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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> Challenge 174 - Zen and The Art of Photography >> Challenge 174 - Exhibition > Drought Tolerant Zen
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11-DEC-2008 Brent

Drought Tolerant Zen

Volunteer Park Greenhouse, Seattle


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ctfchallenge13-Dec-2008 18:42
Thanks Tommie, I think maybe you and YB are right about the crop and I may experiment with it later. Yes, I am noticing a big change with DOF using the full-frame. I never got much background blur at all with this lens on my 30D. I'll need to be careful for a while that I don't shoot some subjects too shallow, but I'm having fun which this is all about :-)
~Brent
ctfchallenge13-Dec-2008 14:50
I expect that the biggest advantage of the full frame camera will be the shallower DOF which offers lots of artistic possibilities but sometimes impediments. Here it is just right and might not have been possible on the APS sensor. I agree with YB on the crop suggestion to add impact by eliminating the distractions on the left. Otherwise well done. -tv
ctfchallenge12-Dec-2008 23:45
Yep, storage has gotten pretty economical Jano. Still, I like using my laptop (with external monitor) for editing and have the biggest fast (7200rpm) 2.5" mobile hard drive in it at just 320GB. I have an eSata connection to a couple of 3.5" external drives (500GB and 1TB) to use as a Photoshop scratch drive and also Time Machine backup of my whole system (I'm on a Mac lately). I'm trying to keep my Lightroom (love the program too) catalog all on the internal drive for easy portability- hence trying to keep file sizes down. I may have to store stuff on a 2.5" external eSata drive at some point. Other than the limits to the internal HD size I really like my laptop setup which is virtually as fast as a desktop the way I have it configured.
~Brent
janewigginsphotography12-Dec-2008 22:28
Thanks Brent - Since external hard drives have become so affordable, I opted for a 500GB for total system back up, and a 320GB for photo storage. I have burned quite a few image folders to take them off my puter hard drive, but still had over 56GB that I moved onto the 320GB. Needless to say, it was a relief knowing that I have a couple of back ups, and can do all my processing new images on the C drive. Lightroom is wonderful, isn't it!!!!! jano
ctfchallenge12-Dec-2008 16:48
Thanks YB and Jano :-) I tried a crop as you suggest YB and liked it too, but decided to show more depth of zen. That, and I specifically went there late in the day so I could show some windows that would in other light always be blown out.
I'm liking the camera a lot Jano. The 17-40 lens I've used so often takes on a totally different feel on a full-frame and I expect the classic 5D would have served me just as well in many respects. So far I'm quite impressed with the lack of high iso noise though I haven't pushed it that much- just to iso 1600 where noise reduction hasn't been needed. I'll be happy when Adobe supports the RAW files natively in Lightroom and expect the color and contrast might improve with that. I don't like using DPP much so currently have to convert the files to DNG before importing them into Lightroom. The files are HUGE! My system is handling them okay, but I may start shooting sRaw for most stuff just to conserve storage space.
~Brent
janewigginsphotography12-Dec-2008 12:35
Nice shot and detail Brent - what do you think of the 5DII? Is is awesome in low lighting and high ISO's? jano
ctfchallenge12-Dec-2008 10:03
Great shot Brent - I think I might have been tempted to crop the left hand side (just at the start of the rock), to give the impression the prickly pumpkins :) were disappearing into infinity.
YB
ctfchallenge12-Dec-2008 06:47
Thanks much Doug :-) You guessed right and I added the location- great greenhouse year round.
~Brent
ctfchallenge12-Dec-2008 05:00
This image is full of life that plays with all of the senses. I'm guessing this is in an exhibit? -COAmature