<!-- wp:paragraph {"blockClientId":"2402b8a0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"} -->
<p class="gutenify-section-2402b8a0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b">We were visiting family again earlier this week, and, as always, I brought my camera along. I had a new lens, the Sigma 12-24 f.4 Art lens. This lens has a very wide angle of view, and is great for landscape images. I also brought another relatively new lens, the Lensbaby Soft-Focus II. Lensbaby lenses let the user choose where the sharp part of the image will be. I have three of these lenses now. Along with the Soft-Focus II, I have the Velvet 56 and the Spark. The last of these, the Spark, is the most difficult to use, but in some ways the most rewarding. Let's start with it first.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid {"blockClientId":"9c5184d0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b","gutenifyStyles":".gutenify-section-9c5184d0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b { \u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columns: 3;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-rowgap: 40px;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columngap: 40px; }"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid gutenify-grid-version-2 gutenify-section-9c5184d0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"><!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"9c6ea9c0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-9c6ea9c0-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9873,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"509b9510-f9e3-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-509b9510-f9e3-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0198-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9873"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cherubic grandchildren</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"9c6fe240-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-9c6fe240-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9880,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"a495d7c0-f9e3-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-a495d7c0-f9e3-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0229-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9880"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Birthday celebration, captured with selective focus</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"9c707e80-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-9c707e80-f9e1-11ee-8569-970eb7e0cb6b"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9888,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"e31e99f0-f9e3-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-e31e99f0-f9e3-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0248-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9888"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The eye goes to what is in focus</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"blockClientId":"dc0a0d10-f9e4-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<p class="gutenify-section-dc0a0d10-f9e4-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40">We had a birthday to celebrate (my daughter's), and a game of Apples to Apples that was played, and the images made story-telling easy. For example, guess who won this game?</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid {"blockClientId":"04bdd200-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40","gutenifyStyles":".gutenify-section-04bdd200-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 { \u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columns: 3;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-rowgap: 40px;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columngap: 40px; }"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid gutenify-grid-version-2 gutenify-section-04bdd200-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"04e6ddd0-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-04e6ddd0-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9918,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"07fa5f60-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-07fa5f60-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0365-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9918"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Granddaughter celebrating a win</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"04e81650-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-04e81650-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9919,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"23e548c0-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-23e548c0-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0370-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9919"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The winner glorying in her win</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"04e94ed0-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-04e94ed0-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9920,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"489d7610-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-489d7610-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0371-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9920"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Grandson won't have any of it</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid -->

<!-- wp:image {"align":"center","lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9921,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"9f2eb750-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large gutenify-section-9f2eb750-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0375-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9921"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sore loser, maybe</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"blockClientId":"c4a98dd0-f9e4-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<p class="gutenify-section-c4a98dd0-f9e4-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40">For more of these family shots with selective focus, go here.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"blockClientId":"fed40980-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<p class="gutenify-section-fed40980-f9e5-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40">The Sigma wide-angle lens does a great job capturing the big picture. On the relatively flat land of Ohio farm country, you want to give a sense of the immensity of the sky over that land. Paul Johnson, in his <em><a href="Art: A New History">Art: A New History</a></em>, pointed out that the landscape paintings of the 19th Century were about the skies as much as about the land. The same is true of photography: cloud patterns in the sky can make or break an image.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid {"blockClientId":"10d43b90-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40","gutenifyStyles":".gutenify-section-10d43b90-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 { \u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columns: 3;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-rowgap: 40px;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columngap: 40px; }"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid gutenify-grid-version-2 gutenify-section-10d43b90-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"10fc8410-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-10fc8410-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9860,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"171444f0-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-171444f0-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0171-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9860"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ohio farmland under a big sky</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"10fd9580-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-10fd9580-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9912,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"c1abfde0-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-c1abfde0-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0330-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9912"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dramatic skies bring life to static country scenes</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"10fea6f0-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-10fea6f0-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"><!-- wp:image {"lightbox":{"enabled":true},"id":9862,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"ffe93820-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-ffe93820-f9e7-11ee-abf4-6f688a72af40 has-lightbox"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0175-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9862"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Like the roads, the rivers provide leading lines</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid -->

<!-- wp:paragraph {"blockClientId":"ef7459a0-f9e9-11ee-b79a-03585e4653bc"} -->
<p class="gutenify-section-ef7459a0-f9e9-11ee-b79a-03585e4653bc">I used the Soft-Focus II lens as well, sometimes indoors (as in the Vespers service shot below) and sometimes outside, with a close-up of apple or pear blossoms, and of a swollen stream. With landscape images, the Soft-Focus gives an odd feeling of immediacy, as though you could reach out and touch the parts of the image that are in focus. A tilt-shift lens sometimes gives the same impression. It is as though you are looking at a model or replica of the real thing, and it is within reach. For more of these images, go to the same gallery as linked above, and scroll down.</p>
<!-- /wp:paragraph -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid {"blockClientId":"87f5dcf0-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3","gutenifyStyles":".gutenify-section-87f5dcf0-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3 { \u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columns: 3;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-rowgap: 40px;\u002d\u002dgutenify\u002d\u002dgrid-template-columngap: 40px; }"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid gutenify-grid-version-2 gutenify-section-87f5dcf0-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"88191c60-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-88191c60-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><!-- wp:image {"id":9931,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"90d7ba50-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-90d7ba50-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0429-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9931"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Blossoms in soft-focus</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"881b8d60-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-881b8d60-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><!-- wp:image {"id":9896,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"b6bb2130-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-b6bb2130-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0288-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9896"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Soft-Focus II lens captures warm light at church</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item -->

<!-- wp:gutenify/grid-item {"blockClientId":"8b8433d0-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"} -->
<div class="wp-block-gutenify-grid-item gutenify-grid-item-version-2 gutenify-section-8b8433d0-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><!-- wp:image {"id":9938,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","blockClientId":"f4f85b70-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"} -->
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large gutenify-section-f4f85b70-f9e8-11ee-8e63-c30ade2d43e3"><img src="https://christopherhumphreyphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/L8A0494-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-9938"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A stream in eastern Ohio, after heavy rains</figcaption></figure>
<!-- /wp:image --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid-item --></div>
<!-- /wp:gutenify/grid -->