Lens Test

Over the last couple of days, I got to do some shooting with my new lens. Storms were crossing the countryside, and I went SE of town to get a good position for some lightning shots. The lens performed up to expectations, and I was able to get several shots of lightning. Some were too distant, and all were way over-exposed. I really need to work on my settings with ISO 400 film, since that's the speed I use for general shooting. When I corrected them with software, lightning bolts materialized in my scenes. This is one of them.

Yesterday while roaming the countryside looking for photo-ops, we took an old dirt road as we often do. It's no fun looking where everybody else looks. At one point while driving along, I spotted something in the road that didn't belong. It was a Prairie Rattlesnake - the first one I've ever seen in the wild. I couldn't pass it up. After I went past him, I backed up, got out, and took a closer look. Yep, it was a rattler. Kewl! He showed no signs of agression or defensiveness, and it looked like he had just had lunch. That is one of the few times they don't seem to care about the rest of the world. That situation presented some good photo-shootin' opportunities that normally elude people. Here is a digital I took of him. I have more shots on film, but I need to finish the roll and get it developed.