Flowers – Page 7 – Circadianreflections Blog

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”~ Henry David Thoreau

October 5, 2014October 5, 2014Posted in birding, Birds in the Wild, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Golden Gate Park, LensBaby Composer Pro II, San Francisco, WarblersTagged Birding, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Cactus, Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro II, San Francisco Golden Gate Park10 Comments

I thought of this quote of Thoreau’s while out birding yesterday. “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”

A friend and I had gone up to San Francisco Golden Gate Park hoping to see a Porthonotary Warbler. We knew it was being seen in the mornings, and late afternoons, but we both had obligations in the morning and couldn’t get up there, so we left late hoping for an afternoon sighting.

While we were in the area where the Porthonotary Warbler was sighted I spied some movement in the foliage of a huge Cypress tree. I thought it might be a Nuthatch, but it turned out to be a Black-throated Gray Warbler! A first sighting for me!

It was in the foliage so I kicked up the ISO. I used my Nik Plug-in Dfine to help some with the noise. I wish there was a highlight in its eye. This is the best of the images I took of it. It’s such a busy, flittly little bird that most of my images were soft or blurry. One day I hope I get another crack at one.

While hanging around the area where the Porthonotary Warbler was most likely to show up I was noticing the flowers,

and plants around me so I switched my 300mm f4 Nikkor lens for the LensBaby Composer Pro II with the Soft Focus Optic and made quite a few images. Most of which I don’t have names for. Here are several images,

We didn’t see the Porthonotary Warbler, but it was a good day out filled with a lot of beautiful flowers, plants,

nice weather, and good company.

Nikon D300s| AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4 w/ AF-S Nikkor 14eII, and LensBaby Composer Pro II w/soft focus optic

More to come…

P52 39/52 First of the Season’s Camellias

September 27, 2014Posted in Camellia, Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Project 52-2014Tagged 39/52, Beauty in the Garden, Camellia, Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Project 527 Comments

It was a week of welcome firsts. We had the first good rain we’ve seen/had in such a long time, and my Camellia bush is beginning to blossom ringing in Fall.

Nikon D700| LensBaby Composer Pro II w/Soft Focus Optic, f/2.8| ISO 320| Manual Priority| Hand-held

P52 31/52 Jaxon

August 1, 2014August 1, 2014Posted in Fine Art, Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Macro Photography, PhotographyTagged Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Macro photography, Portraits, San Jose California Nature Photographer, Soft Focus Optic11 Comments

I’m still trying to figure out how all the bits and pieces to my LensBaby Composer Pro work. I finally put my Soft Focus Optic

in and took some photos of flowers, and a few head shots of #1 Grandson who is 19 months old now. I like this pose the best of the three images I took.

I thought the pose fit Black & White best, and then I put an antique finish, and frame on it and really liked how it came out.

I’ve had the LensBaby Composer Pro for several weeks now, and like it, but I was having an issue with the Ball Locking, and the mounting lock. The Ball adjustment lock and the mounting lock both turn in the same direction and when ever I would turn the ball to change the point of focus it would also unscrew the lens. I kept remounting it, but nothing worked. It wouldn’t have that secure “snap!” when twisted into place, and I couldn’t find a little dot to line up with my white dot on my camera. Let me assure now, that I did read the manual…such as it is- multiple times. It’s a brochure that tells you how to install and remove your Optic, but there is nothing on how to mount it to your camera. As you can imagine I wasn’t happy about that set up, and it was scary thinking my lens wasn’t really secure in the mount. I was afraid it would fall off at any time.

I finally sent a message to my friend Wayne asking him what the trick to mounting the lens so it would lock in place is? Within a few minutes he told me there was tiny “Red” dot on the metal mount that I should match up with my camera. I looked at the mount and sure enough there it was! A tiny red dot on the metal mount. I never saw it before. Nikon programmed me to look for a white dot since my camera and lenses all have a white dot to line up.

I remounted my Composer Pro and got that nice “snap!” into place and locked sound. What a huge relief that is! Now I like my Composer Pro a lot more! THANK YOU WAYNE!

There’s supposed to be a dot on my Optics that you line up with the Composer Pro when installing them, but I can’t find the dots! Red or White! I’m hopeless I guess. For now I’m lining up the notches and securing my Optics that way. They’re secure in the Composer at least so, hopefully it’s right. 🙂

Here are a couple flower images I made using the LensBaby Composer Pro and Soft Focus Optic. I love this soft, dreamy look, and the OOF areas are smooth and creamy. Love it!

