Sandia Mountains, NM

Madrid, NM

ABQ Bio Park

The thyme flowers are very tiny, ~5mm in diameter

FYI...it was 'pouring' down rain...camera was in a plastic bag...the Heron was soaking wet and I was looking like a drowned rat...lol....;-)

Taken at San Diego Wild Animal Park. The king was laying on the roof. You can just see his snout.

A long focal length and shallow depth of field ensure the background is out of focus

A long focal length and shallow depth of field ensure the background is out of focus

Careful use of depth of field keeps the strawberries in focus, while the tree in the mirror remains out of focus

With the blossoms in the bright sun and the darker woods and sky behind, I used an F4 stop and stepped back from the flower. I then zoomed in on the flower with the focus on the front group of flowers. This caused the background to go out of focus and give a nice soft pleasing background that made the flower stand out.

This is all about symmetrical composition

I wanted the mountains in the background to be as sharp as the floating ice in the foreground, so I chose a wide depth of field (narrow aperture.)

I wanted the leaves to stand out against the background of tree and sky, so I chose a narrow depth of field (wide aperture.)

I wanted the parallel lines in the background to be as sharp as the lupine in the foreground, so I chose a narrow aperture (wide depth of field.)

Where's Ant Waldo?.. By Marv (BerryMan)

A "movable" shallow depth-of-field is illustrated in this and the previous photo. My SLR digital camera remained at the same location and focal-length. I used two different "manual focus" points. This photo is cropped for clarity of its focus point ... by Marv (BerryMan)

Long DOF, storm clouds battle for control of the sunset in the El Malpais National Monument.

Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is located in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, a little town near Tbilisi which has been an important religious center both before and after Christening of Georgia. Svetitskhoveli means live pillar. A legend says that Christ�s robe was buried here and when people decided to build a church on this place, they dug the wooden columns, but on the place where the cloth was buried a pillar appeared, hung up in the air. The wooden church was built in the 6th century, and the construction as it looks now dates back to the 11th. The architectural design of the building is very special as it implies a cross and a dome with sixteen windows. Many Kings are buried here. The powerful impression on the first visit to this place is unforgettable. You can find more here: http://b.sisauri.tripod.com/lit/mtskheta/mtskheta2.html

Metekhi Church is located on the hill overlooking the river, built in 1289 year by King Demetre II. Sulfuric baths (bath of tsar Rostoma). Here from the city Tbilisi also has begun. On a legend on this place tsar Vakhtang Gorgasal 16 centuries ago hunted. Its falcon pursued a pigeon and when it has overtaken it, it has fallen in the source beating of under the grounds. It was a surprise for tsar when he found out that a pigeon in this source has cooked! And then, near to these boiling keys tsar has enjoined to erect a fortress, which gradually became the whole city. To a legend corresponds the real geographical facts - this district is very rich with sulfuric sources. Here there is one of the most surprising places in Tbilisi - area of baths.

Prairie grasses grow to the height of about 12 to 15 feet tall. This particular variety is called "Indian Grass".

Minor League baseball in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Our team is the Sioux Falls Canaries.

The scene is at Scott Slough in Minnehaha County, South Dakota about 15 miles north and west of Sioux Falls. The day was cold -10 F.

It is rather difficult to "frame the Grand Canyon" ... This is a full-frame 35mm Kodacolor II photo. It was scanned/digitized from a 4x6 inch color print... Marv (BerryMan)

El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico

Creative-challenge-dof. Taken at 1/80, f4.5, 18mm. The wider the angle, the more that you can 'cheat' and get a long dof. Helpful on rainy, overcast, dull days. If this is done right, you should be drawn to the misty bridge. Album: A Rainy Morning

Golden Gate Park San Francisco, Ca

Creative-challenge-dof. Shot at 1/50, f18, 36mm. The 'low' shutter speed and f18 lens opening coupled with the wider angel offered extreme dof. Album: Washington D.C.

Summer on the Gulf of Mexico.

This photo is of pelicans and seagulls on a Texas beach with a storm rolling in in the background.

HAHAHAHA...laughing so hard...(that's her story and she's sticking to it)...that she fell off her soap box! Penelope a politician? No way...if it weren't for the DOF, maybe we could read the sign behind her...by the way Brian_53, Penelope needs a little help to get back on her feet, but stay away from her BV...she gets a little feisty when you mess with her bottle!

