I went on a walk on a whim after work on a Monday. The tulips aren’t in bloom in Skagit County yet, but it’s now late enough in the year for good light on the country roads. To this end, I used a Canon 28-135mm IS USM on this walk. While on paper it’s not a good lens by any stretch, I personally like how it handles harsh lighting by slightly exaggerating it.
Even the simplest things, like this engineering mark and relatively plain section of shoulder, can be made profound in the correct lighting with this lens.
There might not be much in the way of flower blooms at this time, but the fields still offer some sights along them. The dirt roads’ leading lines and the natural frame from a drooping branch made these shots.
I can’t decide whether or not this is my favorite picture of the lot, but I have a soft spot for simple flares and sunstars. Most lenses are designed to counter these effects these days, but cheaper gear from years gone made little effort to counter these effects. My old point-and-shoots would break into a mess of flares and stars in lighting like this. It was quite an experience to handle back in the late 00s/early 10s, and I miss it.
Joe R. Stead 