So (dare I mention it?) oh I might at the risk of being horribly wrong in a weeks time...but it would appear that Spring has finally arrived (or at least it is walking up the drive). I have seen many different bird species holding territory, nest building and displaying; some plants are in flower (and not just the ones that manage it all year round) and the first insects are on the wing. It maybe a bit chilly in the evenings but it can't be long before we can wave goodbye to winter and welcome the vernal equinox...(maybe the 14 degree isotherm will grace us soon as well...who knows...).
Of course the other thing that has happened is that I have turned 50...on Friday...6th March...half a hundred!!! Bam...just like that...do I care? nope (although I do feel 20 inside) but to remind me of my actual age...I had to have a hip x-ray this week...hey ho...
Now what have I been photographing? Well, seeing as I have mentioned some plants...
colt's-foot - a sure sign that spring is somewhere about...love this plant, the leaves appear after the flowers and are reputedly to be the shape of horses feet (hence the name)...
the eye of the day...
groundsel...ubiquitous but still a cool plant...tough and a survivor
another common species; hairy bitter-cress...tiny but worth a second look...
the first hoverfly of the year...
lesser celandine - smiling at the spring sun...
colony of lichens on a tree branch...
goat willow catkin (commonly called pussy willow) this one was tricky due to the capricious little breeze. Eventually I took a small twig and stuck it in the ground in the shelter of a larger tree to avoid wind shake...
common scurveygrass - high in vitamin C...I love the intensity of the green...
Now last weekend we went up to Scarborough again...and I managed an hour or so out on the beach at dawn...I was in trouble for not telling people I had gone mind...but...
...it pays to see the sunrise...
Loved the light on that morning...
So we move on to the gear bit...some people have said they like this bit so if you are one of them enjoy, if not, just skip to the end...
The next piece of gear is my most often used lens...and the only lens that isn't made by Nikon in my bag...it is my Macro lens...the Tokina 100mm f2.8 AT-X Pro
Over the years I have owned several different macro lenses and I have to say this is the best I have ever used...First of all let's define a macro lens...a true macro lens will give a 1:1 reproduction ratio...you will see many lenses (especially tele-zooms) that claim to have a "macro" setting; all this means is that they will focus closer than normal allowing the user to isolate details or subjects. They do not behave like a true macro lens and the best reproduction ratio you may get will be no better than 1:2 or half life size. All the major lens manufacturers make macro lenses; either camera brands - Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus etc., or the independents - Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Zeiss. I have used the Nikon 105mm; Sigma 105mm, Tamron 90mm and the Tokina 100mm - I believe that the Zeiss is as good as it gets but it is very expensive - be my guest on that one. The others are all pretty much the same - they all produce wonderful images...all are sharp and brilliantly contrasty...which do you choose? I chose the Tokina because I love the ergonomics...it looks and feels right for me - which when you are shooting all day is important...I very nearly bought the Tamron which is also a great lens. I suppose what I am trying to say is that you can't go wrong with any of these lenses...they will all produce great results... If you are in the market for a macro lens...try them all...
And that brings us to Friday...and my birthday...spent on an insurance shoot in the morning (a damaged car) and then some admin in the afternoon...not the most exciting of birthdays but that's OK...the weekend is to be spent at children's parties (no peace for the wicked)...Saturday morning was spent playing with an old ring flash I found in a bag...if I can get the exposure nailed it could be of some use...
Some of the pictures I have managed with it...
I like the effects so far...what do you think? And that about wraps up this momentous week...spring appears to have sprung and I can look forward to Mother Nature's spectacle...
Please keep up with my pictures here... or here... or if you like you can buy some from here... and I hope to see you all next week...
TTFN
Of course the other thing that has happened is that I have turned 50...on Friday...6th March...half a hundred!!! Bam...just like that...do I care? nope (although I do feel 20 inside) but to remind me of my actual age...I had to have a hip x-ray this week...hey ho...
Now what have I been photographing? Well, seeing as I have mentioned some plants...
colt's-foot - a sure sign that spring is somewhere about...love this plant, the leaves appear after the flowers and are reputedly to be the shape of horses feet (hence the name)...
the eye of the day...
groundsel...ubiquitous but still a cool plant...tough and a survivor
another common species; hairy bitter-cress...tiny but worth a second look...
the first hoverfly of the year...
lesser celandine - smiling at the spring sun...
colony of lichens on a tree branch...
goat willow catkin (commonly called pussy willow) this one was tricky due to the capricious little breeze. Eventually I took a small twig and stuck it in the ground in the shelter of a larger tree to avoid wind shake...
common scurveygrass - high in vitamin C...I love the intensity of the green...
Now last weekend we went up to Scarborough again...and I managed an hour or so out on the beach at dawn...I was in trouble for not telling people I had gone mind...but...
...it pays to see the sunrise...
Loved the light on that morning...
So we move on to the gear bit...some people have said they like this bit so if you are one of them enjoy, if not, just skip to the end...
The next piece of gear is my most often used lens...and the only lens that isn't made by Nikon in my bag...it is my Macro lens...the Tokina 100mm f2.8 AT-X Pro
Over the years I have owned several different macro lenses and I have to say this is the best I have ever used...First of all let's define a macro lens...a true macro lens will give a 1:1 reproduction ratio...you will see many lenses (especially tele-zooms) that claim to have a "macro" setting; all this means is that they will focus closer than normal allowing the user to isolate details or subjects. They do not behave like a true macro lens and the best reproduction ratio you may get will be no better than 1:2 or half life size. All the major lens manufacturers make macro lenses; either camera brands - Nikon, Canon, Sony, Olympus etc., or the independents - Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, Zeiss. I have used the Nikon 105mm; Sigma 105mm, Tamron 90mm and the Tokina 100mm - I believe that the Zeiss is as good as it gets but it is very expensive - be my guest on that one. The others are all pretty much the same - they all produce wonderful images...all are sharp and brilliantly contrasty...which do you choose? I chose the Tokina because I love the ergonomics...it looks and feels right for me - which when you are shooting all day is important...I very nearly bought the Tamron which is also a great lens. I suppose what I am trying to say is that you can't go wrong with any of these lenses...they will all produce great results... If you are in the market for a macro lens...try them all...
And that brings us to Friday...and my birthday...spent on an insurance shoot in the morning (a damaged car) and then some admin in the afternoon...not the most exciting of birthdays but that's OK...the weekend is to be spent at children's parties (no peace for the wicked)...Saturday morning was spent playing with an old ring flash I found in a bag...if I can get the exposure nailed it could be of some use...
Some of the pictures I have managed with it...
I like the effects so far...what do you think? And that about wraps up this momentous week...spring appears to have sprung and I can look forward to Mother Nature's spectacle...
Please keep up with my pictures here... or here... or if you like you can buy some from here... and I hope to see you all next week...
TTFN
No comments:
Post a Comment