It was my second day in a row being able to actually walk outside on my lunch break and take photos, without freezing to death. Sadly, the cold weather is back tomorrow so it’s unlikely I’ll make it out. Who knows though, it’s all about ‘layers’ they say right. I once again took my Sony a6300 with me, this time paired with the 16mm 1.4 lens. Yesterday it was the 35mm 1.8 (50mm equivalent) which is one of my favourite focal lengths, next to 35mm. The Sigma 16mm is an awesome lens, but being 24mm is definitely not my strongest focal length. With that being said, I always try to push myself out of my comfort zone.
Admittedly, some of my favourite photos have been shot at 24mm so I’m not sure why I don’t use it more often. I had a great time shooting with it today and I really tried to approach different angles, that you just can’t really do with long focal lengths like 50mm. The other benefit of the Sigma is that it focuses pretty close, which I very much enjoy doing.
The area I work in isn’t the most scenic, which I have mentioned in previous posts. The nicest place to go is by fare the University which is great, but when you walk through there a hundred times it can be hard to find new photo opportunities. Somehow I manage and I simply see it as a challenge. It helped that I had the Sigma today because it gave me a completely different perspective then my usual 35mm and 50mm lenses.
I have photographed the architecture at Lakehead University a few times before, but this time around I got in close and took advantage of the tilt screen of the a6300. It’s extremely fun to use. My Nikons have them but they are nowhere near as responsive. Combine that with the awesome focusing of the Sony and it’s a great mix. It also helps that the Sigma is extremely sharp, but I’m not actually that hung up on sharpness.
One of the things I had to do with the Sigma today, especially shooting wide open was to pop on a variable ND filter. One thing I have to remember to watch is accidentally switching the ISO from auto to 6400 with my big winter gloves. A few of the photos below ended up being noisy for no reason, but I loved they way they turned out. I have never been afraid of grain, and it actually benefited the few photos in this case. At least in my eyes. It gives them a more film type look. I even accidentally shot a photo while messing with my settings, which I kept in this post as well. It’s the blurry one but I actually liked how it turned out as well.
Winter can be hard for photographers, especially in colder climates. For anyone out there hesitant to go outside and take photos, my advise is to just dress warm and do it. Once I’m outside and walking around I’m so glad I did it. Plus, it’s great exercise walking in the snow. Of course I never pack enough Kleenex and my finger tips always feel like they are going to fall off but it’s a small price to pay.
Thanks for stopping by!