Just because Valentines Day is past

[Fovea]

doesn't mean I can't send a rose to all my DU valentines.




Really, y'all rawk my world.

[NV Whino]

1. Aw, thanks!

It's especially sweet on such a dreary, cold day.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Oh, how sweet...

May I ask what you shot that with? The detail on the petals is remarkable.

[Fovea]

3. As shot with

a Nikon D70 body and a Nikkor 18-70 f3.5-4.6 D zoom.
AKA the kit lens.

Exposure: 0.1 sec (1/10)
Aperture: f/4.5
Focal Length: 70 mm
ISO Speed: 200

Handheld in natural light.

[Blue_In_AK]

4. So if I were to use my Canon 17-85

I could get something similar to this? (Assuming I had such a beautiful rose, of course).

[Fovea]

5. I should think you would.

Of course, what I wish I had with me at that moment was my venerable AI'd Nikkor 105mm P F2.5 telephoto.

It would have taken a bit of additional work, as it makes the camera manual everything with no metering, but it takes incredible pix even sharper and more luminous...

Google 'The Afghan Girl Photo' to see what I mean.

But I do think the Nikkor 18-70 AF D zoom is an exceptional lens, amazingly good for the price.

One further point. Breathe like a woodwind player and click after you start exhaling...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x13191

This is the same zoom, on the open bore 18mm Wide Angle side.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. That Afghan girl photo

(which I didn't have to Google) is one of my all-time favorite shots. Everything about it is perfect.

I'm still trying to learn which lenses do what best, but I think I'm catching on, and I seem to be pretty well set for now. I'm looking forward so much to this summer when it's not so sloppy out (global warming at work here) and when we have colors other than black, white, gray, brown and blue. It's kind of a limited palette here in the wintertime.