I actually have two at the moment, and I love them both, but for different reasons.  My previous post was taken enirely with an 85mm f/1.8, which I recently aquired.  In doing so, I realized that many of the perceived “focus issues” I had been having with my 85mm f/1.4 were actually my fault.  The 1.4 has SUCH a narrow DOF, especially at close range, that it has nearly no margin for error at all.  Finding a balance betwen getting the bokeh I want, and reasonable DOF to produce a sharp image is more of a challenge than with the 50mm f/1.4, which I’ve become so familiar with.  However, I realize just how different the bokeh is on both, and while I sort of love the “bad” bokeh the 1.8 produces (the hard edged bokeh as shown in the prior post), it isn’t ideal for everything, and the 1.4 renders a much creamier, smoother, and subtly richer bokeh.  Everything in this post was taken with the f/1.4.

I am nailing focus more often.. not wide open, but this close, it doesn’t matter – the background is still totally blurred (and the ladder is about 9″ behind her head.. not far at all).  I think I was at f/2.5 here.

I am getting more of the shots I want.. and focusing better with candid and action shots as well..

(a split second later…)

She was actually swinging here.. all by herself!

I am also beginning to “see” things better.. to encorporate elements from the environment around my house to make better and more interesting portraits.  She was laughing at daddy riding his dirtbike here.

But when he does this (and lots of it), how can you not laugh

I also took a spur of the moment single shot of my oldest… I realized later just how short his pants have become.. I guess it’s time for a new pair soon   Once we do that I plan on getting him set up in ALL of his gear for a real photo shoot.. should be fun.