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Follow the PEOPLE Thread of Photos
I have heard that you should not use photos of people you know because you know and understand their expressions. A photo that shows a subject's emotional depth is more likely to be from someone that you don't know; someone that objectively portrays the human feeling that you try to capture in the photo.
This photo was made at my younger sister's home in Lacey's Spring Alabama. My family was gathered to celebrate Independence Day and watch a rainy fireworks display. Earlier that day I had set off two fireworks rockets modified to parachute back after launch. I had a 50 percent success rate with my rocket launches that afternoon.
The photo very slightly shows a peculiarity that I have seen all my life. My father is far-sighted and holds reading material and other things at arm's length. Mom is nearsighted and needs to lean in close to see. When mom will show something to my father she holds it right up to him and dad will push back and edge away to see it. When dad shows something to my mother he simply turns it toward her and she has to bring it closer or lean in to see.
In the photo my parents are looking at photos on my iPhone. My iPhone has an aluminum camera body on it, so it looks a little strange. Dad is holding it out to see the screen and mom has to lean in to see. I love this photo because of what it says to me, I know that not everyone would see what I do in this photo.
The photo is made with my favorite lens of my favorite people. The lens is an Olympus 50mm f1.4. When I was young my father had an Olympus OM and a 50mm lens. His favorite lens was his Olympus 135mm. He says it is a great lens for people.
Since the end of film I know those legacy Olympus lenses have sat around. Dad had a series of point-and-shoot pocket camera that he loved because they very easily give him snap-shots that he loves to leaf through. Mostly photos of grandkids and great-grandkids.
I purchased an inexpensive OM to Sony adapter on-line and asked him to let me try it out with my camera and his legacy lenses. He was not thrilled as I was with the results of that OM 50mm; but, I was hooked.
I have bought my father a Sony Nex 3 and that OM adapter, but he prefers the Sony 16mm f2.8 automatic lens. You just cannot go wrong with that combination. I wanted him to see the value of those old lenses and how they are still great today. I don't blame him for liking the Sony auto lens, it gets him the photos he wants. I like the nostalgia of the Olympus lens; I love the feel of a 50 year old lens that is still great at what it produces.
This photo was made with my Sony 7r, with a 50mm Olympus f1.4 lens made in the early 1970s.
Family: https://www.flickr.com/gp/timmwheat/BQoYm5
Huntsville: https://www.flickr.com/gp/timmwheat/a1BRF2
Mom’s Birds: https://www.flickr.com/gp/timmwheat/7J5960
Huntsville Birds: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk31H2Qn
Memphis Birds: https://www.flickr.com/gp/timmwheat/9QB1T2
2017 Christmas in Huntsville: https://www.flickr.com/gp/timmwheat/06T00S
2016 Christmas in Huntsville: https://flic.kr/s/aHskNNvVvv
2015 Anniversary: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk9jsG3W
Photo by Tim Wheat.
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