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Shutterbug: Sony DI Challenge II Depth of Field challenge



Hey guys! I know I have been quiet the past few days and I need to share with you what was happening. Unfortunately I need to borrowed wifey’s laptop because I don’t have mine right now and had no time to write due to some workloads that needs to be finish. The last time I shared with you my thoughts on doing HDR (High Dynamic Range Images) which I can say I have been progressing from the previous research I have been doing. Some of you might be wondering why I have to the HDR thingy the hard way and there’s an option with the Sony Alpha A77 where they incorporated the feature, I just simply want to maximize the full potential of the camera and you’ll get the result out of your taste. I guess I’m doing pretty well at it and would still continue to polish things until I am satisfied. I will be updating my portfolio page with it as well.
 
The recent news that I will be sharing with you is that Sony DI Challenge II is again up and running this time on our 3rd challenge where we showcase depth of field (DOF). So what are you waiting for? Get your fingers moving and vote me up hahahaha......just kidding, I’ll share with you the story behind my entry photo. Challenge 3 has been delayed for weeks as per our timeline schedule. There are some considerations to be made like the venue and availability of participants on a certain day because we needed to be complete. Initially the challenge should be shooting something of your guilty pleasure (eg. Favorite food, objects etc.) Until it was changed and this time it is like a shoot out between me and a co-challenger, we were paired up to execute the following things 1.) shoot a co-photographer while using the Sony Alpha A77 2.) Shoot the Sony Alpha A77 3.) Shoot any still subjects within the vicinity. 
 
So at the venue, I already anticipated the situation that this is a matter of bringing out the creativity of each individual to produce the photo for the challenge. The resources are very limited to create a stunning photo and I need my creative juice to run knowing that every one of us came in mentally prepared. Still it is exciting to see what the other competitors would pull out on the given situation. Immediately they went on and saw my co-competitors shooting leaves on the trees, plants, office facade, windows etc. around the area. 


As I see them shooting around the vicinity, it was a chance for me to compose myself and think of something that would be at par with the competition. I tried several things during the course of the challenge but I opted to shoot a fellow DI Challenger a portrait. Again you will ask me WHY? I know I could have chosen one of the three criteria that they have given me but what I thought of is to make a photo complying with the criteria that they have given.  


I asked Abdohad (DI Challenger) to model for me, I loved doing portraits because you can see different expressions on a frame, easily I asked him to go under a tree where the sun rays cast a natural shadow on his face and I also told him to show the Sony Alpha A77 as he held it in his hands. I dialed my aperture to F4 to give fine detail with my subject which is the A77 and also not blurring to much of my model but still having that shallow DOF of the background for separation. That’s what’s great with the Sony Alpha A77 it comes with a 16-50mm f2.8 kit lens, yeah you read it right an f2.8 lens comes along with the kit, they are that gracious.




After take a few snaps I looked on the LCD and was happy to see my version of an endorser of the Sony Alpha A77, a great pose, a nice colored polo shirt and natural expression did it and add to it a great deal of web exposure for him (you’ll be famous). Definitely I can say that I nailed two out of the three criteria they instructed and I executed it well during the time period allotted to us. I remember an advise from a photographer-friend that in a photo competition you must be creative but don’t overdo it always abide on the grounds of the challenge.  You know who you are! Thanks for the advice! It did help me a lot.

Did I do well? Hope so….

Please Don't forget to cast a vote, you may help me out to win the Sony DI Challenge by following the instructions below.

2. Click like and allow apps for Sony DI Challenge.

3. Click Vote for your favorite then click "CHALLENGE 3"


4. Click "Give a Pixel" on the 5th PHOTO entitled SHUTTERBUG under the Amateurs Category.



Thanks for your time...

..til the next blog post!

Keep on supporting me for the Sony DI Challenge guys :)

Me,
The Hot Shoe Anthologist

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