My Favourite Lens

Vintage Lenses | Film Cameras | Street Photography

Checking out Longhua Temple, Shanghai [Minolta Rokkor 35mm f2.8]

If you’re in Shanghai and have seen all the iconic sights, or are looking for somewhere a little more peaceful, you might want to check out Longhua temple.

As the oldest and largest Buddhist temple in the city, with an unexpectedly bloody history and with its pagoda famously featuring in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, there’s a lot to discover.

Come read, get inspired by some temple street photography, and learn more about Longhua before you go yourself.

Shooting Ciqikou with the F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8

I’ll always say the F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8 is a great vintage lens for your street photography.

It’s small, which keeps it discreet. It’s inexpensive, which means you can pick one up without feeling guilty. And the image quality is really good, which is really the most important thing.

I shot with mine in Ciqikou, in Chongqing, China. Come see how it went here.

Loving the Yashica Yashinon 45mm f1.7 in Wuxi, China

A short trip to Wuxi seemed like the perfect chance to get some more shooting in with the Yashica Yashinon 45mm f1.7.

Still getting back used to the focal length, I needed the practice as much as I wanted photographs I thought good enough to post here.

I got both, and with a lens that I loved shooting with. Come see, come read, come find out more. 🙂

Shanghai Disneyland Street Photography [Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5]

A day out at Shanghai Disneyland, with all the expected crowds and activity, seemed like a good opportunity to shoot some street photography. So I packed my camera and went to my first, and at the time of writing only, Disney park.

Having read some negative press about the whole park experience beforehand, I was unsure how exactly the day would go. What I felt more sure about was my chances of coming back with some images worth sharing here.

As you’re reading this, that’s what happened. So come on in. Check them out. And let me know what you think of them, and how your own theme park street photography went if you’ve ever tried any yourself!

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.

Three Hong Kong Street Shots [Super-Takumar 55mm f1.8]

A small set of images left over from the previous two posts. I didn’t have any reason to publish them before, apart from ‘to just get them off my hard drive and onto my blog’.

However, I got some words of wisdom that made me realise that’s actually a great reason to publish them. Come take a look. Especially if you’re struggling to get your own work out there for whatever reason.

I can’t promise words of wisdom of my own, but I will point you in the direction of the ones that helped me out.

Costumes and Countryside in Xijiang, China [Super-Takumar 28mm f3.5]

Sitting in China’s southern Guizhou province, Xijiang minority village is a popular spot to take in some local Miao culture, and to enjoy the relative peace and fresh air.

With traditional wooden homes built on the hillsides, picture postcard bridges, a river flowing gently through the valley, and plenty of residents and tourists happy to pose, it makes for a highly photogenic trip.

Want to see exactly how this looks when shot with a vintage camera lens? Well then come on in and take a look.

Behind Bars in Shanghai [F.Zuiko 38mm f1.8]

Another article with photographs shot around a single theme. Despite the title, none are taken in prison. Although wiseacre metaphors with modern life can be drawn if you wish.

Walk around any city with a photographic theme in mind and you’ll always find things to shoot. This is what I came up with after walking around Shanghai with the idea of Behind Bars in my head.

Come take a look. Digest it. And get inspired for your next photography set centred around a single theme.