Life abounds everywhere, especially in the places we look past or simply don’t see. As a macro photographer, the smallest detail catches my eye, and I often have to study my subject at its own level – namely, laying on the ground – to capture its simple beauty. Sometimes this proves challenging, and, since I don’t use a tripod for my photography, involves flattening myself beside an object of interesting and finagling the camera to a suitable location to take the photo.
Sometimes, choosing the photos to accompany my blog posts is a challenging ordeal. I have attachment to all of my photos and it’s hard to pick just a few. Unless “a few” entails hundreds, more likely thousands, of mushroom portraits…
This blog post features photography that I’ve experimented with shifting the focus on a subject. A different focus can create a different feel.
1.Rowan leaves
In this photo, the focus is on the texture of the leaf through the raindrops. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The focus is on the raindrops. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The focus is on the leaf itself. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021Now the focus has shifted to the raindrops again. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
2. Clover leaf
When the focus sits on the raindrops, they appear almost like jewels. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021However, in this photo, the eye is lead more to the hairs and water droplets along the edge of the leaf. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
3. Iris leaf
The focus is on the centre/right of the leaf in this photo. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A raindrop on the edge, viewed from the side. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The focus travels up the leaf. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The focus rests on the tip of the leaf. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
4. Calendula flower
The focus sits on the rim of the petals. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The focus is solely on the inside of the calendula flower. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
5. Snail shell
The focus is on the bottom part of the snail shell. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021In this photo, the focus lies on the tip of the shell. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
6. Mushroom Portraits
A blurry photo. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The same photo as above – only now the subject is in focus and is the main component in the image. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021A farther photo of the same subject as above. The focus is behind the mushroom of interest. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021The same photo as the one above, only the focus is on the mushroom again. Copyright Hazel Peel-Hodgson, 2021
2 thoughts on “Shifting Focus”
The delicacy of the focus ring is evident in these photos. You do a great job of choosing various aspects of flowers, leaves and water drops to focus on. My favourited are the raindrop on the edge, the second Rowan leaf and the first Calendula flower.
The delicacy of the focus ring is evident in these photos. You do a great job of choosing various aspects of flowers, leaves and water drops to focus on. My favourited are the raindrop on the edge, the second Rowan leaf and the first Calendula flower.
Thanks, Dad! I’m glad we share the same photographer’s eye. Pretty sure I inherited that from you!