Creative-challenge-dof. Shot at 1/125, f5.6, 200mm. The long focal length coupled with the moderate 'f' stop zero's in on the butterfly, softening the background and foreground. Album: The Butterfly Bush

Daisies in my yard

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA - 2005

El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico

In the past, this flower often grew as a weed in crop fields.... It is now endangered in its native habitat by agricultural intensification, particularly over-use of herbicides, destroying its habitat.

A good friend of Penelope's...innocence is in the eye of the beholder...

Peace river in Punta Gorda, FL

A 'broken' DOF. :-) Broken by the glasses. Suddenly appear the surroundings in this small window.

Florida

Litchfield County along of route 7.

small depth of field for 3D effect

Sierra Madre mountains, Huatulco

ocean outlook, Bahias de Huatulco

The trees you see here were destroyed in a forest fire several years ago. Although it looks bleak there is a surge of new growth everywhere you look. This fire was started by lighting.

Daisy, Daisy Give me your answer do I'm half crazy all for the love of you It won't be a stylish marriage I can't afford a carriage But you look sweet Upon a seat Of a bicycle built for two

These wildflowers grew up high on the mountains in Oregon and Idaho.

I have always been fascinated by dragonflys and love to photograph them when I can.

These are the product of Century Steps, in Greeville, Alabama, shot at night with no flash

Pretty colors

I just love the colors,hope you like the picture

The Beagle is a gentle, sweet, lively and curious dog that just loves everyone! A happy little tail-wagger! Sociable, brave and intelligent. Calm and loving. Excellent with children and generally good with other dogs, but should not be trusted with non-canine pets, unless they are socialized with cats and other household animals when they are young. Beagles have minds of their own. They are determined and watchful and require patient, firm training. This breed doesn't like being left alone. Consider buying two if you will be gone a lot. A Beagle has a loud baying cry that was a delight to hunting horsemen, but can be disturbing to family and neighbors. Beagles have a tendency to follow their own noses. They may take off on their own exploration if let off their leash in an unfenced area. Be careful when selecting your Beagle. The breed is being over bred and in some lines, the dogs temperament is suffering because of it.

Colorful picture

This beautiful eagle statue is one of a pair of eagle statues that stand at the entrance to Skylands Manor and the NJ Botanical Gardens in Ringwood NJ. This is part of the Ringwood State Park and has beautiful buildings, grounds and gardens.

This was taken at the Lambert Castle, Paterson NJ gift shop. I visited here with my mother [amberwayne52] in the end of June. Focus was on the front crystal glass.

Colour me by Chrispua

I know it's oriented the wrong way, but I was trying to get a good shot of the caterpillar and ended up with this shot of my daughter.

Taken on a shrimp boat near Ocean Springs. When the captain threw shrimp in the water, the gulls came from everyone like a scary Hitchcock movie.

USS Arizona Memorial is appropriately the number one tourist destination on O'ahu. This photograph was taken at 5:20 a.m. from pier Foxtrot Five on Battleship Row utilizing a Canon EF 18-55 mm lens with Cokin ND4 and Cokin 8 Point Star filter attachments. My camera was also mounted on a tripod with a remote cable shutter release.

Birds were chirping on a soft, cool breeze... the sweet scent of plumeria filled the air as sunlight filtered down through the trees...

In the "Parc de la Préhistoire" in Tarascon, Ariège, France

Rhipsalidopsis gaerneri

REDBUD trees

Crimson Lake, AB

My dogs were outside barking, so I went to see what they were barking at, and this little fellow was teasing them.

This beautiful stained glass window is at the Lambert Castle in Paterson NJ. This was taken from the third floor looking down to the landing between the first and second floor. This window was made and dedicated to the Lambert's daughter who died after childbirth of their grandchild.

This picture of King penguins, was taken in Antarctica (South Georgia Islands) while on Quark expedition. If you look closely you can see the snow flakes on the panguins neck. Is it clear why I call this one "Valentine Day Card"?.

A small depth of field places the clarinet in focus but blurs the background making the clarinet stand out.

This photo was shot at an aperture of f/5.6, this small f stop produces a large aperture and a small depth of field. Image is clear and the background is blurred.

This photo was shot at f/20. This produces a large depth of field and both foreground and background are clear.

Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

Seagulls following the ship.

Near lake Atitlan, Guatemala, we visited a small wildlife preserve, with a nice waterfall, monkies, Caoties and birds. This is how we got to the place.

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This picture was taken by my husband David, while I was swiming under the waterfall.

The Elliott Bay Water Taxi: Take a ride from West Seattle to Downtown. Spectacular!

What a view this lone flower has overlooking Canaveral National Seashore and Wildlife perserve.

This is what is hanging from the trees that you have to look for, if you don't you will run right into their web along the trail.

These two brown pelicans sat on the first column marker under the Melbourne Causeway that spans the Intercoastal Waterway.

Low Depth of Field works really well for the subject, it separates it from the complex background and make it the center of attention, these are shot on a 300mm lense on sports mode that prioritizes the shutter speed over the aperture thus giving a shallow depth of field, for each one of these shots that is in focus i would have at lease another ten coz it moved too quick. Ken.

Low Depth of Field works really well for the subject, it separates it from the complex background and make it the center of attention, these are shot on a 300mm lense on sports mode that prioritizes the shutter speed over the aperture thus giving a shallow depth of field, for each one of these shots that is in focus i would have at lease another ten coz it moved too quick. Ken.

Low Depth of Field works really well for the subject, it separates it from the complex background and make it the center of attention, these are shot on a 300mm lense on sports mode that prioritizes the shutter speed over the aperture thus giving a shallow depth of field, for each one of these shots that is in focus i would have at lease another ten coz it moved too quick. Ken.

No idea, what sort it is, but for those who have never seen this flower: its diametre is less than 1 cm!

Cley again

Toad lily

Thanks Sante :o)

Thanks Tine! :o)

From album "Mondo Verde"

Koru, or the unfurling fern frond, is the Maori symbol of creation.

Parnell Rose Gardens - Auckland

Effetti di colore con sfocatura del fondo

Panorama of the Kotor bay from the Lovchen mountains

This variety also has a beautiful fragrance

Hawaiian Chant ~ E ala e. Ka lai i ka hikina. Awake, the sun is in the east. I ka moana, ka moana hou honu. At the ocean, the deep ocean. Pi`i ka lewa ka, lewa nu`u. Climb to the heavens, highest heaven. I ka hikina ae a kala. E ala e. In the east, there is the sun, arise, awake. ~ View of Kaho`olawe Island in the distance.

Haʻaheo ka ua i nā pali ~ Proudly swept the rain by the cliffs ~ Ke nihi aʻela i ka nahele ~ As it glided through the trees ~ E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko ~ Still following ever the bud Pua ʻāhihi lehua o uka ~ The ʻāhihi lehua of the vale ~ Hui: Chorus: Aloha ʻoe, aloha ʻoe ~ Farewell to you, farewell to you ~ E ke onaona noho i ka lipo ~ The charming one who dwells in the shaded bowers ~ One fond embrace, One fond embrace ~ A hoʻi aʻe au 'Ere ~ I depart until we meet again. Until we meet again ~ ʻO ka haliʻa aloha i hiki mai ~ Sweet memories come back to me ~ Ke hone aʻe nei i ~ Bringing fresh remembrances ~ Kuʻu manawa Of the past ~ ʻO ʻoe nō kaʻu ipo aloha ~ Dearest one, yes, you are mine own A loko e hana nei ~ From you, true love shall never depart ~ Maopopo kuʻu ʻike i ka nani ~ I have seen and watched your loveliness ~ Nā pua rose o Maunawili ~ The sweet rose of Maunawili ~ I laila hiaʻia nā manu ~ And 'tis there the birds of love dwell ~ Mikiʻala i ka nani o ka lipo ~ And sip the honey from your lips" Her most famous work, a song written by the last reigning Queen of Hawai'i ~ Queen Lili'uokalani (02 September 1838 - 11 November 1917) Queen Lili'uokalani was the last monarch, the last sovereign queen of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. She was originally named Lydia Liliu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamaka'eha, Lydia Liliuokalani Paki, and also known as Lydia Kamakaʻeha Paki, with the chosen royal name of Liliʻuokalani. Queen Liliʻuokalani was an accomplished author and songwriter. Her book, Hawaiʻi's Story by Hawaiʻi's Queen, gave her view of the history of her country and her overthrow and therefore became the first Native Hawaiian female author. Liliʻuokalani was known for her musical talent. Lili'u is said to have played guitar, piano, organ, 'ukulele and zither. She also sang alto, performing Hawaiian and English sacred and secular music. She would find herself in music. In her memoirs she wrote: "to compose was as natural to me as to breathe. This gift remains a source of the greatest consolation." She wrote over 165 songs and chants. Some of her best-known musical compositions include the song, "Aloha ʻOe", "The Queen's Jubilee", "He Mele Lahui Hawai'i", and "Ku’u Pua I Paoakalani" ~ Source: Wikipedia

Soft April light

Now I know what Roy Scheider must have felt like.

