Bonsai

I bought a bonsai tree online with a project in mind. The rubric said it would come with a torii, which I assumed to be a small model of an entrance to a Japanese shrine. A torri marks the transition from the mundane to the holy.

The bonsai arrived this morning carefully packed. When I opened it, I discovered that the torii was actually a stand in which the bonsai could sit - as you can see.

I've spent three hours this afternoon trying to photograph it in various ways and settings. The lighting is flat which is OK because it's even lighting.

I won't go into too many details but I was trying to photograph the bonsai with another object in front. That threw up awkward problems. If you know about depth of field and trying to get everything in focus. I rejected the 24-70mm lens in favour of a 70-200 mm lens. This required opening the patio doors so that I could move the tripod and myself outside to get a reasonable field of view in focus.

Then I went back to a wide angle lens which is blessedly sharp relatively close to the object at its narrowest aperture. At least I was able to move back inside the conservatory.

How do other photographers manage?

Len is in London today which gives me freedom to take my time and take up room. 

Baz and I caught the bus to Loughborough in the morning. Walking down Churchgate, we came across a small shop that has been open only a month, which sells all sorts of knicky knacky things from the Orient. The owners love dogs. Theirs, called Polly, spends the day with them in the shop. Basil was given two treats.