Withstanding The Winter

[selig1656]

Albeit here in Maryland we have experienced a very mild winter so far.
RSF_4836 edited by Raymond Friedman, on Flickr

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[Wavelength]

Nice; i desired a bit more blending of the background elements

[Manfred M]

As winters go, things have been mild here too, but that is a relative statement, still temperatures below freezing, but the amount of snow is reasonable. We are hoping to get out to do some snowshoeing, but the conditions are not great.

I agree with Nanadakumar regarding the background, but when I look at the image, the subject looks soft and out of focus.

[DanK]

Raymond,

I agree with Manfred: the image isn't sharp. This has been true of at least one other of yours, remnants of fall. This looks to me more like missed focus than motion blur. It's hard from a distance, but I wonder if there is an issue of technique that we can help with? Sometimes this happens if one uses a poorly placed autofocus point, but that should make part of the image well focused, and I don't see any part of this in focus.

Dan

[Chataignier]

I wonder if this was shot from closer than the minimum focus distance for the lens ?
Exif shows Nikon 18-140mm lens at 66mm - I dont know the limits of this lens..?

[DanK]

I wonder if this was shot from closer than the minimum focus distance for the lens ?
Exif shows Nikon 18-140mm lens at 66mm - I dont know the limits of this lens..?

Bingo.

I just looked up the specs on B&H. This is not a close-focusing lens. Mnimum focusing distance is 45 cm--1.45 feet. Makes sense, given that the other images with this problem were also close-ups.

Raymond, I don't know your camera--for no particular reason, I have never used a Nikon--but most likely it has at least one, probably two indicators that the camera has managed to focus. On my camera, there is a small dot in the viewfinder and an audible beep. You can turn the beep off on mine, but I frequently turn it on. If David's hypothesis is correct, and I think it is, those indicators would warn you.

[selig1656]

thank you all for valuable comments, I have been shooting in great discomfort and I am not paying enough attention.I will address this issue and I know the results will show.Not an excuse, I had a serious back surgery that did not go well,was in a rehab for 29 days than house bound till Jan. and still I am limited and told that I have a long hard recovery a head of me.I love photography and I appreciate the time any one takes to comment.

[Manfred M]

thank you all for valuable comments, I have been shooting in great discomfort and I am not paying enough attention.I will address this issue and I know the results will show.Not an excuse, I had a serious back surgery that did not go well,was in a rehab for 29 days than house bound till Jan. and still I am limited and told that I have a long hard recovery a head of me.I love photography and I appreciate the time any one takes to comment.

I'm sorry to read that, Raymond. Having lived with a lot of pain from surgery that had complications, I know where you are coming from. Pain is a major distraction and it does interfere with even what would seem to be simple routine work.

[DanK]

Raymond,

Very sorry to hear that. I know what it's like. I've had several orthopedic surgeries, including major back surgery, and am currently hobbling around as I try to figure out whether I have any alternative to a knee replacement. I had to turn back from a night photography walk recently because of it.

I actually started macro photography because of an orthopedic problem more than a decade ago. I had injured my other knee and found that I was in the Adirondacks, where we generally spent part of the summer every year, without being able to hike. So, I asked myself: what is there to photograph within a few hundred yards of our cabin or the car? the answer was bugs--lots and lots and lots of bugs.

I have a few ideas that might help.

First, a couple of years ago, someone--I think it was Richard Crowe--posted a shot of a lightweight portable stool that he carried because of an orthopedic injury. You could PM him if he doesn't answer this thread.

The second is an expense: a very lightweight camera. When I travel, I often carry a Panasonic Lumix LX-100. It's very small and light but, unlike most small cameras, it has very good controls. It has several disadvantages compared with my DSLR: it handles low light less well, has lower resolution (hence not as good for large prints), is less flexible (max FL is 74 mm FF equivalent), and the images take more work in postprocessing. However, it works well enough in many instances. It also focuses very close, to get back to the start of this thread.

For example, I have posted the image below a few times. I took it with the Lumix. It prints well enough at 13 x 19 that a gallery director decided last week to exhibit it at that size.

Best of luck in your recovery.

Dan

PS: at the end of my back ordeal, the physical therapist explained that I will always have less stability than I had as a youth and recommended a small set of core exercises. I do them often, and they help a lot.

[Wavelength]

Oh, i feel sorry about your discomfort; i am sure of your expedient recovery and entry back to active photography....

[selig1656]

I do an average of 4hours a day in excercises , I too will have both knees replaced.Thank you for the comment.

[Wavelength]

Do you have Ayurvedic treatments available in your area? they can give much relief in many such cases....