Thanks, Uncle Tree! Love your “dizzying effects” description – I think that’s perfect for this photo. I should rename it that 🙂 Thanks for thinking it’s cool!
Sandra, I’m not sure the technique is covered in the D90 manual, but here’s how you set it up to program the AE-L/AF-L button on the back of the camera (thus the term “back button focusing”): To make the switch to BBF:
1. Access your Menu Settings (from back of camera)
2. Access/select your pencil/edit icon
3. Access/select “f controls”
4. Select f4 “Assign AE-L/EF-L Button”
5. Highlight and select AF-ON
And then be sure to change your autofocus settings to AF-C.
Now you just have to grasp what the principle is all about to use it 🙂
Wonderful Stacy; an extremely beautiful image, very well done! I first thought in a bike wheel.
Though, what you were trying to avoid is what precisely made the image more attractive and interesting; I mean, the motion effect the breeze produced. I thought it was another exercise on that subject. Then, my question is, what back bottom focusing for? What did you get with that technique? I’ve never used it for focusing, only for exposure!
Thanks, Jaime – you’re right, I could have used the photo solely as an exercise in motion – perhaps I’ll try that another day and compare the results 🙂
Karen commented right before you and asked about back button focusing. So as not to be redundant, have a look at my reply to Karen. The whole concept is aimed at getting tack sharp photos, especially of moving subjects. Because I had focused my camera in the center of the pine needles, that’s what stayed in focus even with a tiny bit of movement in the breeze. Had I focused it on the ends of a group of needles, those would have stayed in focus while the other parts of the image blurred. Had my depth of field been larger, I think the movement wouldn’t have been as noticeable even with focusing on the center. I’ll have to try that as well.
As I said to Karen, I’m new to this and still trying to figure it all out.
Nice one Stacy, This photo really appeals to me, the colour, the lines and the vignette? What did you use. and back button focusing… may need a post on that subject, I hadn’t heard of that before 🙂
Thanks, Karen! I post-processed in Lightroom (of course :)) and set the highlight vignette to -35, and then tweaked the midpoint, roundness, and feathering. As for back button focusing, it’s something I’m just learning about and I’m still trying to grasp the concept (hence, the practice). With BBF, you uncouple the shutter button from the focus function. It replaces the practice of pressing the shutter halfway to focus and then recomposing your shot. Instead, you use the AF-ON button to focus (or in my case, I had to program one of my buttons to function as the AF-ON button as my D90 doesn’t have a dedicated one) and the shutter to take the picture. And you set your camera to AF-C (continuous Auto Focus). It’s a great method for capturing tack sharp images of moving subjects, but can also be used with a stationary object. I’ve googled and read quite a few articles on it. If you’re interested in learning more, let me know and I’ll send you the links 🙂
I have to go back and find out what a vignette is because I LOVE this photograph! And handheld, too! A starburst of green — like fireworks in the night sky.Thrilling!
I thought of fireworks too, Debby! I’m pretty excited about how this turned out, so thanks for that wonderful reaction 🙂 Vignetting is the technique of darkening chosen areas of a photo to place more emphasis on the subject and help direct the viewer’s eye to where the photographer wants it to go. It’s done in post-processing. 98% of the time, I use some form of vignette in my photos, just changing the strength of it. Now you don’t have to go back and find out 😉
Love this shot Stacy, so creative! The colour is great and the vignette works perfectly. Despite the title I’m still not really sure exactly what I’m looking at, but it just draws you in. Fantastic effort 🙂
Thanks, Ben! It’s actually the end of a branch on a white pine tree 🙂 It was a bit breezy, so I spent some time standing by the branch, eye to the viewfinder, waiting for any stillness whatsoever to try and get the shot (my neighbors probably think I’m a bit eccentric!). It was an experiment in back button focusing, so I didn’t use my tripod. Glad you like it, and thanks for commenting!
Haha, I often think people must be thinking the same thing about me too! It was certainly worth waiting for this one, you did a great job especially handheld 🙂
Visual Venturing 
Very nice image Stacy 🙂 When I first looked at it I thought is was a fiber optics lamp and then I realized I was having a flashback 🙂
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LOL! I had one of those, Joe, and in neon green too, if memory serves 🙂
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Quantum cool! 🙂 Dizzying effects.
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Thanks, Uncle Tree! Love your “dizzying effects” description – I think that’s perfect for this photo. I should rename it that 🙂 Thanks for thinking it’s cool!
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The Dizzying Effects Of Pine 🙂 Feel free to use it, if you wish.
