Standard focal length

10/6/14

This exercise looks at a scene through the lens in the same way that eyes view it (50mm). The aim is to" keep the attention firmly on what is happening within the scene without distraction"

In order to consider this exercise, I switched my lens to a prime 50mm lens as I thought it would remove the temptation to adjust the focal length by zooming in or out. 

I took my camera to my local market to observe activity. I am not sure whether it was the difference in the type of people, using a short lens or the fact that I now felt quite exposed as Mansfield is not really on the tourist map which led me to conclude that I needed to do this exercise again.

Trial 1 50mm prime lens Canon 5D mark 2

1/300 F8 ISO200 50mm

1/400 f8 ISO200 50mm

1/400 f8 ISO200 50mm

1/500 f8 ISO200 50mm

1/800 f8 ISO200 50mm 

On reflection I should have reduced the ISO to slow the shutter speed. My images were still a little blurred and I think that is because I was still walking whilst taking the images. I slowed my walking pace right down and circled the stalls but there wasn't really much happening.

I also thought these images did not encapsulate anything in particular. There seemed to be other things happening in the frame which detracted from what I was trying to show. As the lens is what the eye sees and doesn't have properties such as compressing or stretching the image, it comes down to finding the right scene.

Feeling a little disappointed with my images, I set up an experiment in the garden to look at the difference in quality between using my prime 50mm lens and a 24-105mm set at 50mm. 

12/6/14
I discovered that at the same aperture, different parts of the image were sharper. The prime lens was sharper on the periphery and the telephoto lens was sharper in the middle of the image. I concluded that the exercise may give better results in terms of focus using a telephoto lens.

Prime lens 1/320 f8 ISO100 50mm

Telephoto lens 1/250 f8 ISO100 50mm

Attempt 2 22/6/14 24-105mm telephoto lens Canon 5D mark 2

Cyclelive Nottingham 

Taking a variety of image gave me the opportunity to analyse where a 50mm focal length worked.

Image 1 - This is acceptable to me as the two riders are the focal point. The queue of riders sets the scene. The diagonal lines help with the dynamics and bring order to the image. I considered whether I should have crossed the barrier. Perhaps if I had stood further to the left, the barrier would have been uniform. The barrier adds to the diagonals. I could crop out the chap on the right side.

1/320 f8 ISO200 50mm

Image 2 - This scene shows groups maintaining personal space within the queue. I think it would work better if I was inside the queue.  Height would help here.

1/250 f8 ISO200 47mm

Image 3 - I liked the diagonal pattern and repetition of everyone doing the same thing. Position is not the best with the fencing  - detracts from the diagonals. The chap at the front of my image made me smile in his coat. This was the start of the 50mile bike ride on one of the hottest days of the year. It added diversity to the image and showed that not everyone was young, fit and wearing lycra.

1/200 f8 ISO200 60mm

Whilst reading Angier (2007) chapter 3 on people at the margin, it occurred to me that the reason the eye is drawn to this chap is because of his position within the frame. He looks different from the rest of the competitors in the image. If he was placed in the middle, he probably would not be as noticeable.

Image 4 - This did not work as well a I had hoped. I think in this case a telephoto lens would work to isolate the activity and focus on one set of finishers rather than all of them.

1/200 f8 ISO200 50mm

I think these images worked better than the first set because at the event everyone had the same purpose, although within the lines of people queueing people started to do their own thing or form little groups. 

Attempt 3 29/6/14 Scott MTB Church Stretton

Keen to further test the 50mm focal length, I practiced at another cycling event.

1/400 f8 ISO400 58mm

This competitor was adding the number to his bike with an onlooker watching how he attached it.I was concentrating on the man attaching his number and engaging in conversation with him. The onlooker provides another eyeline to the frame and the sense of watching someone watching someone. The fact that I cannot see his facial expression makes me wonder if he too is going to join in the conversation. 

1/500 f8 ISO400 40mm

This chap is applying suncream as part of his preparations. he is only a small part of all the activity in the field. Perhaps i would have been better to single out this chap with a telephoto lens or use a wide angle to show lots of activity. I don't consider this image as successful as others.

1/800 f8 ISO400 40mm

This image of bikes leaving works as bikes fill the frame and the rider on the left hand side is positioned to lead the viewer into the frame. The left hand side is cluttered with another wheel so timing is crucial. I think the answer is to take several images and have more to select from.

1/100 f8 ISO100  50mm

1/30 f14 ISO200 50mm

1/40 f14 ISO200 58mm

1/160 f8 ISO400 54mm

These images worked better using the properties of a wide angled lens. It was useful to take images with a 50mm to compare with stretching the image. The riders have no-where to go in these last two  images.

Reference
Angier R, (2007) Train your Gaze a practical and theoretical introduction to portrait photography, AVA publishing, SA, Chapter 3 "People at the margin: The edge of the frame".