Here in Down Under, it’s officially winter. It’s cold (down to 0°C in the mornings), but instead of just cold, wet and grey, we have clear skies and sunshine. It’s a little weird, but I’m sure the rain will be back. Meanwhile, I decided to grab the Thypoch Simera 28mm vintage-style lens and get creative in my own backyard. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still cold but the sun is nice.
The Simera 28mm is a totally manual lens (I reviewed it here). I currently still have the lens, and the more I play the more I am actually enjoying it. I switched my Sony a7RV over to Creative B&W mode and shot primarily at f/1.4 for some lovely blur. There is not a lot happening in my garden in Winter, so I wanted to get a little artistic and creative. I frequently play with my Lensbaby lenses and decided to spend a little more time with the Simera. It gives your images such a lovely vintage feel.
As it’s not a macro lens, I couldn’t get any real up-close shots, but I did manage a few and have cropped some others. I did try the Lensbaby Macro Filter, but sadly the threads don’t match. Now, that could have been lots of fun. I love the blur and the moodiness you get from this lens. There’s something about shooting and editing in black and white which really makes such a statement with this lens.
Keep to the shadows
Keeping mainly to the shadows for an enhanced dramatic effect really did make my creative heart sing. I did try capturing some busy bees enjoying the only flowering plant in my garden, but I am sadly too slow with this manual lens.
This is always a great way to keep a record of your garden over the years. Ten years ago, ours looked nothing like it does now. So rain, hail or shine, there is always something to photograph in your own backyard.