Forever Ever? (Cartier Diamonds), Vienna

Forever Ever? (Cartier Diamonds), Vienna, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

Night shot taken with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 from a bench top. Only a quick one with company, so quite a bit left to be desired, but I liked the scene with this couple and, between them, the warm glow of the Cartier window display and a stranger, balanced by the clock and the shifting crowds beneath Vienna's wealth of Christmas decorations.

As we were on the way to dinner I didn't have time to wait for the crowd by the store's door to move, and asking them might have alerted the couple, so I dusted off my cloning stamp and have done my best to remove them. I've not killed myself over it, if I'm honest, but have posted the original SOOC below for anyone interested in seeing the scope of the job.

Wish there was a little more room in the frame, but the 50mm is a prime and the bench was set in concrete, so one takes what one gets sometimes.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the week. I'm delighted with the Front Page showing of www.flickr.com/photos/flatworldsedge/5233410987/ - thank you all for your kind comments and other such prodding of the Magic Donkey's critical eye. I'm off for a couple of days, but will make sure that I have the time to read all your thoughts and repay your kindness as soon as I'm back. Can't wait to see all your images.

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Original Forever Ever

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Snow White (Apple & Bokeh In Naschmarkt), Vienna

Snow White (Apple & Bokeh In Naschmarkt), Vienna, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

Another pair I had trouble choosing between. Seen large on black the main image wins through, I think - the main apple is much sharper and better isolated in its own little plane of focus (I moved several apples between shots). In the shot below there's an extra stalk and an in focus base of an apple which kind of distract. The bokeh are twice the size too in the main one, thanks to the harder zoom.

It's a night shot - f/4.5 and ISO 400 giving a nice exposure thanks to the market lights. It's a handheld shot, with the IS doing a super job, in my opinion, of keeping the apple sharp; it was taken handheld at 1/15. I only have a handful of (working) lens, and this (24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM) is the only one with IS. As I understand it the version on that lens is a little behind the curve, so new releases will offer an extra one or two stops of "handholdability" - which is remarkable.

If you have the time to see it in lightbox, I'd recommend it, and also a quick look at the one below which offers a nicer blue sky and a little extra detail in the chalk and a girl shopping.

As to the title, I hope it's not too obscure. The apple just had a landmine look to it, hiding sharp amongst the blur, waiting to do someone a mischief, and the bokeh and painterly feel of the bokeh set a kind of fairy tale mood.

I do enjoy the contrast with www.flickr.com/photos/flatworldsedge/5217086663/in/photos... taken a few minutes earlier. Hope everyone is having a super week so far.

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Alternative Snow White

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Generations (Naschmarkt), Vienna

Generations (Naschmarkt), Vienna, originally uploaded by flatworldsedge.

Candid shot from this weekend's trip to Vienna and Bratislava. I saw a family of honey sellers at their stall, the elder of them in fierce technical debate with a customer, with the younger dreamily surveying their wares. I got lucky shooting through the shifting crowds of umbrellas and shoulders. I guess from seeing it to shooting it was all in a second. Usually I dither and frame too much and these opportunities escape me, so I'm very happy to have seized the moment.

It's a night shot, but almost overexposed as I'd been set up (ISO 800, AV-mode @ f/4.5, IS) for shooting in the shadows and the stall was brightly lit with tungsten bulbs. In the end, I'm delighted with the sharpness that's allowed - especially in the older man's face and hair. The bokeh from the wide aperture and blurred of the younger, mirroring figure are a super bonus.

Other than converting to black and white I've tweaked the clarity up slightly and cropped out a little unbalancing bokeh, perhaps a half inch, from the left.

Hope everyone is well and having a great start to the week.

See Generations (Naschmarkt), Vienna on Flickr.

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