"'Tis the season to be crazy..."

With the Christmas program over and getting caught up with my editing and orders I finally feel like I can start to enjoy this time of year.  I wanted to take this time to answer a question one of my blog readers asked.  Please understand that I don't want to appear like a know-it-all because truth be told...I probably know less than a majority of ya'll :)  I'm just tryin' to help a sistah out...so...

She asked what my favorite lens is to shoot with...

Right now my fave lens is the 50mm 1.8 - it's cheap, decently fast and sharp.  This may be due to the fact that I only have a whopping 2 lenses right now but you know what?  That's OK.  Everyone's gotta start somewhere...I'm sure my future fave will become the 50mm 1.4 and then after that the 50mm 1.2...Let's just say that I've really grown accustomed to fixed lenses.  I'm not trying to be demeaning when I say this, because Lord knows I had know clue what "fixed lens" meant 8 months ago...but fixed meaning, no zooming in and out.  There are a couple reasons why I personally prefer this type of lens.

First, it seems that they have lower apertures than zoom lenses...which low aperture + dreamy yumminess = Happy Ali...

And B...Whenever I am shooting with my zoom lens I feel like I don't move around much.  The fixed lens kind of prompts me to move around and shoot all over because I don't have the option to rotate the lens and zoom in or out.  Because I'm moving around more, I think my creative flow is less hindered.  I find new angles to shoot and it just seems to work better for me.  

Here's an example of the aperture all the way down to 1.8 on my 50mm:

Notice how sharp the keyboard is and the creamy goodness all around...LOVE IT!  I put my focal point on the center, and then focus in on what I want to be sharp (the keyboard) and then recompose the shot (move the camera so that the keyboard is now in the lower third instead of in the center).

A wedding ceremony situation is different because most couples don't want the photographer balancing on the organ to get the perfect shot.  But for the getting ready, formal and reception I would probably try for a fixed lens...unless I'm doing the group formal in which I may pop on the 16-35mm 2.8...

Some of the lenses on my "Santa Baby" list are:

50mm 1.2  (anyone want to spend 1,200 on me?  but really...I want this bad)

85mm 1.2

16-35mm 2.8

I'm researching some of the telephoto lenses but I'm not sure what I want yet...so surprise me if you want to :)

Another thing that I've been doing recently is applying the Kubota Magic Sharp action to my images.  I learned this from the amazing Jasmine Star and it has really made a difference...it won't work miracles on an unfocused image...but it WILL make your great images "pop out."

Hope that helped you and I want to thank all of ya'll for your support and encouragement.  It means so much!  Hope ya'll are having a fabulous Christmas Season!!!