The first glimpse of sun to grace the British skies for a few weeks through the blinds in the bedroom this morning made me resolve to get out and try my new 24-120 Nikon lens. But where to go? Anywhere which might be a little photogenic would probably be under six fathoms of rain water so I drove to Stratford.
That might have been a mistake, because half the population of the UK had obviously had the same idea and it also must have been ‘Bring a dog to Stratford’ day. I have never seen so many examples of canine breeding (and mis-breeding) outside of Crufts. Those poor blokes that have to empty the dog excreta bins must (if you pardon the expression) have been up to their neck in work.
Now I know they say the UK are a nation of dog lovers, if that is so, I must be a Klingon. It’s not that I don’t like dogs, I do…in moderation. I just don’t like the majority of dog owners. They seem to think that because they have, what sometimes can appear to the non-doggy person as a somewhat un-natural loving relationship with their dog, everyone else should feel the same.
“Oh it’s alright”, they simper, “he just wants to be friendly with your leg”, or “I’m sorry, but if you were walking properly, iccle, icky-wicky-woo, wouldn’t have tripped you up when he darted between your feet”.
Anyway, I tried to ignore, what must amount to 30 tonnes of dog crap deposited in the bard’s town today, and take some pictures.
But the day wasn’t going well, because my heart just wasn’t in it. I just couldn’t get into (and don’t you just hate this phrase) ‘the zone’.
I managed to test the new lens though, and from what I took with it today, I can see that it is a really good one. It’s bright and sharp with nice contrast. The auto-focus on the D800 with it is quick and responsive. Colours are good and my over-all impression is really positive.
More testing to follow – minus the dogs and their packs of owners.
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Not being able to get out due to the weather I also ventured to Stratford. After parking my van I thought, this is going to be a great shoot what with the sun a few clouds NO, it was like Blackpool, there were people eating chips going along the rivers edge others in shell suits and DOGS, herds of um. I felt the same as you Clive a good location gone to the DOGS.
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‘…a good location gone to the dogs’, I see what you did there. 😉
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