Daffodil Hunting II

The new lens turned up yesterday and I am pleased to say that it too has the "sensible" lens hood I wrote about at the start of this blog. I was intending to take the camera out and about on Plymouth Hoe but the traffic was awful, so I headed off for Widecombe-in-the-Moor where I had jolly nice cream tea but that's another story. I didn't have much time to play with as the weather was less than ideal and very cold but I think that this lens might be a keeper, although these are very much early days! These daffodils are definitely sharp (1/125 @ f.11 in old money).

The Church of St. Pancras, Widecombe, was shot on a tripod at the same speed and aperture and again looks to be sharp across the frame. I just wish there was an easy way of utilising hyperfocal focussing on modern focus-scale free zoom lenses.

Light: Science and Magic.

After being told that my replacement lens was on backorder I was somewhat surprised today to be offered a refund or replacement. Initially I was all for getting a refund and purchasing elsewhere, but as the lens has increased approximately 20% in less than a month that particular option is now closed to me. I have elected to have a replacement lens posted to me which I am currently tracking. I will really "spit the dummy" if this one's a dud too.

As a result of this tiresome saga I have had time for some reading. I have been studying "Light: Science and Magic" by Fil Hunter, Steven Biver and Paul Fuqua (pub. Focal Press) . I can't speak highly enough of this book. I didn't realise how little I knew about light until I was about five minutes into chapter one. Rather than being a "this is how we did it, now you have a go" text, the authors aim to teach you the "grammar and vocabulary of photography." They go on to state that they "will be more bored than flattered if reading this book causes you to make pictures that look like ours. For better or worse, you have to build your own pictures on your own vision."

The book is quite technical but not overly so and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Let's hope that it will improve my photography!

P.S. The weather has been too lousy for me to get the promised frogspawn pictures. I will put them up asap.

The return of the Frogs

Well, while I am waiting for my replacement lens I have been busy in the garden. Mmm, not that busy-I have only mowed the lawn actually, but to my absolute delight I am glad to report that I have frog-spawn in my tiny little pond. This may not be a big deal to many people but I am really thrilled as I had given up hope that the frogs would ever come.