The REAL Father Christmas

[JR1]

Not Santa, this is the UK

[Manfred M]

Interesting composition, Jeremy. I like the lights growing out of the top of his head. Had it been my shot, I would have probably worked to avoid them, and in that process I would have missed what turns out to be a very interesting shot. You certainly do have to know how and when to "break the rules".

[JR1]

Interesting composition, Jeremy. I like the lights growing out of the top of his head. Had it been my shot, I would have probably worked to avoid them, and in that process I would have missed what turns out to be a very interesting shot. You certainly do have to know how and when to "break the rules".

Thank you my friend, however I am not too big to admit it was luck, pure and simple.

[Manfred M]

I'm not sure sure, Jeremy. I find that something will catch my eye and I will take an absolutely brilliant picture, and I can't quite figure out what made me stop to take the shot. I can usually figure it out when I get home and pull it up on the computer screen. I often wonder if something we call "experience" is at play, and our subconcious recognizes something, even though our concious mind hasn't quite caught up yet. I find that this is true for things that I have a lot of expertise in, not just photography.

Regardless, brilliant and unusual framing, pure and simple luck or not.

[JR1]

I'm not sure sure, Jeremy. I find that something will catch my eye and I will take an absolutely brilliant picture, and I can't quite figure out what made me stop to take the shot. I can usually figure it out when I get home and pull it up on the computer screen. I often wonder if something we call "experience" is at play, and our subconcious recognizes something, even though our concious mind hasn't quite caught up yet. I find that this is true for things that I have a lot of expertise in, not just photography.

Regardless, brilliant and unusual framing, pure and simple luck or not.

The f2.8 Nikkor 70-200 has a great effect though I looooooooove the lens

[Manfred M]

The f2.8 Nikkor 70-200 has a great effect though I looooooooove the lens

Yes, definitely my "go to" lens for those types of shots; shoot at or close to wide open. However, one does stick out; it's not exactly for stealth shooting and it sure isn't the lightest piece of glass around...

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[JR1]

Yes, definitely my "go to" lens for those types of shots; shoot at or close to wide open. However, one does stick out; it's not exactly for stealth shooting and it sure isn't the lightest piece of glass around...

So you have this lens, how do you find it overall, I have just started using it

[Manfred M]

So you have this lens, how do you find it overall, I have just started using it

This is my primary portrait lens and is really my go to lens for most of my work where I am shooting an individual. I probably use it for about 40% of my total shots (the f/2.8 24-70mm lens is probably used for around 55% of my shooting, and the rest is done with my other lenses. It's not the most compact or lightest of lenses, but is a fast lens with excellent performance characteristics. I use it a fair bit in my street photography; the stuff I do tends to be something I refer to as "street portraiture", rather than the wider view found in most street photography.

I know that this lens has been criticized for having a focal length closer to 135mm at the minimum focus distance, but have never found this to be a significant limitation.

My other portrait lens is the Nikkor f/2 105mm DC, and I tend to use that in more controlled shooting conditions. I tend to stand a bit further back from my subjects than other photographers I know. I find that a lot of people that I shoot tend to have a larger "personal space" requirement, so I went with it, rather than with an 85mm lens. I don't like crowding my subjects.