A lens a week redux

Three years ago I did a lens a week challenge where I could only use 1 lens on my camera for a whole week. I did it over 4 weeks as I only had 3 lenses at the time but coveted the 4th. (Which I did buy after my test.)

I realized I’ve doubled my lens count and decided to revisit my challenge over 8 weeks this time.

So, July 1st came and I put my only zoom (Sony 200-600mm) on my camera and headed out to the Ellis Bird Farm to meet a few friends for a photo walk. Being the first day they opened at 8 am we were the first ones there and I really enjoyed the peace and quiet as we walked around.

July 2nd came and I got COVID-19. I didn’t know this for sure until very late in the day on July 3rd but I was sick and not interested in getting out to take photos.

It would be July 7th before I’d get out with my camera when I went for a morning walk at the dog park with a couple of friends and Noodle.

So my first week wasn’t all that successful at getting images but at least the start and end were pretty good because the middle was pretty sucky.

For week 2 I switched from my biggest telephoto lens to my widest angle lens; the Sony FE 14mm f/1.8 G Master.

I did visit familiar places as I went to City Hall Park and the dog park over the course of the week.

I got out over 3 different days but my subject matter didn’t vary much from previous weeks.

Week 3 saw me using my Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 ZA.

For week 4 I picked my Zeiss Batis 25mm f/2. I only got out once during the entire week and again ended up in City Hall Park and at the new Justice Centre. Going for a walk on my lunch break to take photographs is fun but it is a bit challenging to find new things to photograph in my limited time.

For week 5 I switched to my Zeiss Batis 85mm f/1.8. I again got to City Hall Park but at least I made it to the dog park for a couple photos of @mz_noodle on one of her morning walks.

Week 6 put me 3/4s of the way through my test and I switched to my Zeiss Batis 18 mm f/2.8. I again ended up in City Hall Park more often than not. Using a wide angle lens for multi frame panoramas isn’t optimal but that never stops me from doing it and I did a couple of them on the new Justice Centre.

I switched to my biggest prime lens; Zeiss Batis 135 mm f/2.8. I did start my photo week in and around City Hall Park but I did manage to get further afield this time.

It was a bit challenging to use a 135 mm lens on my walk at the dog park but it seemed to be a good wildlife lens that day. (A lot more so than taking the moose picture with my 14 mm lens in week 2.)

My planned dog park walk didn’t pan out on August 15th so I did a short road trip to Joffre to walk in a place I haven’t been to in about a year. It was a nice calm day and I enjoyed the Nature Trail all by myself.

My new shoes survived the 4 plus kilometers of gravel trail and board walk without causing me any issues so it appears to be a good purchase.

As I was heading home I spotted a hot air balloon floating in my general direction so I decided to chase it a bit.

I saw something shiny on as I got near home and decided to get a shot of it.

I finished my week in City Hall Park but I went with something a little different with a shot of my other new pair of shoes.

My Zeiss Batis 40 mm f/2.0 CF was my final lens to shoot with for week 8.

I was still short of my 10 thousand steps for the day so I went for an afternoon walk at Heritage Ranch.

My walking partner never showed up for our August 22nd walk so I motored around the dog park all alone. Even taking some photos, I was only walking for about a third of the time we take when we walk @mz_noodle.

Like I said, my lap was pretty quick and I still wanted to do some walking so I crossed the river to The Kerry Wood Nature Centre to walk around Gaetz Lakes.

The fog was still visible but it was thinning rapidly as I walked along the lake.

I ended my week in City Hall Park (big surprise).

Technically, I ended the week near City Hall Park.

So, that concludes my 8 week project. I know it seems like it’s a bit underwhelming to have blown the dust off my blog for, but I’m hoping it gets me posting more often with some more interesting subjects.