click photos to enlarge
Yesterday's photograph of marbles was not the first shot that I took of the subject. I was using a macro lens, and as is my way (in fact many people's way) I turn off auto-focus when I use such a lens on a tripod. The first thing I saw when I put my eye to the viewfinder was the out of focus highlights on the marbles and the soft shapes and colours around them. So, after I'd taken my in-focus shots I experimented with out of focus shots, adjusting the focus to points in front of and then behind the main subject. 
Here's a few of the images that I gathered. If the truth be known, I prefer them to yesterday's sharp image. A lot of people obsess over sharpness in photographs. It's good to be reminded that deliberately de-focussing can produce results of interest and beauty.
photographs and text (c) T. Boughen
Photo 1
Camera: Canon
Focal Length: 100mm macro
F No: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/15
ISO: 100
Exposure Compensation: 0 EV
Image Stabilisation: Off
