On Sunday we had large icicles hanging from eves and window but the sun came out with blue skies and started a melt. There were drops falling from each point and bump on the icicles and the wind was blowing the drops against each other. I took my camera and 50mm and tried to capture a shot with as many drops as possible. I’m sure the neighbours must have thought I was crazy standing there clicking away and missing most of the drops. Eventually I got one with several drops in frame. #50WithA50
We had a very cold and windy yet relatively dry period where there ponds froze over and the snow that fell on them tended to blow around and off the ice. It created interesting patterns, like clouds. This is one shot I took of some branches frozen in the ice and being battered by the wind and snow. The whispy waves of snow were constantly moving and changing as gusts of wind blew them through the shot. One second the ice would be clear, the next a flurry of snow would blow across inches above the ice and then it would be clear again. #50WithA50
I was sick over the weekend so I didn’t get to go out and take photos as I planned. I was a bit worried because I didn’t have any photos at all for this weeks post. However today the weather gods stepped in and threw a winter storm at St John’s giving us the afternoon off for a snow day. I still couldn’t venture too far but our dog loves the snow and I decided to take some photos of him coming in after a roll in the garden. I think he is bored of me taking photos of him after all these years, you can see it in his eyes, which is why I like this photo even though it’s not technically great. The 50mm did ok, I think my problems with it today were all camera related, I didnt have it set up correctly for shooting a black dog surrounded by snow. Everything ends up being either too bright or too dark, still it’s about learning so situations like this are what I learn from.
I was doing some family kids portraits over the weekend so I decided when I had everything set up that I’d do some using the 50mm lens. I think it’s actually a pretty good lens for this. When opened up all the way to f1.8 the depth of field is so shallow that it’s pretty much impossible to get in focus shots of moving kids and when aren’t kids moving. At f2.5 it’s a little easier and I did get some decent shots. Times like this I wish I had one of the new mirror less cameras with decent eye tracking focus, but sure I wouldn’t learn anything if the camera did all the work for me. For this shot I also had lights and a dark grey backdrop so I cant say it was all the 50mm lens but it certainly didn’t get in the way.
The tunnels under the University I work in are lined with student lockers. I thought they would make a good subject for this weeks post with the 50mm’s shallow dept of field. It also didnt hurt that this involved me staying indoors while it’s -10C with a windchill of about -20C outside.
On week 5 and I’m beginning to realize that the 50mm has it’s limitations. Or maybe limitations is the pessimistic way to phrase it, more it has it’s strengths and weaknesses. I like it for detailed photos with the aperture open wide. The bokeh is beautiful, like in this shot of a plant in front of a window with the late afternoon light behind it. I’m not so fond of it in most other circumstances. But isn’t that the challenge of a project like this? Find the weaknesses and work around them. For landscapes I’ll need to work on my composition and for street photographs with people I’ll need to get back into the swing of taking them.