Using Aperture to create Depth of Field


Working out how to control the depth of field in your photos will give you so much creative control over your photos, and is such a huge factor between ‘snapshot’ looking photographs and professional looking photographs.

Depth Of Field is the amount of your shot that will be in focus. A photo with shallow depth of field has a lot of blur, with just a little bit in focus. A photo with a large depth of field has almost all of the photo in focus. Having most of the photo in focus is great for shots like landscapes, where you want to see the foreground, but you also want to see mountains in the distance. But for portraits shallow depth of field tends to be better.

The depth of field you can create, depends on the lens you are using and how wide it will open up. The wider it will open, the more blur you’ll be able to create. Take a look at your lens, and you’ll notice some numbers around the edge of it. They’ll look like 3.5-5.6 if your lens zooms. This means the widest aperture you can get with the lens is f3.5 which will be without zooming in. When you do zoom in, your lens will close up a little and the widest you’ll be able to get will be f5.6.

Here are a couple of pics I’ve taken at the widest and narrowest apertures of my 50mm lens. The first pic is taken at f22. See how everything is in focus, from the carpet (and crumbs!) in the foreground, to the wall in the background.




The next photo was taken at f1.8. Only the point I chose, the first green car, is in focus. The rest is blurred. Your eye is automatically drawn to the part that is in focus.




To do this yourself you’ll need to put your camera into Aperture priority. In this setting you can control what aperture you want to use, and the camera will automatically give you the right shutter speed for the correct exposure. Check your manual if you’re not sure how to do this, but it’s generally a dial on top with an A or Av on it. When you turn the dial (check your manual for your camera again, but it’s generally a wheel near the shutter release button) you’ll notice the ‘f’ number on your LCD panel change. Set it to f22 or as high as you can go, and take a pic. You’ll see everything is in focus like my first pic. Then change it back to F3.5 or as low as you can go. You’ll notice when you are in Av mode, that you get a little focus point in your viewfinder. It will look like a little square. There may be a few of them, but only one will be bold. Line up that point with the part of your scene you want to be in focus and take another pic. Your photo should look more blurry, with the sharper area where you selected it.

Being able to choose which parts of the scene you want to be sharp and in focus will give you so much creative control. By changing only the point you chose to focus on, you change what you are saying is the most important part of the scene, and what you want the eye to be drawn to. Here are a few more examples.


Just a slight move of the focal point for two different perspectives. You can use shallow depth of field to tell a story, or set a scene.While I had a lots of pics of the bride and groom here, this shot was all about the little flower girl who wandered out in the middle of the ceremony. Using a shallow depth of field made the bride and groom blur into the background, ensureing the flowergirls was the main focus of the photo. If everyone was in focus here, it would be a really busy photo, with little impact.

Shallow depth of field lets you focus on the small details... like baby toes :)




Give it a try, and leave a comment with a link to your piccies. You can upload them to the SoF gallery, your blog, photobucket, Flickr etc. Have fun :)

OUTREACH TINS

Last year Gail altered some tins for us that were just stunning! We used these to fill with cards that had verses of encouragement on them to offer words of hope to people who were going through a hard time.

This year we are doing it again.

We have 4 women who we would like to send tins off to next week. Here's a brief summary of what they are going through.

- Breast cancer with a double mastectomy on the 7th of April (mother of a young family)

- First pregnancy & has been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma (same type of cancer as Delta Goodrem) Treatment can't start until the baby reaches second trimester.

- A lady who has only been married since January and her husband was killed in a boating accident over the Easter weekend.

- Mumma of a little brand new bubba who is facing lots of heart operations.

We would dearly love to send lots of encouragement so please if you would like to participate email me for my mailing address. Tags must be 5 1/2 & 3 1/2 inches.

The deadline is Friday the 4th of April.

Here's a sample of what we did last year to give you an idea.

Although this layout meets one of the March challenges of scrapbooking a layout using the verse from Jeremiah 29:11, this layout was initially done for a circle journal for one of the Girls at Scrap of Faith. I had to share a defining Moment. There has been many defining moments in my life but one of the real defining moments for me this year has been taking hold of this the verses in Jeremiah 29: 11-12 and applying them to my life.

This verse has meant a lot to me this year. It seems that God is constantly impressing it on my mind reminding me almost daily that he really does know me and knows what is best for my life. After a very difficult year at work last year, I was excited and relieved to hear that I was being transferred into the library at school at the start of 2008. I was excited and praising God all through my Christmas holidays as this was definitely a miracle and an answer to prayer, because when I initially applied I was told that it was not possible for me to have the position.