A bit of sun lighting up the Sacre Coeur

a reconstructed fort in the town of Mezyad near Al Ain on the Oman border - until the 1950s it was used by the Trucial guards

I tood this on my daughters place in Oxford, PA., she has a family of Bluebirds living there.

Constitution Hall is located in Philadelphia across from Independence Hall.

Fort Miffin is just outside Philadelphia, PA. It was built during the American Revolution and was still in use during the American Civil War.

Hummingbirds are the most fascinating birds, and their presents makes every day a Happy Day!

Visiting Fools Hollow Lake in the White Mountains in Arizona, I got to enjoy lots of green with endless Beauty of Wildflowers.

Longwood Gardens

To think that, in spring, there are daffodils, tulips, spring wild flowers, in summer, with hostas, ferns, and shade perennials. Nature is truly amazing.

Longwood Gardens

I love the little bug hiding under the petal of the daisy to stay out of the rain----he has found his umbrella!

Longwood Gardens

Lotsa hosta. Front are gold tiaras, edging the walk are gold edger, great expectations in center, left of those are queen josephine and left of those are northern exposure.

The Amazing Beauty of the Desert

With seeds in flight. A shallow DOF. Best seen in full size.

Blowing gently in the breeze. A shallow DOF.

A wide DOF.

Entering this one 'cos Andrei likes it!

Impossible for the farmers to graze sheep in this high country without the help of the border collies.

That's paul in the distance

Frozen in time...a rose that didn't quite bloom before it was claimed by the early winter chill.

Apples fallen from a nearby tree resting against a ridge of stones in the creek. Don't they look yummy!

Delicate leaves changing with the season...

Beautiful Texas wildflowers bloom from spring through summer!

Front porch rail of Bye-Bye Birdie Antique Shop in Boerne, TX

This field has great depth.

A mother`s tear is children story about one young bird... The author is Angel Karalijchev (21.08.1902 - 14.12.1972)

Wild Flower

This is my favorite photo of the series

The female does not have a ruby throat... wonder why they did not name them the emerald green Hummingbirds?

Wild Flower

Using an F4 and telephoto from about 6 feet, I was able to get a focused closeup of the bees and keep the background blurred out. A macro capture would have left the background far less blurred.

Ruhr river in Muelheim-Ruhr, Germany

High DOF

Shot is taken from the steep river slope.In this area forests have a blue natural tint.

picture taken in Jerusalem, Israel

Derwent Water from the colourful path up Walla Crag. The islands of Derwent Water can be seen hugging the shore. In the background is Bassentwaite Lake and the Skiddaw Mountains

So many tourists in Cambridge - on land and river! Summer 2006.

This is one of my favourite photos of Yorkshire. The scenery is BEAUTIFUL!!! Yorkshire is famous for its bleak and lonely Moors, but it also has beautiful scenery like this!

taken in an English park

This is mostly a test of a lens combination to get down to macro size. I am getting closer to true macro. This is macro. This was done using a 10x closeup lens on a macro lens with 50mm of extension tubes. No depth of feild either.

I am not an expert with birds and I don't know what he is. Any help is welcome. He is welcome in the yard anytime.

This shows the sharp peircing mouth used to spear flys in flight.

I took this in Guinjata Bay in March 2007. I don’t know who it is though.

Turning 90 this year!!!

example of low (small) DOF ... from the soon to be released "CritterBugs Too" ... coming to a Webshots Page near you!!! ... DSC_0234_4

Going for a broad depth of field, with the fence in fence throughout the photo

Vierwaldstaettersee (Luzern lake) and Luzern old town seen from the top of the Musegg Wall

The Conservatory of Flowers at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is a beautiful way to see unique flowers in a tranquil but humid setting. Over 1,500 species of plants native to dozens of countries are displayed. It is the oldest wood and glass Victorian style conservatory in the United States.

