7 Random Objects, One Nikon Lens
As a hobby, I love photography. But I often feel shy (and actually kind of afraid) to talk about about it because I just don't have the technical know-how to call myself a "true photographer." It's not from lack of trying either...my Nikon D300 for Dummies book has seen more action than my stack of "vintage" Domino Magazines (and we know that is saying a lot).
Even with technicalities slipping through my mind like a sieve, I still I find so much simple joy in snapping photos, that for today I'm going to brave the critical voice in my head telling me that you all will laugh me out of blogland (please don't), and just show you some of the photos that I took with a new lens that I got the other day.
photo taken with my phone
The lens is an AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G (I had to look up what that means exactly, too). Isn't she a beauty? Even though I take photos all the time, before buying it (my first lens purchase other than the one I bought with my camera body 5 years ago) I still spent hours googling photography terms to make sure that I was getting the right thing. I really wanted something that worked well in low-light situations and would also allow me to get beautiful close-up shots with a milky soft and shallow depth of field. Oh...and I needed to be able to pay for it using the gift cards I received for Christmas (thank you family)...so it had to be somewhat affordable.
Even after all my googling, when my package arrived I was afraid to open the box for fear that my lack of knowledge would land me with something only vaguely lens-related (like maybe a $200 lens cap or a cleaning pad). Luckily (what a relief) I managed to purchase the perfect lens, and got to snapping photos of random things immediately.
I'm obsessed with it! But since I can't really tell you all the technical how's and whys of the lens, I'll let the photos speak for themselves (if you would like more technical details you can read about it here). The only editing done to these photos was a few slight tweaks in the Levels setting in Photoshop.
I have so much to discover about my new lens' capabilities (I can't wait for a good low light scenario...and to snap photos at my sister's wedding later this year), but I can tell that it's going to be a lot of fun to figure out. xo Ez
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| by Ez Wednesday, January 9, 2013 
Reader Comments (61)
Gorgeous shots Ez! As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as a "true" photographer. You either love taking photos or you don't. And honey, these are stunning. You can't go wrong with a prime (non-zoom) lens! :)
Thanks for sharing! I just got my first DSLR camera and I am trying to learn about different lenses. It's always good to hear from others on what they like... also, these photos are gorgeous!
Your pictures are beautiful. I just got a new lens for Christmas too - a 24-70. I love it. I have a 50mm 1.4 and taking pictures in low light will amaze you. People always tell me that your camera didn't flash and I say - that's OK, I don't need it. They are shocked. A great tip that I learned at ALT summit last year from one of the workshops - if your camera has a video component - switch it to that to adjust your white balance. I adjust all my white balance in Kelvin mode and it saves so much time. Enjoy your lens and keep taking lots and lots of pictures. :)
I love this post...because your photography is gorgeous, but also its refreshing to hear your thought process behind choosing and using the lens...I always assume I'm the only one doubting whether I've made the right choice, that I dont know enough about photography etc....and here you are thinking along the same lines...thanks for your honesty...it's one of the things that makes you one of my fave bloggers!
Wow! Your photos are wonderful. Thank you for sharing and good luck figuring out your new camera. :)
These photos are absolutely fantastic! Wonderful job! Many thanks for sharing. :o)
Zoe xxx
I LOVe my Nikon D300 and 35 mm lens ! The 50mm seems more popular but I think the 35 mm is so much more useable!
Hope to see you at Alt!
Melissa
Your photos are beautiful! I have the Nikon D300 and the 35mm Nikkor lens too (and it never is taken off my camera body). But you have a fabulous eye for styling which I think is just as important as a good camera
Thanks for posting about your new lens and photo examples, its truly the description of my dream lens as well!
Great choice! For future purchases, don't be afraid to stray away from Nikon lenses -- we purchased a Nikon-compatible 35 mm f/1.4 (capable of providing slightly more bokeh than the one you got) for a fraction of what the Nikon equivalent would have been. This is definitely my go-to lens for everything (my blog has lots of examples of what it can do).
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/samyang/35mm-f14.htm
I think they are truly lovely. Don't ever be scared to show the world your work! The truth is, art has critics. Some will love and some will hate, but controversy is how many get discovered or famed!