Sakura Dream

Shot last week with my daughter as the model.  I really like this photo with my daughter taken in a natural/relaxed setting with the blossoms in full bloom, but like some of my flickr friends said, it's lacking something.  I'll just have to keep studying it and fix it, eventually, I want it to be printed in canvas size.  Taken with a 24mm f/1.4 shot wide open to minimize depth of field for the dreamy effect.  Why did I choose this lens?  My daughter is not one to stand still, and I need to grab the beautiful blossoms as the backdrop and framing.  I was only several feet away from her.  The soft subdued colors are achieved with cross-processing filters applied in post.  Some elements of the photos are photoshopped in and out, such as the branches on the far left, and the trash can removed on the far right.  As mentioned in my earlier post regarding the art of exlusion, this is not the prettiest of places photographic wise, the parking lot with a gas station is cropped out of the image.

One of the comments I got was why I did not shoot with a deeper depth of field?  And why wouldn't I want to have everything sharp as a landscape shot?  And that I'm not telling a story...  My thoughts - I don't agree or disagree with these comments.  Photography is subjective, and not every photo appeals to everyone.  Not everyone likes motion blur, and not everyone likes tack sharp photos either.  Whatever decision you make behind that camera is what makes it unique.  You're the artist, so do whatever you feel like doing :)

 

Nikon D700 with Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 G at f/1.4.