Visiting the Tacoma Garden show i the rain was a wonderful opportunity to see how beautiful the garden is in the rain.

It is rather difficult to capture Lavender in focus, so this image was a happy surprise for me. The fragrance in the Lavendar fields is heavenly

Roses love the rain

This cat enjoys the wooded grounds of Mariposa's "Chocolate Soup".

I find that log to be interesting

After a hard morning rain this was the only flower still open in all of its glory!!

it's a couch.. COOL!!!

The facets of dandelions

The layers of a landscape: sky, snow, mountain, grass, trash, water

example of high (large) DOF ... from "Brighton Azalea Gardens" ... DSC_0432_3

example of low (small) DOF ... From "CritterBugs Too" opening soon! ... DSC_0799

My tomcat,Coditza 3 months old - september 2007.

Can you see the shadows of the trees on the other side?

High or low I don't know but isn't it great?

This was taken at Ringwood Manor on the 4th of July. the Betsy Ross flag had just been raised and this was a musket salute to our new country's flag. I like the effect the focal zoom caused with the focus on the soldiers and muskets and the smoke being dispelled into blur. hope you enjoy it too.

Farm

Bumblebee on Sunflower, best view is full size. From my album 'Flowers and Insects', there are some bee macros with different flowers.

Puff balls of a Dandelion, best view is full size.

This little Boeddah is a part of my meditation, sitting in my garden, enjoy the sunlight. Low Depth of Field

Run Gizmo!! Low Depth of Field

Curious Cows. Creative challenge. High Depth of Field

Statue in the Romantic garden at Arcen , the Netherlands

the most common raptor around here -- this one is looking for food in the dune area

This was taken at the Dallas Arboretum. I found a display of Texas Bluebonnets that were filled with pollinating worker bees. I didn't think I would ever catch one in the act. Definitely low DOF.

wow wow wow.. I really did not expect it to be so good to win, among so many beautiful pics. Well it's a big surprise. Thank you everyone for your messages, YOU MADE MY DAY!!

Here's a shot of an amazing sunset out in Broken Bow, OK. We went lodging at The Pine Cone and there were giant beautiful trees everywhere. Look at those clouds! High DOF.

OK, so I have a spider web thing going this weekend. This is a "shallowness of focus" picture, getting the spider web in sharp relief to everything around it.

This is a shot of the Columnata Oeste (Western Colonnade) located in the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza. Here is what the plaque outside the columns stated: "This is the longest colonnaded building on the site. There is some evidence in its southeastern extreme that it originally had a vaulted roof, which was preserved due to the fact that the rooms were filled with rubble for the construction of another building on top, which needless to say, was never completed. The main facade faces the Plaza of the Castle and a central corridor connects it with the Plaza of the Thousand Columns. It has stone benches running along the entire length of the building and on its western side, walls in between the columns give evidence of later modifications. Its original use was probably to accommodate large gatherings during meetings, festivities and markets." High DOF.

This is a picture of the catamarans all headed for the same coral reef for snorkeling off fajardo in Puerto Rico. I was trying to get the line up of boats, the coast, the mountains and the sky all in fairly sharp focus.

Make it rain!

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Julia - Central & South America This is a shallow DOF entry photo taken June 28/08

Path leading to the gardens

Street near work, got the focus right on this one

Boston

Metro de Montreal

Boston

Giraffe's with a great view of Sydney. A long way away, but relatively focussed.

I love this picture of my kids on their horses moving cows, with the sandhills going clear to the skyline.

I like the clarity of this flower and the colors in the background showing dof.

B.O.B - Bowling's Outrageous Block Party Universal's City Walk, Orlando, FL June 26, 2008

This inst a Zoo its The Endangered Primate Rescue Center (EPRC), located at Cuc Phuong National Park, southwest of Hanoi, Vietnam, its a non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation, breeding, research, and conservation of endangered primates, and to the protection of their habitats.And its here the trek thru the jungle begins ...

This picture and the next demonstrate depth of focus in the same picture. This one has the near evergreen in focus and the waterfall out.

...come in small packages. Best viewed full size.

Photo taken June 17/08

Featured 7-19-08 in TRAVEL-US-UTAH

That I see every one.

