Variations on a Theme - Final Installment

Today's challenge was exactly that, a challenge.  I chose to shoot with my 50mm lens.  The 50mm is a brilliant little lens.  It is what is known as a prime, which means it has only one focal distance.  The good news is that it is unbelievably sharp and fast.  Fast in photography speak means that the lens can be used in low light conditions and produce sharp images.   The bad news is that for this particular assignment the lens was extremely limiting.

I had a vision.  I wanted to somehow incorporate both the bougainvillea and the palms.  I knew that selecting the 50mm would make my task difficult.  I'm not certain I was prepared for just how difficult.  I experimented a lot which resulted in several worthy candidates.  However, the reality was there was nothing new in the mix.  Most of the angles and techniques I had used before in this exact location.

For me, the beauty of a challenge such as this means I can't quit, nor can I settle for the status quo.  I kept at it and was eventually rewarded for my persistence.



What did I learn from my little three day challenge?  I learned that I must push myself, slow down, take more time to work the scene.  There is no room in photography for a rush job.  Not if one wants to continue to grow.

On another note, blogging will be sparse for the next few days.  Just so you know.