Using shallow depth of field for Pebble Beach sunset photography
It was a beautiful evening here in the Pebble Beach area so I took my camera to one of my favorite spots along 17 Mile Drive, Bird Rock. I already had the Sony 50mm f/1.2 lens on my camera from a shoot the day before, so I left that on, to get a different perspective for sunset photography, and I knew before going there I did want to shoot at f/1.2 for shallow DoF shots. Then I saw these flowers growing atop a small cliff, and used them as the focal point and let the sun go out of focus. This extreme difference in foreground and background focus interests me and I feel reveals a different world.
Venue Event Photography at Asilomar Conference Grounds Street Fare in Pacific Grove California
This was night two of three photographing different venues at Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California that each had a very different theme. The first night was a rustic theme, while this night went in a totally opposite direction, and underground at that, with a street fare style and DJ vibe. Asilomar Conference Grounds was the client, and wanted me to focus not on the guests, which is the usual for photographing an event, but rather the venue itself and the experiences that could be had at this street fare style setup they created. It was a striking venue to photograph and I am sure it will be something many other guests will see and request for when they book with the conference grounds! Thank you to Alex, Crystal, and the whole team for a fun evening of photography in a dynamic setting.
Interior Event Venue Photography showing off Asilomar Conference Grounds
This was my first opportunity to make interiorevent photos at the nearby Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove focusing on the setups and venue spaces themselves. This was the first of three nights in a row, all within a different space on the grounds, with this one being in Crocker Hall and a country theme to the food and venue presentation. The fireplace was a focal point, as well as the hay bales used for display and even seating! I used a variety of photography styles from typical wide angle shots, to shallow DoF (depth of field) shots, to even a long exposure letting the people “ghost” out of the shot, allowing a photo to be used to show the venue rather than actual guests, while still showing guests in the space without identifying them.
Wanting to try out my new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lens on my new Sony a7R V camera, I went to the Bosque at sunset time to see what kind of shots I could create with a long lens, albeit it one with a large aperture capable of very shallow DoF. By the time I got there the light was indeed fading fast. I chose to focus on foreground objects and leave the sunset itself out of focus. This results in a kind of melting effect to how the sunset looks. I actually liked shooting at f/1.4 at 85mm and getting most of what was in the photo out of focus. This is most easily seen in the above photo of the very fine grass sticking out toward the sunset. This grass was so hard to see even with the a7R V’s AI based autofocus, I had to manually focus the lens!
Going and strolling around Christmas lights displays is not really fun or entertaining for me, unless I bring my camera and a large aperture lens, in this case my new Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master, the largest aperture lens I have ever owned. I personally think Christmas lights look better in photos out of focus, so that the frame is nearly entirely bokeh. I purposefully tried to make the photos out of focus to get the most bokeh in every shot and highlight the color and shape of the lights. Which one is your favorite?
Cosmos photos across 13 years of photography history
The first time I photographed cosmos flowers 13 years ago, I was just learning how to become a more serious photographer. That meant I could still be stunned by the amount of bokeh created in these cosmos flowers I made in Tachikawa, Japan. Now many tens of thousands of photos later, I am no longer stunned by creating very shallow DoF in a photo, but I do still appreciate the magic of it. These cosmos were photographed in the ABQ Biopark while bees were busy collecting pollen on a warm fall afternoon. In 13 years will we still be using what we traditionally think of as a interchangeable lens camera to make such photos?
More Creative Real Estate Photography than expected in Rio Rancho
This luxury real estate property in Rio Rancho, New Mexico was first featured in this blog post showing more traditional interior and exterior photos. What is offered here at Jason Collin Photography is far more than just the usual in real estate photography. Looking to push the boundaries of what creative real estate photography for luxury homes can be, at the end of the shoot I walk the entire property with a handheld 50mm lens looking for unique views of a room with a less wide field of view. This may result in a photo with a very shallow depth of field, or only the very corner of a room, or simply featuring the part of the bathroom a prospective buyer will find most relaxing. My goal is to always be more creative, more inventive, even in real estate photography.