This photo was taken at the Dallas Arboretum Spring 2008. I just loved the way nature was working together with the simple beauty of the blooms and the sunlights natural illumination.

This is me... and my hand. I used the contrast tool in Photoshop to create this black and white photo.

My nephew Noah caught a frog in the sand next to the pool at my parents house.

Out in a field of Daisy's

Mackinaw Island

Of the thousand or so pictures I took in Italy, this is my absolute favorite. This photo has so many meanings for me that it's hard to articulate here. My family was staying right down the road from the coliseum and even in the short time we were there, we came to almost take it for granted, and by focusing the shot on the flower instead of the structure I tried to illustrate that. "Here I am in Rome and look at this beautiful flower. Oh, yeah, that's the coliseum in the bacckground..."

high DOF - please view full size as the depth is more apparent when the image is larger

A large dragonfly of wetland areas - please view full size (low DOF)!

This is a bridge we came across in Oregon.

On the way back from New York.

La Purisima Mission Santa Barbara.

A wooden pole at a windmill

Soft flower, soft colors, extremely shallow depth of field.

Maybe a privet

View from inside the church to Lake Tekapo

The aspens stand like sentries, inviting you to follow down the golden path.

Taken at Pikes Peak summit, the old cog railway ties draw you out over the valleys below.

Curled Aspen leaves coated in the first fall snow.

Sainte-Therese church, Saguenay, Canada

Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, Quebec, Canada

Very shallow DOF, as I wanted to emphasize his tiny nose with the speck on it, and his alert eye (please view full size to see these more clearly as they don't show up well in the thumbnail). He's about the size of a mouse.

Zac Dogson, Eyes on the Friz

This is the walkway from the house to the beach in Surf City, NJ

Looking out on a lazy Jersey shore day.

it does make a great wallpaper for the desktop...

low depth of field

Switzerland

A polished wine glass

Taken from 'Wildlife - Northwest Trek Wildlife Park' album

Working with my Raynox M-150 lens, not perfect, but I'm working on it.

Lyrics by G. Lightfoot

Creative Challenge DOF

Do I look good from this angle?

Sushi lunch that my hubby fixed for me one day. They tasted as good as they looked.

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(France\Alsace\Canal de la Marne au Rhin : 2007/06/30) [02 601 20070630 DSCF0038BNWO CMR SANTA RITA]

(Island of Cyprus, Limassol : 2005/06/26) [03 699 CHYPRE LIMASSOL 260605 DSCF0075BNWFO]

In the beginning.....

Chased this guy for seemingly hours to get this shot! An example of a relatively short depth of field to emphasise the butterfly and thistles whilst still giving an impression of the background.

An example of very short depth of field and a fairly long focal length to exaggerate the contrast of light and dark in this simple flower shot.

An example of long depth of field to pull the floor tiles in the foreground and the mountains in the background in to focus. Polariser to bring out the sky contrast.

Soft yellow wildflower... Just makes a person smile, doesn't it?

Echinops (thanks Joan) in the neighbour's garden.

Couldn't resist this shot! Unusual crystalized frost/ice crystals presented a spectacular landscape!

I captured this shot at the wedding of my daughter's friend from elementary school. The new couple was caught watching the beautiful slide show of their lives together. This couple have been together since they were in middle school. Congrats L & J, May your life be as wonderful as you are!

Wild sweet pea, Mt. Shasta, California

Chipmunk, Sierra Nevada, California

Mt. Shasta, California

Forbidden Gardens, in Katy, Texas, is a fascinating outdoor museum replicating some of China's major historic scenes. Guided tours take you back to the third century BC to view the first Emperor's amazing 6,000 piece terra-cotta army replicated in 1/3 scale. The tour continues to the intricately detailed miniatures of the famous Forbidden City in Beijing which served as palaces for nearly 500 years of Imperial rule. Come and experience the mystery and magic of Imperial China. Forbidden Gardens is a must- see for everyone who wants to embark on an unforgettable journey to a faraway land without stepping outside of Texas. November 2004 029

It looks like I am sitting in nature' playing with a "Tasmanian Devil" but I an in frint of one of the murals in Shefield Tasmania. The special thing about Shefield, is that most of the houses in down town have beautiful Murals on them

Brady found these as he was weeding. What an exciting find. And me with my camera. Check it out full size but don't get grossed out. I wonder how many little spiderlings are in there. The egg sack is under a daylily leaf so the size of it is actually quite small, 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter.

