#sigma macro art

[hekiqoo]

[kojiarakiartworks]

April 2020 JAPAN NAGANO AZUMINO SA

© KOJI ARAKI Art Works

Daily life and every small thing is the gate to the universe ：）

[helluvatimes]

Before the Next Teardrop Falls

Teardrop like stuff hanging in the Secret Garden of the Cloud Forest. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

This was lit by dim spotlights and was taken with the exposure biased some 2-1/3 stops, basically exposing for the highlights.

[kas-e]

Wings

[coffeenuts]

[6ghassan]

Red Rhododendron by Todd Ar Via Flickr: SOOC

[whenmonkeyssleepwithfishes]

[aiproduction1000]

[seabeck]

FAQ + About (for mobile)

About me: My name is Milli (she/her), 25yrs. I love taking photos of nature and my Subaru. I’m a huge nerd about mushrooms, plants, and skulls. I’ve been hiking ever since I was a little kid and at this point I feel at home in the woods.

I have a flock of chickens, a boyfriend, a dog, and waaay too many house plants

Did you take all the photos on this blog?

Yep, every photo posted here was taken by yours truly unless otherwise noted (very rare).

What camera/lenses do you use? 

My crop sensor/work kit is:

Nikon D7100

10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR

Dolica ZX600B103 Tripod

My full frame kit is:

Nikon D850

Sigma 150-600mm f5.6-6.3 

50mm f/1.8 G

60mm f/2.8 ED Macro

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 VR G

17-35mm f2.8 

20mm 1.8 ED sold

Sigma 150-500mm f5.6-6.3  sold

Kenko extension tubes

Raynox 250

Vanguard Alta Pro 263AB (works for macro + everything else)

Filters and other gear:

Hoya circular polarizers + Stop down/up kit

Nikon camera backpack (discontinued)/TARION Camera Backpack

Instax Mini 90

Other cameras I’ve owned:

D50

D200

D3000

D7000

Here’s my lens wish list, some are on there for fun and some I actually want.

What camera gear would you recommend for a beginner?

Before you worry too much about getting the best gear, make sure you learn how to use it first. You could go out and buy the fanciest camera and lenses and still not take good photos because you don’t know how to use your camera or how to “see”. There’s also a saying, “you marry your lenses and date your bodies”. Invest in good lenses, preferably full frame compatible ones in case you ever decide to upgrade to full frame, and get a cheaper body to start. With that out of the way…

If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend getting a refurbished or used camera from the D7100+ line. They’ve come down in price as of late and are pretty solid cameras. Just make sure to check the shutter count.

I’d skip anything from the D3000 & D5000 lines. They’re not bad cameras but they do not have built in autofocus meaning they rely on the lens itself having autofocus. This isn’t horrible but it does limit what lenses you can use (and some of the lenses that won’t autofocus with those cameras are good AND cheap) and that can be confusing for a beginner.

As for a lens, a 50mm f/1.8, or 35mm f/1.8 is a great lens. Both lenses are inexpensive, have good quality glass, and can used for nearly everything. The 18-55mm lens that comes with cameras isn’t bad either. 

I don’t shoot Canon/Sony/whatever else so I can’t give any advice there sorry!

How did you learn to take photos?

LOTS of practice, I first picked up a camera back in 2013. In high school and college I took photography classes but ultimately I didn’t really learn much from them, they started at too basic of a level.

I did learn a lot about photography from taking art classes however. They taught me framing, how to use shadows/light, and movement in a photo (where does your eye travel when you view an image/art piece). My mom is also a professional photojournalist so I picked up some knowledge from her and my grandfather who’s also a published photographer.

How can I take better photos?

Again, lots of practice. Learn what every setting and button on your camera does, try different shooting modes, take the same photo at several different apertures and shutter speeds to see what changes. You can learn a lot from reading articles too but the best way to learn, imo, is by doing. Don’t worry about getting the best gear and the best camera, learn how to take photos first.

Study other photographers photos, and even paintings, and see what you like. Pay attention to directional lines and where your eye travels. Learn how to use Photoshop/Lightroom (just pirate it). Take photos in different weather, lighting, and times of day. 