By the time I got back from holidays I had heard that the girl I was replacing was coming back to school and the position would only be available for a month. I was devastated and literally cried out to God because I honestly had no idea how I was going to survive this year, if I had to go back to my previous position. After spending a week of feeling quite depressed about the whole situation, I was sitting in Church on Sunday 20th January this year crying out to God letting him know that I did not know how I was going to survive when He impressed this verse on my heart – it was almost like I heard him audibly say the words of Jeremiah 29:11 -12.

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

This verse has become a life verse for me in the last couple of months for it seems that weekly God is constantly bringing it to my attention and reminding me that He is faithful and in control, and that what ever He calls me to do, even if it means that I have to go back to my former position than it is His plan for my life. I can trust that where ever He places me, His grace will be sufficient for me. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths that God has gone to, to reinforce this verse in my life. One of the challenges at Scrap of Faith this month was to create a layout using this verse, just this last week, I have read two different novels, and this verse was used in both books and literally jumped off the page at me. It has been read from the pulpit in church and I received a card from a friend with same verse in it. God has left me in no doubt that I can have confidence that, regardless of the circumstances in my life, that God has a plan for me, and His plan has a purpose to fulfil and what ever that it, it is ultimately to prosper me and not harm me, it is to give me a hope and a future and I can confidently put my trust in God each and every day to carry out His plan for my life.

Updated:

P.S. After posting here this evening about how God has been really reinforcing these couple of verses to me during the past couple of months, I have just been and checked out the SALT blog and what should I read. What an awesome God we serve - a God who is definately in control of all things.

Our First Life Verse Layout! Yeah Tracey.

What a beautiful layout detailing Tracey's life verse, Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose

Don't forget to share with us your creations.

Email your layouts and thoughts to sally

Tracey has done two beautiful layouts to go with our challenges this month.

The first is to use the word "Create" & the next about what Christ's Death means to her. Her Church had an art display this year of beautiful works of art deataling the meaning of Christ's death, and Tracey's LO was on display.

astounded

When I prayed about doing this layout, this was the picture I was given, along with the Steven Curtis Chapman song “Speechless” - and in particular the emphasis on the word ‘astounded’. Steven Curtis’ songs continually inspire me because he always seems to write lyrics that completely describe how I feel - and his music is truly God-given and inspirational. It’s hard to get my head around Jesus’ sacrifice at any time, it’s almost too big to even contemplate - and the use of the word ‘astounded’ in the lyrics seems to so well describe my feelings about Jesus’ sacrifice for me. This layout is my attempt to depict the washing of all of us as white as snow with the blood that flowed down as Jesus was crucified. Who He is and what He has done for me and for all of us - is truly astounding.

March Challenges completed by Gail

Word challenge















Create card made using pink cards stock. Fussy cut BG 2 scoops PP, layered with 2 scoops flower die cut sticker. BG Infuse fibre thread through randomly punched holes.















Create LO. Bible verse quoted Psalm 52:10-11. White Bazzill made dirty by using the sandpaper I had used on the pic to fade the background. 2 MM spiral journalling sheets use to mat pic. Kaiser rub ons. Black journalling pen & stencil.















OTP - Creative journal made to keep a porfolio of my scrapping and quilting I make to give away. Maya Road binder book. BG Lilly Kate on cover and othe BG scraps for the pages inside.
Bumble bee flower & unknown flower with paper slide. Kaiser rub-ons and colour book chipboard. BG Lily Kate alpahs stickers.















Verse Challenge














Unnamed matching PP. Heidi Swapp Chip alphas. Carolee's Creation Tiny worn navy letters (TY Cass). Hand journalling in black and blue roller pens. Sorry about the reflection on the pic.

Blesssing

Gail

Life Verses

Over in the forum we've been chatting about "Life Verses".

We'd love it if you left a comment and shared your Life Verses with us. We'd also love to see layouts of "Life Verses".

Mine is Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Check out these great entries for our March Challenges so far!! Keep em coming girls! :-D

Edited to add.

I removed the slide show from here as I've got it up in the header. I also managed to "fix" it. For some reason the slide.com slide show thought Ali's needed to be on it's side.

Each month we'll put up the top the challenges and entries so you won't need to go looking for them. Also we've got some categories on the side so if you click "challenges" you'll get old and new ones for ideas & you'll be able to bring up all the projects with instructions, articles etc. Speaking of articles I'd better get on and finish mine!!

Cubes of Change
This months project was a lot of fun to put together. I chose to go with the physical change in my family over the years by using the first pic of Dh & I and baby pics of my children with current pics of us. I then added Bible verses rub-ons & stickers to highlight how God changes us by his indwelling Holy Spirit, by prayer and obedience to him.

As I was working on my project I was thinking how has God changed me. BUT the question that kept coming to mind was have I let God change me. God does change us but we can get in the way of that process by our disobedience and pride. We often think we can change ourselves, but those changes are short lived. It is when we give ourselves over to God and listen to His Holy Spirit and live in obedience to him that we see changes in our lives.