Creative Challenge DOF

2008 04 25_Capitola Tracks Trestle Village_0212

I LOVE THE SHARPNESS OF THE GRASS AGAINST THE ELEPHANT.

THE MULCH IN THE BACKGROUND LOOKS A LITTLE OUT OF FOCUS AND MAKE THE FLOWER EVEN MORE SHARP

HE SURE IS HAVING FUN AND SO DID I.

at the Tennessee Aquarium

This was taken in the gardens at the NJ Botanical Gardens at Skylands Manor, Ringwood State Park. I visited here with my mother [amberwayne52] in the end of June.

Shore Acres Botanical Gardens, Oregon-This is an oldie but goodie. A film shot of a Rose with natural dew shot with a short depth of field to draw attention to the large bloom in the foreground. The out of focus blooms in the background add balance to the composition.

Most impressive viewed at full resolution this shot is an example of long depth of field where the foreground and background elements are all nicely in focus. Photographed on the Il Poeto Beach near Cagliari, Sardenia, Italy.

Looking through the inside as the balloon fills, the long depth of field used in this photo forshortens the image somewhat making the back of the balloon which is some distance from the hands of the crew holding it look closer than it really is...best appreciated at full resolution.

My daughter & son-in-law's sweet dog, Baylee.

Pretty flowers in front of colourful whirly-gig in the front garden.

Taken through my living room window. Only the near chicks head is in focus.Focus diminishes both in front and and back of the chicks head. Good example of Depth Of Field

Pierre Greys Lakes Provincial Park, near Grande Cache, Alberta.

1999 Bellefeuille, Quebec, Canada, Photoplo

At a family function, Bryce is seen throwing a ball to a dog (not seen in this shot) and I got a lot of compliments over the DOF and how he just stands out from the picture.

At the Louisville Zoo, a Snow Leopard just finished getting a drink of water! The DOF you see - is the slight diamond shapes appearing before your eyes as the straight 2.8 lens looks through the CHAIN LINK FENCE and nearly dissolves it before your eyes!

From 14 feet away, I shot a small sand crab working on the beach. You've got to look close to see him as he blends in quite well. The 2.8 DOF on this shot shows the grains of sand in front of him as a sandy blur.

I liked the dreamy, paint-like look to this one. This is in a container on our deck.

Arapaho Naional Forest near Idaho Springs, Colorado. High DOF

Mountain Goat on top of Mount Evans, Colorado. Low or shallow DOF.

Teeny tiny orchid from the forest floor of Rocky Mountain National Park. Low or Shallow DOF.

I love seeing this hibiscus every morning as I look onto our deck from my kitchen window. We usually get only one blossom at a time which blooms for a day and then the blossom shrivels up and a new one pops up.

#2154 copy ...my kind critics have reminded me that this picture won't be considered for the 'winner's circle' due to the vertical nature, (thank you to them...although I KNEW that...read it..it didn't register I guess)...duh!...this is all new to me and of the 3 I posted...this is my favorite and I believe the best. So, I won't remove & post a different one for that reason. It IS the best DOF picture that I can find...to date. :)

A lovely cosmos fades to a lush green background.

If you look closely you will see this is a lactating female raccoon. Saw this critter on way to work today. Glad I had camera with me!

This crab spider is actually quite tiny - only about 1/4 inch wide.

Leading the pack This was only entered as a show and tell, I dont have any decent DOF examples and even though this album was featured I thought that I would put it in anyway, thanks for looking

RIP Brother.

Joshua Tree National park

A proud pose at this beautiful spot in NYC. ~June 10,'08

Overlooking Lake Champlain and the village of Stowe,Mansfield is Vermont's highest mountain at slightly below 4,400 feet.

Lake Agawam,Southampton,LI,NY

Entering Bern Railway Station

with its mist and drizzle

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube with the amalgamation on 17 November 1873 of right-bank (west) Buda (Ofen in German) and Obuda (Old Buda or Alt-Ofen) together with Pest on the left (east) bank. Dubbed as "The City of Baths", Budapest is considered an essential Central European hub, especially since the 1989 downfall of the Communist government in Hungary. The Buda Castle Hill, a collection of palaces, churches and monuments has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, along with iconic Andrassy Avenue and the Millennium Underground railway. Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year, making it one of the top destinations in Europe. It is now also the third most popular destination in the world for luxury weekend getaways, and its Gellert Spa was named the third best thermal bath in the world. (Source: Wikipedia)

In Southampton,LI NY---At 17,he's seen it all already so...

