Moving time

If you take a careful look at my blog profile info and the posts in this blog, you'll notice some posts that are older than the profile. How's that? Elementary, my dear Watson, this blog has moved from its old home on LiveJournal (where the ads finally got to be too annoying). And, it got a new name in the process: Walk Softly and Carry a Long Lens.

This name came about as I looked over shots from my various outings. I tend to take many shots at many focal lengths, but was finding that the most striking and interesting images were taken at longer lengths. For instance, the photo on the right was taken in a crowd of costumed people at 250mm. While I have other nice photos from the Fasching party at Viktualienmarkt, this is the only one that really "speaks".

So while I used to have my "walkaround" 18-125 lens on my camera by default, now it's the 55-250 that lives there. It has a nice zoom range for getting details and still getting some context when needed. At the same time, I would like to get an ultra-wide like the Sigma 8-16, but that would call for a different and much more deliberate style of photography.

POTD 24/11 2009

"Self portrait #2 (attempted Pusztai style): After"

It strikes me that my hair really does have a slight red tone to it.

POTD 17/11 2009

"Self portrait #1 (attempted Pusztai style): Before" ©2009 Lars Clausen

"Old and Broken" ©2006 Lars Clausen

Portrait class

These are the best results from the portrait photography class I took through local adult education organization FOF:

I was 'official photographer' in Pisa for the PLANETS all-staff meeting. Took a bunch of pictures that I've hardly looked at yet, but in particular I took a group shot and mugshots of all the subproject leaders.

Found a reasonable light (between two lighted columns) for mugshots. Not quite enough room to get them back so light was on the fact rather than sideways. Took about 10 pics of each, which was good, since many were not very good. Getting light, focus, expression and composition right is not easy. Used the 50mm at f/2.8 ISO ... 400?

Group shot was reasonable. In the shade, camera on a table. Tried a panorama, but it got spoiled by not being carefully rotated.