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Any excuse to get to the mountains is a good one, and today’s was dropping off something I had picked up in Edmonton for a buddy. My friend Karl joined on this morning’s adventure, and we decided on a recently thawed Lake Minnewanka as our early morning subject. The landscape that greeted us was peaceful with a soft wind creating small ripples in the lake, which added a nice texture to the sun’s reflection in the water.
Shortly after our arrival, the sun begian to crest over Pakakos Mountain, and the rays beautifully illuminated the morning haze. Casting light onto the boathouse, and Mount Girouard, the scene unfolding before our eyes in Banff National Park was already looking very promising.
Each different lens that we use carries its own unique characteristics. The lightest lens in Canons L glass line-up, the 17-40L, is no exception to this rule. While not yet classified as ‘vintage’ glass, it is missing some of the recently developed coatings, and is subsequently more prone to flare (among other things). The triple reflections of the sun caused the flares to explode all over the frame. I kind of like the look, but it’s very much a personal taste. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below!
As beautiful as the flares are, they do take over the scene a little bit, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to test out my new Zeiss 55mm 1.8, the first native glass I have purchased to pair with the recently released Sony a7iii. I was pleasantly surprised by how the lens handled the direct in frame sunlight. So far this little guy has exceeded expectations every chance I’ve given it.
Before we took off, Karl let me try out his Rokinon 14mm 2.8. This lens is the gold standard for affordable astrophotography, and one that’s been on my radar to try out for a while. Its six pointed sun star is nothing spectacular, but the flare is very cinematic.
Thanks for checking out my adventures from today! Make sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date on what we’re doing here at Worn Leather Media!
