Photos of this life: To be continued...

I recently purchased a new lens. The Canon 50mm F/1.8 II. I picked it up having decided I needed autofocus at the 50mm length, for a variety of shooting scenarios. While I personally preach acquring better photos over better gear. Sometimes you have to pay if you want to play. Luckily after acquiring the lens, I had a portrait shoot planned. I had the opportunity to work with a fellow artist who really impressed me. I'm of course talking about Vanessa, she is quite lovely. As a very down to earth and creative artist herself, there was good ideas discussed before shooting began. After talking a bit we decided to go with a bit of a Lolita/hitch hiker theme. Those of you who follow my work know I like series of photos compared to individual stills. I enjoy the story aspect that adds another dimension to the task at hand. Not only do you have to capture good photos, but do it in a manner that expresses your thoughts and ideas. Something I love about working with other creative people, is their own input involved in the process. Vanessa was very easy and to work with. There was a good understanding between us. I enjoyed her attitude towards shooting as she is a fellow photog. The first location for the photos was on Mt. Lemmon. The overcast and slight rain drops would provide nice soft lighting with a wet look. After heading down the mountain we headed the second location. A swimming pool would prove an interesting contrast to the open nature of Mt. Lemmon. Up until this point I had never done a swimming pool shoot, so it was good experience in that aspect. I really enjoyed the various angles that are possible with a diving board. My favorite photo from the whole shoot was a direct result of being able to use the diving board to achieve the desired result. When I pulled the file into Photoshop and viewed it at 100%, I couldn't have been more pleased. It's well lit, razor sharp, great color, composition is spot on, and Vanessa looks stunningly elegant. Who says you can't get great results with a 18-55mm kit lens? Dont let anyone tell you otherwise, all lenses peform well at F/8 aperture. These types of photos are what keep me going. I am always striving to push my limits and explore my own creativity while making art. It's something that has truly changed my life and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you've made it this far, thanks for stopping by.

All photos on this post taken with Canon EF 50mm F/1.8 II and Canon EF-S 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 mounted on a Canon T2i body