6 February

Photography: Pictures From A New Lens. I Have A Lot To Learn. Come And See The Soul Of Some Sparrows

by Jon Katz

My new lens came today, and I hoped it would be everything. I will need some instruction on how to use it best. My Leica Akademie friends are waiting for me. I took the lens out for a test drive today. Here are the first photos that I took with it. I have work to do to figure out how to use it properly.

Just as I like to capture the souls of flowers, I’d love to capture the souls of birds. A few sparrows came to the window, and the Leica 100-400 kens did well with them. I have to aim the center focus in the right place. I want to capture the feelings of birds, the sense of them, not just a pretty headshot.

In the meantime, we’re trying to solve the. Kitchen crisis: We must remove our faithful stove due to rat and mouse urine. We can’t turn the stove on.

We’re checking out some new ones on whirlpool.com. Looks like eight or nine hundred dollars.  I feel like the forces of nature are testing us and our house with water, rats, and wind damage.

We’re up to it. Maria and I will pick out a new stove tonight, and we have a terrific appliance person from nearby Schuylerville to take it from there.

He’ll deliver it and remove this stove. The smell is beautiful. Curse the rat.

The sparrows seemed to move slower than some of the other birds. This will be a touch of my patience, which is not great in the best of circumstances.

I’m beginning to have an idea of how I want my bird photos to look and feel. That will take a while.

I found the sparrows to shore more emotion than I thought, just like flowers.

But has a photogenic face and a wonderful baleful wise man look.

The lens caught the menacing stare of Zip; I would hate to be a mouse looking up at those eyes.

The lens picked up the red flower in the sun.

Maria moved our little Mexican metal donkey to the front winter and in the light. It stood out. The lens has excellent depth and detail.

15 Comments

  1. LOVE the last sparrow photo just above the Bud photo…….. it speaks to me…….. exciting for you and the new lens!
    Susan M

  2. The sparrow photos are all so good it was hard to pick my favorite, but I especially love the one at the top and the 4th one above Bud. They really do show a lot of soul.

  3. Agree with Charlotte about the sparrow photos—love those of Bud and Zip, too (yes, Zip does have fierce eyes, indeed). Your photography skill is growing and it shows especially in the photos of the birds. Thank you and please keep it up.

  4. Sparrow shit above wise Bud is so winsome I’m keeping the photo. I’ve been taking shots of bluebirds from my sunroom window. Ty for idea!

    1. I’m no one to complain about typos, Sandy, don’t worry about it your message was clear, never mind the peckerheads on social media who live to attack and correct people. I’m not one of them..

  5. How brave of you to share your first pictures. I feel that I am learning with you. I share your excitement in your new lens and subject selection. I saw the bird through your eyes and the humble sparrow took on new beauty. Looking forward to many more photos.

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