Testing the Nikon 35mm f1.8 AF-S prime lens

I'd rented this lens over the holidays to try it out - I've been fawning over the 50mm f 1.4 AF-S, but it's $400. This one is "only" $200, a pretty good deal in the crazy camera world.

I've been using the lens, but hadn't really tried it out in a meaningful way. So we took it to the zoo yesterday to try and get a few decent shots (decent for me, anyway).

Nice bokeh, and look how it makes the stitches on the hat stand out!
I never even thought about how it could tranform my knitting posts! Ha!

Looking at the birds

Mama = happy. Joseph = cold

Attempting a "real" shot. It's a cool bird, anyway.

For some reason my favorite pics are always of him eating. Sorry about that.

Now, here is something I learned from yesterday. Look at the next two photos. Taken in the same lighting. But I moved. The second one is so much better (the lighting, not the actual photo... sorry Joseph!). Lesson: be aware of your lighting, Jen.

Still, he's so cute when he eats, no?

This one reminds me of a college buddy who always got heavy lidded when drinking. tee hee!

Colder and colder, the hood comes up

Rounding out the day with "elephant activities"
where they bribed her with treats to do circus tricks. :(

Can't...keep...eyes...open

T.J. had to do a rousing kangaroo impression (hopping) to keep him awake until we got to the car. Then he took a 3 hour nap. Yey zoo!