My lovely 50mm lens

(Sorry for the annoying centre alignment - it's refusing all my efforts to left align - some bug in Picasa I think!)

I've been battling with this lens a bit since I bought it a couple of months back.

I'm not sure if every one is the same but I tend to have a breaking in period with any bit of new kit. I've used it a fair amount but unlike my other lenses, the results have been a bit hit and miss - too many over-exposed or out of focus shots. I've finally worked out that shooting at such low f-stops -it's the Canon 50mm f/1.8 prime lens - was the main cause of the problems. I love shallow depth of field, closely cropped shots, so was tending to mainly shoot at f/1.8 - 3.2 - this needs a huge degree of accuracy and is not easy with fast moving portrait shoots. When I have a problem with a new piece of equipment I force myself to use it exclusively for some non-work photography. So over this last weekend, which incorporated Father's Day, a visit to the mother-in-law's garden and a trip to the seaside, I left all my other lenses at home and had a proper play around with this one. With no deadlines or pressure to deliver I think I've mastered it and have a series of images that I'm really pleased with. With no other lenses to hand I've shot close up and distant in various light conditions. Subjects were as ever the kids and flowers. My 60mm lens is my fail safe, amazingly clear and sharp portrait lens but too narrow for close ups of three people, so to get some great quality, head and shoulder shots of the kids & Nic was good news. My favourite picture taken yesterday at Llandudno was of Abigail blowing bubbles off the pier (in black & white above). I think it really gives a strong sense of place and almost nostalgic atmosphere (but perhaps that's just the G&T talking!).

Nic's mum's garden never disappoints at this time of year - the beds and containers are filled to over flowing with scores of different flowers and shrubs. I was, for the first time over the weekend, seriously regretting not packing the macro lens but soon realised that using the 50mm lens was forcing me to compose differently, look more at the whole plant. And the f/1.8 aperture was creating some seriously beautiful background effects. Astrantia is one of my favourite flowers for plant portraits - so small and delicate but very architectural and with lots of interesting markings. I've shot them lots of times before but with the 50mm lens have managed a different take on them.

So it's turned out to be a real little beauty and worth much more to me than the £75 I paid for it.

The wonder of British weather

It only seems like a few weeks have passed by since we unloaded the campervan from the Easter holiday and here we are again at the end of a week’s stay in North Wales. We are only 45 minutes from home but it’s been a real break and respite from the daily grind. The glorious weather played no small part in making this a great week away. Today’s chilly and windy 13⁰C has been a reminder of how cruel British summer weather can be. For 5 perfect days we have lived the outdoor camping life, eating every meal al fresco, having water fights (us adults didn’t so much join in as get caught in the cross fire and then get very mardy very quickly!) and not needing any of the warm / waterproof clothing that you still have to pack for any UK holiday.
We’ve packed a lot as usual into the last week, even though we spent a few days chilling out on the campsite. I did a christening near Warrington last weekend, we’ve been to 2 beautiful but very contrasting gardens – one a more formal National Trust property called Erddig and the other a privately owned garden called The Glass House. Both were wonderful to explore, with many early summer flowers bursting out, no doubt spurred on by the warm weather. I’m a bit obsessed by irises at the moment, as I’ve got a big job on photographing them for a client, along with some other seasonal blooms such as peonies. I’ve always photographed flowers to nature’s timetable and it’s proving challenging to catch them in flower, at their photogenic best in line with the client’s needs!
The kids have had a whale of a time as ever, relishing the rare freedom that being on a campsite gives them and every meal a picnic outdoors. They’ve been swimming each day at the onsite pool and running around wearing very few clothes. But I knew we packed those jumpers and long trousers for a reason – we headed into Llangollen with all the rest of the soggy tourists today, trying to steer the kids away from more tacky toys and me desperate for my fix of Costa coffee. With tacky toy purchased for Sam (remember those little furry worms on a clear plastic thread...) and rather more sensible notepad and pen for Abby, I got my coffee and, even better, a lovely meal later at a pub overlooking the river. We relived some of my childhood memories after tea, jumping across the flat rocks along the river bank. Predictably Nic fell in (unfortunately only up to his ankles) and Daisy was in doggy heaven.
We’re snuggled away in the camper van for the evening, kids up top watching a DVD, us down below with a bottle of red, a few beers and a TV with a dodgy signal. Perfect. The wind is playing increasingly aggressively with the awning (hope Daisy is OK in the pup tent) and the forecast is for heavy rain (severe weather warning for 4a.m.) well into the morning when we will be de-camping. I suppose this is penance for the idyllic weather - what is the opposite of “every cloud has a silver lining”?

By Jane Burkinshaw. Share this post by clicking on one of the Share buttons on the right hand side. I'd love to hear your comments too!