Over time a photographer will accrue an ever growing array of lenses. I'm one of those photographers: my lens arsenal currently numbers 16 optics - from fisheye to super-telephoto (and there's always room for one more).
Consequently, some get used less than others: in particular the specialist glass such as those mentioned above, so it becomes necessary to rotate the lenses, just to give them some use. Today, I plump for the long end of my lens pool, and take the 300mm f/2.8 out for some afternoon shooting. This lens weighs in at over 6lbs (2.8 kgs) on its own, and with the camera body attached it soon becomes a strain on the arm muscles when shooting hand held for prolonged periods. This downside is more than offset by the superb image quality the lens is capable of - even when used at maximum aperture.
I ride to Poole Harbour, half expecting to photograph water sports, but in the back of my mind I know conditions are far from ideal, as the tide will be out and there will be little, if any, wind to take advantage of.
I was right on both counts: there was a lone kite surfer waiting on the shore, and two wind surfers way off in the distance, none of which were inspiring subjects - so I concentrate on birds.
As ever, there are the near-ubiquitous black headed gulls, gliding in search of an easy meal. The one in the image is in winter plumage, belying its name. They only get the characteristic black head (in fact, it's dark brown) during the summer months.
300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor (VR off). 1/2000 second at f/2.8. -0.33EV. ISO 200.
© 2009
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