I needed to challenge myself because we were going back to Locke on a recent Tuesday, and I’ve photographed the small town many times. So, I decided to dedicate the shoot to using two lenses I seldom take out: my 50 mm (Nikon) and 10 – 20 mm (Sigma). With the 50 mm, I wanted to see just what difference the 1.8 would make. And, it did make a big difference in getting a smooth bokeh. I enjoyed working with it even though I did try to get it to zoom!
Zooming is the only problem with that lens. I couldn’t walk back far enough to get more in the picture, so I concentrated on close ups. I switched to the ultra wide lens to see what distortions I could get. I was a little disappointed. It worked great with little distortion.
When we took a side trip to Rio Vista, I put on my walk around lens. I love that 18 – 140 mm. When it’s windy, it will catch a close up of a flower. It was dark, cloudy and dreary there. The last time I posted pictures from Rio Vista, the water was high and flooded part of the shore line. This time the waters had receded.
So my self-challenge taught me that the nifty fifty is a great lens, especially for portraits and close ups, that the ultra wide is great for landscape and buildings and my all-purpose go to lens is just that.
Here are the results.
Slow Shutter Speed 
A medicine shop that is colorful, the first I’ve ever known. Great pictures 🙂
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Thank you Anjana. I understand that she opens the shop on the weekends, and, since I go there on Tuesdays, I haven’t been in there. I’d love to be able to go inside.
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I love the 50mm for close ups and portraits, but I still find it difficult when I use it in the city… I guess I have to take it more often and just practice with the lack of image stabilization and zoom (for me the lack of IS is the worst problem!!).
Great photos, Anne!! So nice to come back to wordpress after a while and find your beautiful images!
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Thanks Mercedes. I haven’t had a problem with IS, but with a crop sensor camera, I’m at maybe 65 to 70 mm. That’s close. If I had understood things better when I bought it, I would have gotten a 35 mm. Take care.
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I have been trying to do the same thing. I currently own the Nikon 50 mm lens with 1.4 ap. I love love love this lens. It is not so versatile, so I use it when Im doing shoots for portraits and such. But I do also love trying to use this lens on everything, its just so hard to do (say if your in a room or like you said you cant back up far enough). I have been looking at other lenses, I’ve actually rented a few different lenses such as the 20 – 55 mm or something (but it really wasn’t what I was looking for. I just love the bokeh and clarity that you get from the 50, I cant fathom using anything that doesn’t compare.
I thoroughly enjoyed your photographs. They are beautiful, have a vintage feel and are very unique. Keep it up!
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Madison, thank you for the kind words. I will keep shooting since it’s what keeps me sane! I visited your blog and your photography is great. I also enjoyed your writing and insight. If I did portraits, I’d use the 50 mm more. I like to capture candid portraits and usually have my 18 – 140 mm lens on the camera. It does a good job, but I’ll admit that the 50 mm would do better. I bought the lens when I wasn’t aware of the difference between a crop sensor and full-frame camera. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have bought a 35 mm. Maybe some day I’ll sell the 50 and buy the 35.
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SAME HERE! Funny you say that. Id go with the 35 if I knew what I know now as well. At least we know now….Ha
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When I bought my D3100, I thought I was buying what would be equivalent to my 35 mm film Nikon. I’ve learned a lot since then!
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