What programs do you use to edit? What presets/filters do you use?

I use Lightroom and Photoshop Classic along with custom presets that I’ve made for different situations (fog, snow, etc) to process most of my images and then I make minor tweaks. A lot of my presets started as VSCO presets and then I kept the things I liked and changed the things I didn’t.

What is your job?

I’m a real estate photographer specializing in short term rentals. I love it.

Are you related to Eddie Vedder?

Yep, we’re very distantly related. Something like 7th cousins twice removed but I’ve never met him.

Can you add a photo to your print shop?

Sure! Just tell me the name of the photo (or link it if possible, I reuse a lot of names) you want added and I’ll get it up there.

May I use one of your photos?

I’m 100% ok with people using my photos as a reference for drawing/painting, I’d even love to see the result. For anything else, just shoot me an ask beforehand and I’ll let you know. Please do not repost my photos on Tumblr or elsewhere without my permission.

[thelearningcurvephotography]

Morning Commute No 1 Art Print by The Learning Curve Photography on Pixels. A row of bicycles outside a downtown Toronto Canada office tower after the morning ride to work.Original photography from 2017 using a Canon EOS 60D body with a Sigma 17-70mm f2.8 DC Macro OS lens. Reprocessed using Silver EFEX Pro as a Lightroom plugin for the Black and White conversion. • Art prints are produced on acid free papers using archival inks. • Include a 1" white border around the image to allow for future framing and matting • All prints are professionally printed, packaged, and shipped within 3 - 4 business days. • Choose from multiple sizes and hundreds of frame and mat options.

[sirfrogsworth]

What lenses do you use for photography? Got a favourite?

I'm actually rebuilding my lens collection at the moment. I sold all but one lens years ago in a very depressive state and I have been regretting it as I've begun taking photos again.

So I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I would need to do the kinds of photography I enjoy most.

I do a lot of product or still life photography which requires a lot of detail. Especially when I get into the close up and macro realm. So I have been considering doing all primes rather than zooms, since those tend to be sharper at lower price points. Sharp zoom lenses can get crazy expensive.

My first lens that a lovely follower gifted me was the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art lens. This will be my primary portrait lens. And I can throw some extension tubes on to get some near macro shots.

I also have a Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 lens. This is probably my favorite lens of all time. I call it my puppy lens. It was primarily what I used to capture photos of Otis. It only works on APS-C bodies, so if I upgrade to a full frame camera, I will have to replace it. Which I have mixed feelings about. It covers the 28-56mm range on a full frame body.

I want a wide lens for landscapes, so I was considering the Samyang 14mm F2.8.

And I want a proper macro lens at some point, and I'd like to have a more tele portrait lens, so the Sigma 70mm f/2.8 Art Macro lens could pull double duty.

Both are pretty affordable, especially used.

That would probably be all I need, but if I ever get my disability settlement figured out, I might look into a telephoto lens and maybe something in the 24mm range to fill in the gap between the 14mm and 50mm.

And if I ever come into a lot of money, I'd probably get the Sony A7R V with the holy trinity zooms. 16-35, 24-70, and 70-200.

Plus a macro lens... obviously. Laowa just released a macro lens kit that basically takes microscope objectives and mounts them on a camera. Those would be nuts to play with.

My 2 paragraph rule has gone completely off the rails.

[pogomcl]

Green-eyed Hook-tailed Dragonfly, Onychogomphus forcipatus Canon 5D3 Sigma 70-300 Art Macro f/5.6 1/320 iso: 160 Revnice, Czech Republic 6/30/2024

[kojiarakiartworks]

June 2011　KTM　Kathmandu　Nepal Road to Lumbini

© KOJI ARAKI Art Works

Daily life and every small thing is the gate to the universe ：）

[helluvatimes]

Riding On

“The Thelwell Pony and Rider” sculpture by Robert James Workshop enlivening a corner of the conservatory in its own way. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

We might’ve seen the last of horse racing here but the show still goes on as far as this rider and his pony are concerned.

[kas-e]

Scales on Black

[coffeenuts]