Chasing bokeh: Fuji 50/2

Truman Prevatt wrote:

deednets wrote:

Polybazze wrote:

The blur generated by the 50/2 looks good for me. A nice balanced level of subject isolation vs blurred background/foreground.

Lately I'm seeing to much blur as a cheesy effect to pump otherwise boring images/subjects (google for "russian mother photographer" and you'll see what I mean).

Elena Shumilova????

She is an architect by trade and uses a 135/2 on a Canon 5DII plus the occasional 50/1.4.

I have a lot of time for her as she just followed her children growing up in rural Russia. Frosty windows in a country barn might be cliché as, but hardly ever as elegantly executed

http://heartscribes.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Meeting-sunrise-by-Elena-Shumilova.jpg

Deed

Amazing shots. She uses Bokeh and often axial compression of the 135 to express her love and for her children and her way of life. Many of these images is why having the tool of generating a smooth creamy background can make an image.

My favorite historical example is W. Eugene Smith's "Walk in Paradise Garden." It was an extremely emotional moment for him when he raised the shutter and took the shot of his kids walking into the light. The narrow DOF and out of focus background was critical for this image to work.

http://time.com/37534/into-the-light-w-eugene-smiths-walk-to-paradise-garden/

There is a reason we have fast lenses. It is for moments like these.

Yes ... interesting shot you referred to /but sadly only reproduced in postage stamp size on that link you shared.

I also have - and use - the 56/1.2 on occasion and when I revisit the shots taken with the 56 on lazy days I wonder whether I should shoot more with that lens ...

Deed