Explaining fstop, aperture and depth of field

These two pictures were taken from the exact same spot just a few second apart.  How did I do it?  I changed the fstop, or the aperture.  The aperture is an opening that allows in light.  It works with your shutter.  Shutter speed and size of aperture will give you depth of field.  Depth of field is the amount of your photo that is in focus.  For the top picture (or the picture of the couple holding the ultrasound with only the ultrasound in focus), you need a wide open aperture combined with the proper shutter speed to only get that tiny part of the picture in focus.  For Canon cameras set it to Av, which stands for Aperture Value.  This will allow you to set the aperture and the camera will automatically adjust the shutter speed.

So put your camera to Av and the screen should look something like this:

 The F4.5 tells you that your Fstop is at 4.5, which is as low as the regular lens that came with the camera will go, i think.  There should be a dial right behind your shutter button that looks like this:

Turn that knob back and forth to make the number go down.  Turn it to the left until the number doesn't go any lower.  Now your fstop is as low as it will go.  Now you can try to take a picture, but you will probably have to change WHERE your focus is at.  That's easy too.  Hit a button that looks something like this:

A screen that looks like that ^^^ With dots/squares on it will appear.  You can then use the four arrow buttons that are around the SET button to move which dot is highlighted.  Which ever one you pick will be what your camera focuses on.  Makes sense?  So look through your camera, figure out about where you want the focus to be, and then choose the closest dot.  Your picture might work even if you don't do this, but you might focus on something you didn't intend to, so you might as well just set the Auto Focus Selection point.  Go ahead and take your picture.   Try it out at different fstops and see what happens.

Remember, the smaller the fstop number, the smaller the area of focus.

Fun Photo Shoot With a Friend

     

     

                                       I love my babies.  :-)

The Missing Piece of My Heart

28 Weeks Pregnant (2/27/12)

41 Weeks Pregnant (5/28/12)

Lily Faith arrived on May 29th, 2012-- Nine days late!  8lbs 4oz, 21 inches of adorableness.

Darker Days

At the end of my most recent class I discovered I was pregnant.  Most women would have been thrilled, over the moon, so grateful and full of joy...  I was not.  I did NOT want to be pregnant.  I was angry at God, angry at Mitch and mostly angry at myself.  I do not like being pregnant, I do not particularly like the baby stage, I do not like being up every 2 hours to a screaming infant, I do not like having to share myself with yet another person...  Don't get me wrong, I love my boys with all of my heart, but the idea of something- anything! taking me away from them absolutely killed me.  Not to mention financially!  We were not prepared to have a third child.  I slipped into a depression.  I stopped going to school.  I stopped taking pictures.  I stopped being happy.  Then we discovered it was a girl.  Mitch was thrilled.  I was terrified.  I don't like girls, never have.  But everyone around me thought it was such a great thing...  So I opened my mind and heart to the possibilities.  And absolutely fell in love.  Meet Lily.  Lily Faith LaVire.  Due May 21st, 2012.

The Boys

Portraiture Class by Robin Konarz

These photos were taken by my very gifted classmate and friend, Robin.  Thanks Robin, you rock!