…an ant, a tiny creature?
I am glad for the topic of tiny this week because I spent two afternoons in the backyard taking pictures of leaves and plants earlier this week.
The above picture was posted on my Instagram yesterday. I didn’t notice the peculiar shadow until minutes after I took this picture when I was standing beneath the shade squinting at the camera’s tiny screen. Doesn’t the shadow looked like a bird?
In my opinion, it looked like phoenix. “Perfect,” I muttered, proud of the picture but then I noticed I didn’t capture the entire shadow. Darn!
Quickly, I returned to the spot and with my back bending low, I made sure top position the camera slightly to the right to capture the entire shadow. No such luck. I snapped the picture seven more times and still, no luck. The weed was out of focus and so was the shadow. The camera was focused on the fence in the background.
That was so frustrating!
Here is another picture from that day. Another frustrating attempt. This one took me five tries and the camera was still focused on the green foliage behind it but it does looks a little bit like it’s from an ant’s perspective. Don’t you think so?
Here are the technical specifications:
Picture 1: Sony DSC-W8000 (f/8, 5 mm, ISO-100, 1/160 sec)
Picture 2: Sony DSC-W8000 (f/3.2, 5 mm, ISO-100, 1/250 sec)
Lucky capture of the bird shadow! 🙂
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Thank you. 🙂
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Try this: aim the camera at what you want in focus. Depression the shutter button half way without shooting. Still holding the button halfway down, recompose your picture. Depression the button fully (take the shot). Hopefully this will keep the focus where you want it in your final picture. Also, check your camera manual to see how close you can get to your subject. Maybe you were too close for the camera to focus on what you wanted. Good luck!
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I actually tried that but for some reason, when I press the shutter button the second time to take the picture, it goes back to being blurry. Maybe there’s something wonky with the camera. I’ll have to search for the manual to find out. Thanks for the tip. 🙂
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Don’t let up on the button between focusing and shooting. Half way down to focus then continue all the way down to shoot. Sometimes it’s hard to do because it takes a very gentle touch but it gets easier with practice. (So they say… some days I just can’t get it right.)
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I agree, it takes a gentle touch and lots of practice. I sometimes think there are good days and bad days for taking pictures.
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🙂
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Actually to me many of the shadows in that picture look like birds. All different kinds and sizes, I wasn’t quite sure which shadow you were speaking of at first. There are two small birds to the right, the Phoenix, perhaps an Eagle or something with a long neck to left of the Phoenix, and a small bird to the left of the “Eagle”….so the picture is actually filled with bird shadows. Amazing! Yes they do look like they are from an ant’s perspective…very cool! 🙂
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I looked at the picture again and you’re right. That picture was full of shadows. I know what you mean and it took me a minute but I see it, it looked like there are two birds, flying in opposite directions. I can even see a shadow in the shape of lightning on the other side of the picture. 🙂 I am beginning to like shadows, they play such great visual tricks.
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It’s like looking at clouds and seeing all kinds of things…maybe you could start focusing on shadow pictures, how fun would that be!!! 🙂
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Absolutely! First I need to find some sunny days. 😀
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Pingback: Tiny: Approach | What's (in) the picture?
Great photos, Yinglan! Is that an ant in the photo or some other kind of bug?
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Thank you. I don’t think that was a bug otherwise I would’ve gone running and screaming. 😀
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LOL! It sure does look like one!
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LOVED these ❤
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Thank you. 🙂
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Pingback: Tiny garden delights | Penne 4 Your Thoughts
‘…an ant, a tiny creature?’ 🙂 I was searching each of the photos for an ant. 🙂
Would you believe I see a squirrel shadow in the first pic? The head is on the right and moves behind the plants and then I saw the tail. Do you see it in the middle of the photo? This was a fun post zeroeing in on detail from an ant’s view.
https://meinthemiddlewrites.com/
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A squirrel shadow? It’s possible though I have never seen a squirrel in the backyard. Perhaps, it was hiding in my neighbor’s tree. I am sure I will see it if I let my eyes wander. That picture sure contain a lot of fun shadows. 🙂 Thank you for reading.
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😀 The nose, eye, ears are on the right about half way up to pic and then the back travels across behind the plant and the tail is on the left. Hah! I might need new glasses. 😉
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I think I see it. Yeah, it does kind of look like a squirrel.
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😀
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