6D, Canon Speedlite 430II Flash and a Canon 100mm f/2.8 lens.

Anyway, the top shot of the night:

And who can resist little toes?:

Day 6 PDYP Project: Mirror Mirror

Today I set out to do a proper photo "shoot" with baby in clean, white onesie, etc. The actual shoot effort (which lasted about 2 minutes) was missed with lots of twisting and attempts to leave the scene by the subject. However, he did find the mirror super interesting and here are some of those shots. Focus great? No. Does it matter? Not sure. I like the colors and brightness.

Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens (cropped in Lightroom) and Canon Speedlite 430II flash

Day 5 PDYP Project: Sigma 24mm f/1.4

I am really loving the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 lens. Wasn't sure what I'd really use it for, and expected to be taking more pictures outside with it, but it's fun to use indoors and has a nice journalistic quality. Also for some reason I'm not the focus freak I am with the Canon 50mm f/1.4 even though you can still crop in pretty close. Is it a sharper lens? Not sure but some of these are really crisp on zooming in.

Shot with a Canon 6D, Canon Speedlite 430II Flash and a Sigma 24mm f/1.4 lens.

Home journalism in action:

Tack sharp hair and eyes

Yes, I could tidy the kitchen

Zoomed in. A boy and his car, again: 

Day 4 Put Down Your Phone Project: FOCUS Part II

More pics today with the Canon 50mm f/1.4. In search of the magic focus bullet, I found a little nugget in an article from Ken Rockwell: "The center sensor is more sensitive than the others in dim light. If the other sensors aren't doing well in dim light, choose the center sensor and you'll be much happier." I'd been using an upper right hand focus spot. You know what, Ken?? I am much happier, thank you! Seriously, this did seem to have an impact.

Canon 6D, Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens (cropped in Lightroom) and Canon Speedlite 430II flash. Click to zoom.

And one from yesterday that was pretty cute

six months

 

Aannd the obligatory foot shot… 

four months

newborn - baby b

Just a couple of months after the Baby B Maternity shoot, I was thrilled to go back and meet the brand new Ms. B in person! At just 10 days old, she was a trooper. Again, it was great to take photos with her parents who this time were more than fully prepared with the baby outfits. My favorites are the hand and feet photos.

 

maternity - baby b

My first maternity shoot! This was a ton of fun and the couple was prepared with lots of cute ideas and were game for just about anything. I'd done some maternity photo research online in preparation and the one thing that seemed an absolute requirement for a good maternity shoot was a field of wheat. That's a tall order in San Francisco, but we found the next best thing up on Bernal Heights Park (you know, that beige hill to the south of the Mission that you always wonder about).  Turns out, it's a great place for pictures!