Month: September 2016

Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5 Lens Review

The Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5 is the third vintage lens I bought, and it helped me take a big step forward as a street photographer. Shooting wide open with f1.8 lenses is fun, but foregoing the shallow depth of field and looking for other ways to make interesting pictures adds a whole new level of fun.

In the beginning though, I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy using this lens. After being so used to other focal lengths, I was struggling to take any pictures I really liked. With practice, that changed. I now love this little block of metal and glass.

It’s a vintage lens I think you’ll love too if you pick one up. Come see why in this comprehensive review of the Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5 – with sample shots included.

Beware of Social Proof with Your Photography [Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5]

There’s probably not a photographer alive who doesn’t want people to tell them what they do is good. However, chasing the approval of an audience over an artistic vision can be damaging for the quality of the work.

Social proof is a powerful thing, but is the social proof demonstrated by the number of ‘likes’ on social media something we should assign any value to?

Of course, it depends on your goals. But if you’re looking for a photographic legacy you can be proud of rather than Insta-fame, chasing the social proof as seen on social media could be holding you back. Come read more to find out why.

Nanchan Temple, Wuxi, China [Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5]

Visiting a temple is always high on my list when I go to a new town or city. Not to pray, but to just go take a look. Just to see if it’s a nice temple or not, really.

One bonus of doing this is I always feel better when I leave than I did before I went. Something about the buildings, statues, and iconography I suppose.

Nanchan temple in Wuxi was pretty nice, and climbing the pagoda meant I could get some urban landscape shots of the surrounding city. So that’s another bonus of visiting temples. Being able to share the photography with you. Don’t leave me hanging. Come take a look.