AS we rely on the Holy Spirit we begin to see the fruits of the spirit in our lives. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodnesss, faithfullness, gentleness and self control.

So my question of have I let God change me, yes I have but its a long and slow process and it will be continuing all the way through this life.

love & Blessings

Gail

project instructions http://www.scrapoffaith.com/Change.pdf

Dont forget to upload pics of this project and any others that you complete into our gallery.

How has God changed me since I became a Christian? Let me count the ways …

Well if I did, and wrote about each and very one, this article would be very very long – Praise God!

But in trying to keep it short, I’d probably have to say the major changes in me are the way I see my past, present and future…

I’m no different to anyone else really. I’ve had bad stuff happen to me. I’ve made lots of mistakes, some of them real biggies. I’ve been hurt and scarred, held back and tied down, pushed aside, disappointed – you name it, we’ve all had it in our lives, haven’t we? And I’ve hurt other people too. I’ve done my best to take responsibility where the fault was mine, and to try and move on with my life and do the best with what I’ve had.

But my efforts were only ever tiny little bandaids compared with the healing that Jesus can bring into your life when you become a Christian.

Having Jesus in my life has given me opportunities to experience real healing for much of the bad stuff. Fears. Phobias. Unforgiveness. Anger. Doesn’t matter what it was, nothing was too big for Him to handle. All I had to do, all I ever have to do is continue to be willing to listen to His promptings and go after the healing when the next thing pops up it’s head needing attention and dealing with. I’m a work in progress. And despite all of the yuk of the past – He is a faithful God. He has, and continues to bring all things (even the bad stuff) together for good, for me who loves Him and is called according to His purpose. That’s Romans 8:28 constantly at work in my life. But it isn’t only a promise to me – it’s for you too, you who are reading this – if you choose to believe in Him and allow Him Lordship in your life.

When I look at my life now, at my future in this earthly world, I see a purpose.
I’m here for a reason. It’s all part of God’s plan. There’s always hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

He has work for me to do every single day that He gives me on this earth. I never have to be aimless or wonder what it’s all about. He has a plan for me, unique to me, and all I have to do to walk in it is to stay plugged in to Him and give time to my relationship with Him, because it is in that time that the steps of the journey are revealed, and the trust to step out and obey is built up. Often the steps are outside my comfort zone. (Sometimes so far out there it’s almost laughable). But He’s given me an unbreakable safety net into which I can bounce and be continually blessed, if only I am willing to obey and make the first jump.

So since becoming a Christian I have God’s perspective to lean on for my past and my future. I see it all through His eyes, not mine – and certainly not the world’s, who would only ever see me as just another number amongst the countless thousands, even millions who are struggling to make sense of life without Him and without hope today.

And the present?

Proverbs 3:5-6 says

Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him – and He will make your paths straight.

Since becoming a Christian I know I have been able to choose to trust Him every day with everything in my life – rather than lean on my own understanding of situations which compared to His view is hopelessly flawed and incomplete and biased. When I choose to acknowledge Him - both privately and publically - He does lead me on paths that will get me to where I need to go with Him.

All my life I’ve been looking for safety – somewhere I could feel truly safe and protected. As I said, I’m still a work in progress, but I’ll continue to be hungry for my healing because each time I let Him in to do a bit more work on me, that place of safety becomes more and more a reality in my life. The safety net doesn’t break, despite how hard I fall. But choosing to trust Him is a choice. My choices are the active part of my faith – choice is never passive. And no one else can do it for you.

Easter is a time when we particularly focus on Christ’s death for us and what that has meant for us as Christians. When Jesus died for me, He not only gave me the opportunity to have an eternal future with Him (the ultimate safe place), He opened the way for me to come directly into the presence of my Heavenly Father and to experience all of the healing that I have up until now, and will continue to be able to have until my time on earth is through. I can know my purpose directly from God Himself. Jesus died so I could have that relationship. And Jesus is always there with me, interceding for me with the Father, as does the Holy Spirit. God looks at me and doesn’t see all my sin, all the garbage from the past, or even the sin I’ll no doubt bring again to Him tomorrow – He forgives me, and see my sin no more – He just sees Jesus.

Words never seem enough, especially at Easter, but thankyou Jesus for my healing, thankyou for my purpose, thankyou that I can trust you with my past, present and future. Thankyou.
Thankyou.
How do I count the ways … ?

Article by Tracey Smith

Don't forget to scroll down and check out our free digi kit download and our challanges!! :-)

Digital change...

Is it too hard to change?
Too hard change how you react in a given situation? Do you find it hard to hold your temper? your tongue? your money?
If we are going to be honest with ourselves, there are many aspects of our lives that need to change. Some little. Some big!