17 years old Spunky in Vermont in February 2008.

17 years old Spunky in Vermont in February 2008.

June 21/08 macro lens, large bee

My Boy Scooby! This day we were having fun in the ocean. He had this HUGE stick and just wouldn't let it go or look up....the tenacity of an American Staffoshire Terrier! But, how did I get him to look up you ask?! I said the magic word.....CAT! ...click...

Virginia City, Nevada

Alcatraz

My bride of 40 year took this photo on our 40th anniversary trip,near Fallen, Nevada in a high mountain desert. I only edited this photo.

There is probably a technical term for it but we've jhust always called it reverse dof. The foreground is blurred with the background in focus.

The Red Squirrel is endangered due to the encroachment of the American Grey squirrel moving North. There are many programmes attempting to eradicate the Grey as it carries the Squirrel Pox virus which they are immune to but kill off the reds.

This image has a very narrow depth of field but I kept the eyes in focus. This baby owl was returned to the wild having been found in my garage. It is still happily hovering around eating mice and voles locally.

The narrow depth of field in this image is completely artificial, created by editing software. The Tiger was in a zoo and was running towards its food. The DOF masks the fact the Tiger was caged in a zoo.

P1010035 Maroon Bells and Maroon Creek, White River National Forest

Many wedding shots are taken by this tree. In Spring and Summer this walled garden in a nearby park is a wonderful place to stroll, relax and smell the flowers.

I like the little pollen speck that can be seen floating over on the left-hand side.

What a treat it was to see Neuschwanstein perched in the Bavarian mountains while on a drive along the Romantic Road during a recent vacation to Germany.

This is a composite of two images. Because of the low depth of field I got using 300mm telephoto I took one shot of the grasses in focus and one of the moon in focus, layered them and masked out everything but the grass in the upper layer. It is a fairly crude effort despite all the time it took because I also had to clone out the out of focus grass in the moon focused shot which left lots of visible artifacts. The images also didn't line up properly because this wasn't the original intention when shooting and the shots were handheld in rapidly changing light.

There is a song by the Eagles called "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and this gentle shot of the clouds, the blue sky and the daisy made me think of the song.

Sam and I went for a walk and happened upon a patch of these gorgeous yellow flowers. There were several monarchs flying around. I got a few shots before Sam scared them all away.

Val-Morin, Quebec, Canada, Photoplo 2005

Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, Photoplo 1997

Bambu de Cobra, as it is called here in Brazil. I'd greatly appreciate it if anybody could let me know me the official name.

A very elegant succulent indeed!

Creative Challenge DOF

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Yes and that is ALL you will ever see

Frog in a pond at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Wisteria Archway at Larnach Castle near Dunedin, New Zealand

Originally the home of the Singer family of sewing machine fame,the mansion sits in forty-five acres of beautiful gardens in the heart of Paignton in Devon. I used a small aperture to maximise the depth of detail from the gardens to the beautiful architecture of the mansion.

As is often the case in birds,the male is that bit more colourful,taken in the same woods as the hen pheasant. I used a larger aperture to keep the focus and detail on the pheasant and blur the background.

A telephoto image of a Rothschild Gifarre grazing, taken at Paignton Zoo. I liked the way it contorted it's mouth as it stripped the foliage from the branches. I used a large aperture to keep the focus on the subject and blur the background.

One of the many Banana trees in our tropical garden.

A ladybug is grooming the salvia buds in my planter, eliminating any aphids that may have dared to drop by. This one comes with a special hello to Judy, ladybug591.

This female ruby-throat wasn't thrilled about sharing her sweet treat with the yellow jacket!

Trying to get the mantis in focus was a bit difficult as she was moving through the grass.

I never realized how much color great blue herons had until i was able to take this closeup detail photo of his wing. I was amazed at how much the feathers look like hair!

I took this shot of the Dragonfly along the hiking trail at Fountain Lakes Park, St. Charles, Missouri. P1300261

dogwood flower opening

Ted and Dana dance