It was a perfect Minnesota summer evening Last Friday, when Tracy and I headed out for a date night at the Wright County Fair in Howard Lake, MN. I absolutely love fairs like this and haven’t been to one in awhile. I brought my camera and one lens. I was a woman on a mission.
I have decided that I will purchase just one lens a year. It is easy to think that lenses will make or break your success as a photographer, and they are highly important, but I have a pretty full bag now and have to cool off my “lens lust”. This year’s purchase was the newly introduced Canon 50mm 1.2 L lens. The “L” in a Canon lens model name means “Luscious”. Not really, it means that it is their highest quality, professional line of lenses. :-D
The 1.2 in the name means this lens has a maximum aperture of 1.2. Canon has only made one other lens that I know of with a wider aperture (the rare 50mm 1.0). A low aperture number like 1.2 indicates that the lens can let in more light, allowing you to shoot without a flash in darker situations. It also indicates a very shallow depth of field.
This is not always an easy lens to shoot with. At 1.2 it is extremely easy to miss your focus. Yes, it works as a full range of apertures, but I want to be able to use it at 1.2 when I need to, so I made the decision to take photos at the county fair at 1.2 to practice (yes, I practice. I should do it more often too).
Every photo you’re about to see is shot at f1.2, with one exception. I think I was being chicken at the moment, but got brave again. The photo is too cute not to share. :-D
Meet Ellie. She likes pink.
Sheep Barn
A sheep protesting being in on the shearing table.
This was the one shot at 1.8. I couldn’t resist sharing.
Horse Barn – I like the way she’s touching the horse.
Check out the beautiful background blur. Yummy!
They had some really old buildings on the fair grounds, like this authentic school house.
A desk and book inside the school house.
There was also an old house from pioneer days. This woman was working a loom inside the house, creating a rag rug. We were struck by how small the house was!
This shot gives you a feel for the extremely shallow depth of field you work with at f1.2.
I had so much fun photographing the tractors. I’m such a country girl at heart!
I love the repetition and bright colors.
I like this one a lot for some reason. I’m not completely sure why. :-D
Goat show trophies and ribbons. Purple ribbons and tall trophies mean they did VERY well.
I bent down (as best I could…still sore from my accident) to take this shot and oooooh did it make the piggies mad! They were squealing and carrying on. I didn’t stay long, they were making an absolute scene!
Mmmmm, dinner. Oh yeah, beside looking at animals and exhibits, the sinful food is why we go to the county fair!
My dinner, with ketchup and mustard.
Self-couple-portrait in the snow plow mirror.
Prizes!
Last shot as we walked to the car. I am going to really enjoy using this lens at dusk. It’s my favorite time of day and now I can preserve the feeling of it!
