My First Landscape Lens - Sandy Nichols

I guess a landscape lens is like a fish eye lens, except you stamp down the rounded effect to flatten it out all the way to the corners of the photo. A better lens will eliminate distortion all the way out to the corners. I was itching to try out my new lens so we decide to go to Mal’s (Gregor’s chainsaw friend) for his version of the neighborhood NYE fireworks display. He has remote property near Cleveland, GA.

I read-up on how to photograph fireworks so I am good and ready at the big moment. It’s all about preparation, folks.

Time to learn what my new lens can do. Here is my first day with my new landscape lens, in chronological order.

First shot from the interior of the car

NYE2015--8608 — Wow, look at that dash take up 50% of the photo. Lesson #1, no photos from inside the car. 1/125 f5.0 24mm iso100

Second shot of some goats / field along side of the road

NYE2015--8610 — I thought I was taking pictures of some goats, but really misjudged how far away they were. This is not a zoom lens (well really it is, but not significantly). 1/250 f8 19mm iso100

Looking for Grand Canyon Practice

Didn't expect breathtaking photos today. Looking for range and impressed how easily it was to get that moon in the shot. — Didn’t expect breathtaking photos today. Looking for range and impressed how easily it was to get that moon in the shot. 1/125 f5.6 21mm iso100

Our portrait at the beaver dam

Greg becomes insignificant in this photo as the trees and wide-ness of the view evelopes him. — Greg and I become insignificant in this photo as the trees and wide-ness of the view envelopes us. 1/8 f5.0 19mm iso100

and then the closer greg shot

Subject matter closest to the edges of the frame become distorted. 1/15 f2.8 19mm iso400

Practicing flash compensation with portrait lens around the fire

As we wait for midnight to see Mal’s fireworks, I continue practicing with my flash. Here the purpose is to get only enough flash to make the shot, and not so much flash it blinds you or washes out the skin tones.

Practicing flash compensation with the portrait lens around the fire.1/60 f3.5 50mm iso100 flash stopped down

Fireworks, the Big Finale

Finally midnight, the fireworks show begins and I grab my camera, run to my pre-determined spot, and start snapping away. I had the settings already set up: f8, iso 100, bulb exposure, with a trigger remote.

I can’t figure out why I can’t get all those fireworks in the frame of my shot. That’s what I learned earlier in the daylight, was how to frame the shot in my new lens. Then I look down at the camera on the little tripod to see that I FORGOT TO PUT THE LANDSCAPE LENS ON THE CAMERA.

I am freaking shooting fireworks with a PORTRAIT lens.

I forgot the fact that I put the portrait lens on earlier to practice those shots around the bonfire. So much for preparation! I waited all day to shoot this and didn’t even have the correct lens on. There was no time to switch lenses, I tried.

Closing shots with portrait lens & video

I decide to look at it as not all is lost, I did get a couple cute shots and some practice with the flash.