My Lantana with Soft focus Optic and +8mm & +16mm macro converters.

…and a neighbors Daisy like flower with the Soft Focus Optic

I’ve also got a wide-angle, and telephoto lens I need to try out. Perhaps this week-end.

Nikon D700| LensBaby Composer Pro with Soft Focus Optic and Macro Converter kit.

More to come…

Unfolding

July 18, 2014Posted in Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Macro PhotographyTagged Flowers, LensBaby Composer Pro, Macro photography, Roses, San Jose Nature Photographer2 Comments

I went on quick walk about in the neighborhood this morning with the Lensbaby Composer Pro and Macro converters, but didn’t stay out long because the wind picked up making it really hard to shoot the flowers.

This Bud didn’t take much post development. In ACR I used the lens correction filter, camera color settings filter, and moved it to CS6 to Nik Suite’s Viveza 2 where I applied some structure to the center of the rose and inside pedal then added a darken vignette around the edge of the image using Nik’s Color Efex Pro 4. That’s it! Obtaining the dreamy look is just about effortless with this lens. I love that!

I also bought the Soft Focus Optic that I hope to get to play with today.

Nikon D700} LensBaby Composer Pro w/Double Glass Optic w/16mm and 8mm macro converters| f2.8| ISO 400| Hand-held

A new Adventure with a LensBaby Composer Pro

July 17, 2014July 17, 2014Posted in Flowers, Macro Photography, PhotographyTagged Double Glass Optic, Flowers, Hydrangea, LensBaby Composer Pro, Macro, Macro photography, Pleasing Blurs, San Jose California Nature Photographer, White Oleander4 Comments

I recently sold a lens I no longer use because I upgraded it to a better version. I put the money in the bank, then promptly

purchased a LensBaby Composer Pro with Double Glass Optic, and optional macro converter set.

There’s a bit of a learning curve, but I think I’ll get the hang of it with a little more practice.

These images are the first in what I hope will be a long love affair with this little lens.

This is my Hydrangea. I love this plant. It’s taken a long time to get to this size. We’re having the front yard and driveway redone and I’ve been asked by every contractor if I wanted to remove it and pave over the area. I’ve replied, “No, it stays!” every time they ask.

I took this image with the LensBaby Composer with Double Glass Optic at f4

This is closer look with the Double Glass Optic and 16mm and 8mm macro converters attached @f2.8

White Oleander- LensBaby Composer with Double Glass Optic and Macro Converters @ f2.8

I am looking forward to having some free time to wander around the neighborhood looking for flowers to

photograph with the lens. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun to play with.

Nikon D700| Lexar Professional Digital Film| Hand-held

Dahlias from the garden

July 6, 2014July 6, 2014Posted in Fine Art, Flowers, Macro Photography, NatureTagged Bokeh, Dahlias, Flowers, From the Garden, Macro photography, San Jose California Nature PhotographerLeave a comment

Here are few macros I’ve made of the Dahlias growing in my backyard. This one is a Pom-pom Dahlia.

Nikon D700| AF-D Nikkor 105mm micro| Hand-held

This one I used my 20mm Kenko extension tube, and a Hoya Soft Filter on my Macro lens

This yellow Dahlia I photographed using my AF-S 50mm f1.8g lens

…and one more Pom-pom Dahlia. I’ve had a lot of fun photographing these this Spring/Summer. Unfortunately, the blossoms are getting smaller, and smaller on this plant.

I think I’m ready to try growing Plate size Dahlias and Peony’s next year.

Nikon D700, D300s, Nikkor AF-D 105mm micro lens, Kenko Extension Tubes, Hoya Soft Filter (B)

Agapanthus Abstract

June 14, 2014Posted in California, Flowers, PhotographyTagged Abstract, Agapantha, Fine Art, Flowers, ICM-Intentional Camera Blur, Lily of the Nile, Pleasing Blurs, San Jose California Nature Photographer6 Comments

The Agapanthus are in full bloom at my house. It’s one of a short list of flowers that I can grow…

er…if I’m honest they do well without much attention. I’ve been playing with blurs for a couple of weeks and these tall stalks lend themselves well to this type of blur.

I’ve been toying with the idea of adding a Lens Baby Composer Pro to my kit to use when photographing flowers, and expand my creativity, or open it up! Do any of you have one? If so, did you buy the kit? Do you have a favorite optic you use with it? Any advice or tips regarding the Lens Baby Composer Pro?

Nikon D700| AF-D Nikkor 105mm micro lens| Circular Polarizer| Hand-held

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