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🙂
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It’s time I read my D90 book, I have no idea about the back button function! I love the depth of field
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Sandra, I’m not sure the technique is covered in the D90 manual, but here’s how you set it up to program the AE-L/AF-L button on the back of the camera (thus the term “back button focusing”): To make the switch to BBF:
1. Access your Menu Settings (from back of camera)
2. Access/select your pencil/edit icon
3. Access/select “f controls”
4. Select f4 “Assign AE-L/EF-L Button”
5. Highlight and select AF-ON
And then be sure to change your autofocus settings to AF-C.
Now you just have to grasp what the principle is all about to use it 🙂
LikeLike
That’s fantastic Stacey, thank you….
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You’re very welcome 🙂
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Wonderful Stacy; an extremely beautiful image, very well done! I first thought in a bike wheel.
Though, what you were trying to avoid is what precisely made the image more attractive and interesting; I mean, the motion effect the breeze produced. I thought it was another exercise on that subject. Then, my question is, what back bottom focusing for? What did you get with that technique? I’ve never used it for focusing, only for exposure!
LikeLike
Thanks, Jaime – you’re right, I could have used the photo solely as an exercise in motion – perhaps I’ll try that another day and compare the results 🙂
Karen commented right before you and asked about back button focusing. So as not to be redundant, have a look at my reply to Karen. The whole concept is aimed at getting tack sharp photos, especially of moving subjects. Because I had focused my camera in the center of the pine needles, that’s what stayed in focus even with a tiny bit of movement in the breeze. Had I focused it on the ends of a group of needles, those would have stayed in focus while the other parts of the image blurred. Had my depth of field been larger, I think the movement wouldn’t have been as noticeable even with focusing on the center. I’ll have to try that as well.
As I said to Karen, I’m new to this and still trying to figure it all out.
LikeLike
Nice one Stacy, This photo really appeals to me, the colour, the lines and the vignette? What did you use. and back button focusing… may need a post on that subject, I hadn’t heard of that before 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, Karen! I post-processed in Lightroom (of course :)) and set the highlight vignette to -35, and then tweaked the midpoint, roundness, and feathering. As for back button focusing, it’s something I’m just learning about and I’m still trying to grasp the concept (hence, the practice). With BBF, you uncouple the shutter button from the focus function. It replaces the practice of pressing the shutter halfway to focus and then recomposing your shot. Instead, you use the AF-ON button to focus (or in my case, I had to program one of my buttons to function as the AF-ON button as my D90 doesn’t have a dedicated one) and the shutter to take the picture. And you set your camera to AF-C (continuous Auto Focus). It’s a great method for capturing tack sharp images of moving subjects, but can also be used with a stationary object. I’ve googled and read quite a few articles on it. If you’re interested in learning more, let me know and I’ll send you the links 🙂
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Great DOF for the subject 🙂
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Thanks, Sarah. I’m loving working with this very fast prime lens 🙂
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Yes, they are great! I love mine for creative photography 🙂
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What a wonderful and original shot Stacy, really awesome! 🙂
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Thanks, Elina! Trying to step up my game 😉
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I have to go back and find out what a vignette is because I LOVE this photograph! And handheld, too! A starburst of green — like fireworks in the night sky.Thrilling!
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I thought of fireworks too, Debby! I’m pretty excited about how this turned out, so thanks for that wonderful reaction 🙂 Vignetting is the technique of darkening chosen areas of a photo to place more emphasis on the subject and help direct the viewer’s eye to where the photographer wants it to go. It’s done in post-processing. 98% of the time, I use some form of vignette in my photos, just changing the strength of it. Now you don’t have to go back and find out 😉
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great photo. I love the processing as well.
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I forgot to mention that I like how you have taken a subject that we can viewed but don’t really see and made it visible to us!
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What a nice comment, Jan! I actually was pretty excited that I “saw” the photographic opportunity – you know, trying to train my eye and all 🙂
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That is coo-ool Stacey 🙂
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Why, thaa-aanks, Robyn 🙂
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😀
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Love this shot Stacy, so creative! The colour is great and the vignette works perfectly. Despite the title I’m still not really sure exactly what I’m looking at, but it just draws you in. Fantastic effort 🙂
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Thanks, Ben! It’s actually the end of a branch on a white pine tree 🙂 It was a bit breezy, so I spent some time standing by the branch, eye to the viewfinder, waiting for any stillness whatsoever to try and get the shot (my neighbors probably think I’m a bit eccentric!). It was an experiment in back button focusing, so I didn’t use my tripod. Glad you like it, and thanks for commenting!
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Haha, I often think people must be thinking the same thing about me too! It was certainly worth waiting for this one, you did a great job especially handheld 🙂
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