When Old Is New Again
Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 09:21PM 
I am someone who gets caught up in all the latest gadgets, bells and whistle...I'm a gatherer by nature I think? If I read a review about a great book, I have to have it now. When in France I loved the shoes there..oh I could have gotten the same brand when I got home, probably for less money, but no, I had to have them right then and there and I wanted them to be from France..the same thing happens when I listen to Kim Klassen tells us about all the great books she loves, or the props she uses and then she gives us the list in our on-line class, I go like crazy to research it and find it. My photography community is wonderful..the people are great at sharing and answering questions..and if you admire someone works, they more than likely will tell you how they have accomplished their style...and then I sit and ponder and plot..
I love to take photo's of the boys..and I've used all kinds of lenses...as a matter of fact, recently I just bought the 24-70L 2.8 because it would be good for both still life and the boys...indoors..still not what I was looking for for outside shooting...it is however great for still life..along with my 35mm. For awhile now I've been following two very creative and unique photographers of young children and the out of doors...their photo's were sharp as a tack...they had a great bokeh background and the photo's just popped. I have faved many of their shots on Flickr and just love what they do...and always..I'm thinking tri-pod. Well that is great if your kids stand still but I wanted to shoot them in all their daily activities...sooo, finally, I got up my courage (because I didn't know either one of them) and I wrote to them...and guess what...one of them wrote back. We had a dialogue..it was informative and lovely...She told me that she used a prime 85mm...and that was how she got those shots..of course her subjects were cute and somehow she did get them to pose and her creativeness in composition was outstanding...I'll have to work on that.
In the end we had a lovely conversation and I was really impressed with her sharing...and since I had recently bought the 24-70 I didn't think I could press for another lens so soon...but I stored the information. The problem with me is once I have the information...it never leaves my head until I make a definite decision. Oh I let it sit there for about two weeks and bam...I was off to Hunt's and B&H doing my research...shocker...the prime 85L series 1.8 is around 2,000.00. Well that wasn't going to work right yet...so I set in on that shelf in my brain...marked "ideas". It has been there for awhile now but for some reason this week I started thinking about it again..so I went to my "lens shelf" and found my 35mm and took that outside..and shot the boys with it all day...really nice photo's, really nice, but not the look I was trying to capture...and then, when returning that to the closet I saw my prime 100mm macro...BINGO.
I took that lovely out and thought, well if an 85 is good, why can't I give my 100 a try...and I was off and running..I have used this lens many times for my macro work and I love it for that. It's a prime lens, 2.8. I have also used it for portrait photography...up close and tight shots...but on Tuesday I used it for every kind of shot and I was amazed at the sharpness, clarity and the bokeh that I love. I went shopping in my own closet and found a treasure. I have since culled those photo's and I'm sharing some of my favorites here today for Friday's Finds..and what I found this week is that perhaps we should take more time to check our own supplies before rushing off on a treasure hunt..I am so happy right now with my closet find..and I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it was to upload and view the boys through this new/old lens...the only thing that I'll have to work harder on is focus because the focusing field is pretty precise but when I got it...it was magical...all the photo's here today are mostly SOOC except for a bit of desaturation. I wanted to share with you what the lens is capable of doing..not what I'm capable of doing in lightroom or Photoshop...that will come another time...so what about that 85mm lens...I can't say I'm done with the wanting of it or the researching of it, because my understanding is that it's a pretty fast lens, but I have put in on the back burner for awhile and I'm going to keep working with my 100mm...see how it goes, you know. Maybe next week I'll start looking around here for photo props. Who knows what I'll find when I start opening up draws and closets...and for sure there must be some boards I can steal out of Jim's workshop...
"You don't get the same moment twice."
In The Hood, Jaxson, Liam, horses, lenses, papa | Share Article →
Reader Comments (12)
Wow!!! The pictures are gorgeous!!! Wish we could've married in Boston :-)
Love you!!
I love that final line. So true! Your photos are wonderful and if you are a gatherer ... so what? Whatever floats your boat. I don't have the 24-70 but I've been thinking about it, it's a grand lens. Enjoy!
I love that final line. So true! Your photos are wonderful and if you are a gatherer ... so what? Whatever floats your boat. I don't have the 24-70 but I've been thinking about it, it's a grand lens. Enjoy!
Cheryl, these pictures are absolutely stunning. So crisp and bright, a pleasure to look at...you rock and so does your 100mm!
Your comments are all so important to me...it is nice to have fellow travelers critique my work.. you are all very generous in your comments...
Have a beautiful weekend...
Love the closeups so endearing, thanks for sharing all the information I am you techy stuff rules...
Hi Cheryl, I have to say I'm not crazy about my macro 100mm but I like what you did with yours, the eyes on Liam and that horse are spectacular and Jim really cleans up good in that bokeh light. I may have to do some research or at least practice more. I rarely take it out of the closet because it's so darn heavy and gave up on it as a regretful purchase, you give me some hope with your images. Have a wonderful day!
Marilyn take it out again and just fool with it...I used it all day one day and I'll continue to use it more as a landscape than just on flowers..I guess I must be used to heavy.....all my lenses feel heavy...I like to call it solid...missed you...so glad your back.
Wow, Cheryl!! After being frustrated with my 50mm then taking a little class to learn more about it, I have decided each lens has their strengths. My favorite for macro and portrait is my 60mm (I don't yet have a 100 macro). I love the clarity and sharpness of it, plus the out of focus. Your photos are stunning here!!! I love the horse, and the gorgeous close up on the eye. The backgrounds are all very dreamy. I'm dreaming of a lens now too and waiting to see if I definitely need it (i'm sure I do!). It is so nice to know what a professional photographer uses - 85 f/1.4. Such a lovely post, and I so enjoy your writing!!! Have a great weekend, dear friend!! xxxxx
These images of yours here are so incredibly striking and full of feeling. I particularly love the first one of Liam in that light with that expression but they are ALL excellent. I'm glad you found your way back to that lens and I'm sure you will be using it a lot more now. I have been seriously thinking of getting the Nikon 105 mm macro. I'd love the 85 mm portrait one too but I think the macro one would be more practical since I don't do as many portraits as you do.
I have a wish list too for lenses, but I'm content with what I have. When we go on vacations, I rent from borrow lenses. I think your photos are gorgeous!
Thanks everyone for stopping by...love all your comments and suggestions...so much fun just sharing.