I think its important to force yourself to use a particular lens. Whether you purchase a new one or even just use the lens that was included with your kit. Because in life it’s easy to consume, but not appreciate or understand the depth and uniqueness to personal items.

In this case Cameras and lenses.
And in this situation a Fisheye lens.

Steady Choices

Throughout most of my life while taking photos, I’ve always had a small budget, or I was gifted various camera equipment.

I could only shoot what I could afford.

I confess, I must’ve used a kit lens on many occasions for at least 5 years. I didn’t care. I felt I was still learning about angles, post process, composition, and of course time spent actually taking photos. I didn’t even focus on upgrading any gear.

It wasn’t until much later when I started reading and comparing all kinds of gear online, that I realized how much equipment there actually was.

Learn to Appreciate

And while you’re actively learning by using what you have, you’ll appreciate its strengths and better gauge its shortcomings. Looking back my edits were obvious filters.

I had just found a new editing program and went bonkers applying all kinds of effects. Heck, in most cases it wasn’t the camera or the lenses faults.

So I stuck with the kit lens, and eventually picked up vintage primes on forums and trades, or much later on purchased higher end sigmas.

“The process of facing and selecting our possessions can be quite painful. It forces us to confront our imperfections and inadequacies and the foolish choices we made in the past.”

-Marie Kondo

Forced Fisheye

Awhile back, I purchased a 7 Artisans 7.5mm Fisheye lens because I was feeling stuck and needed something new to challenge me and change my perspectives.

But like anything, when you wear something in, the fresh smell is gone, it’s not new and it has overstayed its welcome. Importantly, you make adjustments. And I could just have swapped it out for a lens I’ve used and I have a past history with. I know what it’s capable of.

But that would be too easy.

Gray Areas Create More Channels.

So by committing to this 7.5mm Fisheye, I knew there were going to be times it was not going to do the job. I was expecting things that were in my control but making the lens responsible. I discovered some animals don’t like the closeness and mirror of the fisheye. I learned that you can correct and adjust the distortion in post process.

There is no autofocus so sometimes you forget to set your settings. That’s a humiliating thing to do because it was a staple when I first learned about photography.

Where there was a challenge, there was a discovery.
And that is bright, and beautiful learning.

Recent Fisheye Lens Photos

Personally, I Love Grey Areas.

These are often the ways we push the boundaries creatively.

(Above) I love how you can see me dead center in the dog’s eye but its such an odd angle.
Or the image with a small break in the concrete to frame the waterfall, And furthermore pushing that tiny fisheye lens through the fence and capturing the entire scene.

These aren’t incredible or groundbreaking photos. But they are new, and fascinating to me because of everything I know, by introducing a new way to utilize it and take it further.

You start to get comfortable with the way the lens works. I find myself exploring the grey areas and making accidents part of the bigger picture. I know I’m breaking rules and making mistakes. But I find it exciting.

Did you miss your shot?

Are you sticking with it?

Should I go back, take the same lens to that location?
Or do you save it as a mistake you made, because you love it as is.

( How do I know that photo isn’t in focus? Because after I took the photo I looked down at the lens and saw the aperture was f/4 and quickly realized I didn’t have the right distance and kept on walking.)

I still love it, best thing is,
I learned something.

And I think that’s where a lot of where my creative fuel comes from.

To find something, to make mistakes, to learn and to love.

Has it been tough to have the fisheye lens be the primary glass of choice?
Absolutely.

But I have some photos and video footage that I love that came out of it.

And with that a whole palette of fresh new techniques.