Our love response to God in thankfulness for his saving grace offered to us through Christ...is just that...change. We must. Change not to be saved....but because we are. There are many verses that outline God's desire to change us. The wonderful thing, however, is that none of those verses indicate that we need to do it in our own strength. In fact it is the opposite. They all indicate that God wants to work in us.

Does that mean we are off the hook and can sit back waiting for God to 'fix' all our faults. Not at all! God gives us a free will and self-control....and obviously then the option to exercise both. He works with us gently, lovingly, accepting us when we stuff up & happy to give us more practice.

Isaiah 64:8 tells us that we are like clay in the potter's {God's} hands. Are you allowing yourself to be moulded by the Potter's Hand?

As part of our ongoing challenges for the month, we have put a little digital freebie kit together. (A big thanks to both Casey and Terrie for collaborating with me on this one!)

You can DOWNLOAD your kit here....the password you will need is scrapoffaith.

We have done 2 LO's as examples for you, however blogger seems to temporarily dislike uploading pictures for me, so you can see them here and here :)

Terri has added her thoughts to go with her LO:

A CHANGED MIND
by Terrie Logan

Psalm 94:14
When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

We say that it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind. Curly hair one day straight the next. Long. Short. In between. We can change our clothes four times until we find the perfect outfit and dash off to work or church.

What about changing our minds? Changing our minds about our God and about our lives?

A couple of months ago, I went through a dark, depressing week. I had let worries and complaints take over my entire being. I cried for a week and locked myself in my room for a couple of days. My mind was filled with thoughts like “My husband is constantly working. I never get to spend time with him. We’re always running. Never time to rest. I’m tired of my job. Lord, I need a change. I’m stressed out with these problems at church.” And on and on and on until I ended up a weeping, ungroomed blob hiding under my blankets.

Finally, on that Sunday when I was locked in my room, I knew that I needed help and that I needed to run to God. I turned on the television to watch a church service. The Lord really spoke to me that morning through that Pastor. He explained the way out of complaining, worry and despair is thanksgiving. Of course, I already knew that, but I obviously needed a gentle knock on the head at this point. So I tried it. It was difficult to get started at first. But after a few feable attempts, I really got going! “Lord, thank you for waking me up this morning. Thank you that we both have jobs. Thank you that I have a husband who loves You and me and the kids. Thank you for my kids. Thank you for the times that we do get to spend time together.” And on and on until I was able to get out of the bed and praise and dance before the Lord!

Truly Psalm 94:14 had accomplished it’s purpose for me at that time. My mind and spirit were changed from doubts and complains to renewed hope and cheer!

Father, thank you that your comfort is always there to change my mind. Help me to remember that when things get hard, I need to run to you for comfort and peace. Help me to remember to thank you always. Lord, you are good and faithful and worthy of honor and praise. In Jesus Name. Amen.



Oh....and dont forget to pop your LO's in the SOF gallery so we can all enjoy your digi creations! We spied one this morning already here!

CHALLENGES FOR MARCH



Each month we will be running 5 challenges, each with a gift voucher to Koorong bookstores of $30. Orders can be placed online with them :-)


All challenges are due by the 30th of March and entries to be emailed to Sally

Challenge 1 - Sketch Challenge - to any size layout, traditional or digi based on the sketch below found at Susan's Sketches

Challenge 2 - Verse Challenge - To do a layout any size, traditional or layout featuring the following verse: "Jerimah 29:11"



Challenge 3 - Word Challenge - The word for March is "Create" do any project, card, BTP, layout etc based on this word



Challenge 4 - Book of Faith Challenge - The theme for this month's Book of Faith is "Change"



Challenge 5 - Mystery Challange - A layout about what Christ's Death Means to you.



Remember all entires are to be emailed to Sally by the 30th of March and the winner from each category will receive a $30 gift voucher to Koorong.

It's the start of the month and the start of the Scrap of Faith blog. We're a bit excited and enthusiastic about the change to the newsletter and the Head Quarter's Team bringing our updates and inspiration via this blog.

This month's theme is CHANGE. We thought it was a good theme to go with the SoF changes. So we'll have inspiration and challenges to go with this theme. Exploring how God changes us :-)

Tomorrow we'll put up a months worth of challenges :-D All of them will have a prize of a $30 gift voucher to Koorong bookstores.

So check back for the challenges and details to enter :-D

Also we are looking for a new member for our design team. Check out the details here

Love Letter from our Father.

My Child,
You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being. Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13
And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Psalms 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father. Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is…Will you be my child? John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32
Love, Your Dad, Almighty God

'Father's Love Letter used by permission Father Heart Communications Copyright 1999-2006 www.FathersLoveLetter.com'