PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG

You may be curious that why I acquired a 24/2.8 prime lens while I already have the 24-105/4 and 16-35 II both cover the 24mm focal length. That is because 24/2.8 is a tiny and good performer at a focal length most important to my style, particularly for quick snap in events.

Here is the story - my wife find herself interested in photography, she has tried the 400D & 17-85 combo (see also Canon EOS 400D Combo for Everyday Snaps) and complained that is just too much for her, she want something lighter and easier, I think she is referring to a point & shoot compact camera. After a second thought, I am not going to acquire a new toy for her, I decided to have a light prime for the 400D, such as 24/2.8, 28/1.8 & 35/2 and 50/1.8 (we have also considered the EF-S 18-55 which is light zoom lens, however, it is still too complex for my wife, we want something fixed and easier, it is also not fast enough for indoor environment).

I finally picked a 24/2.8 for its overall performance across apertures (even wide open at f/2.8), it outperforms my 24-105/4 and 16-35 II at 24mm. 24/2.8 actually held up very well to the much expensive 24/1.4 L in color and sharpness departments …. see full article.

We joined a local tour to Plitvice Lakes National Park, the largest of Croatia’s eight national parks. Plitvice Lakes was proclaimed a national park in 1949 that also making it the oldest national park in Croatia. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was included in the UNESCO list of World Natural Heritage sites.

The broader zone of the national park hides rich forest and meadow habitats with many diverse species of plants and animals. Possible activities in the park include: walking, trekking, electrical boat and train riding, talking photos, cycling, skiing and rowing.

Thought nothing really huge nor in colorful fashion, there are simply clear, pure, silence and beautiful nature scenes in water, lakes, waterfalls and forest. Plitvice Lakes is quite unique.

It is a pity that we only have 3 hours for a limited exploration to about one-third of the park and I have to run in a dynamic mode (that means not only no tripod, but also not much time to make a better composition, everything goes in hurry) during the tour.

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In April 2006, I’d been enjoying a day out in Malham, one of the many picturesque villages in the Yorkshire Dales. For anyone who doesn’t know Malham, the village is surrounded by some of the England’s finest limestone scenery. I’d made quite a few images in Malham but was finished a little earlier than planned so I thought I would drive around and see some more of the local sites. Whist exploring I saw a sign for Scalebar Force so I stopped the car and went to have a look. The waterfall captivated me from the first minute I saw it. It’s quite a high waterfall around 40 feet and has 6 steps, which change the flow and direction of the water. It’s in a small wooded ravine and getting down to the lower level involved a tricky scramble down a muddy bank.

Unfortunately, It was a very sunny day not really conducive to photographing a waterfall. The sun’s reflections were bouncing off the water and the surrounding rocks making it almost impossible to get a successful image. I decided to take a few shots to try an establish a great composition that I could come back and capture on another day. Once I felt I’d I found that view I decided to head back home thinking about the image that one day I’d make….. full article.