In Absentia – Day Seven

This is the second blog that seems to have half disappeared, and whilst I do have an entry for the day – keeping my new year’s resolution going, from a completest point of view I want there to be some words there, beyond the current photo title.

I have no recollection where this photo was taken, which is actually something that doesn’t happen very often. I can normally navigate to the folder where the image is stored on my network filer straight away but I wouldn’t really know where to start with this image (actually this isn’t true – thanks to the EXIF I could just use the date!).

As you may have seen I’m a keen macro photographer; I currently use a Sigma 150mm which is certainly a fine lens but it does have it’s short comings. The combination of the focal length and macro capability does mean that handholding the lens is somewhat tricky if camera wobble is to be avoided. Of course the use of a tripod or monopod does help this to some extent, but these are not always available or convenient. Image stabilisation has not found it’s way onto macro lenses up until last year when Nikon and Canon both released macro lenses with IS built in. Sigma have followed suit with the 150mm but at present it hasn’t become widely available.

This last issue, as well as cost, means I’ll be sticking with my trusty lens for a good while yet which isn’t a bad thing. I know it’s parameters, what I can get out of it etc and so can concentrate on the photo itself. I have, though, just bought a circular polariser specifically for this lens (it’s the smallest diameter lens I have and so cannot share any screw in filters with any other lens) with a hope of producing even more vibrant images of plants and flowers. The disadvantage of course is the loss of two stops of light that using a polariser entails, resulting in slower shutter speeds and so a greater change of camera shake.. oh damn.. that wasn’t really a good plan was it!

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