Our trusty, old, metal watering can. Shot with a vintage Canon FD 55mm f1.2. I shot the rose at f1.2 to give that really shallow depth of field. I always wanted a lens for portraits with a really shallow depth of field. This lens is perfect for that and it’s very sharp as well.
Egidio sets this weeks challenge. his original challenge post is here. To quote from Egidio’s post, these are the rules for the ‘Stuck in a Place’ challenge:
Pick one spot — indoors or outdoors — and stay there for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Limit your movement to about 10–15 steps in any direction from your chosen spot.
Bring any gear you like: lenses, a tripod, lights, filters, or just your phone.
Look closely for compositions you usually walk past — the goal is fresh seeing, not new scenery.
Share up to five images from the exercise (quality over quantity).
This was always going to be a garden challenge for me. We’ve a busy week ahead as we’re flying out to Crete midweek, so time is tight. Having chosen the garden as my ‘stuck in a place’ I then had to decide how to approach the challenge.
After some thought I decided to make my camera gear provide the variation in my submission images. I decided to make my subject an old metal watering can rose head and then use different vintage lenses to photograph it, showing off the strengths, or particular attributes, of each individual vintage lens. Here are four more of my challenge images:
This was shot with a vintage Nikon Nikkor 50mm f1.8. It’s a fantastic, sharp lens but at f1.8 creates these swirly soap bubble bokeh balls. This was shot around midday with the sun overhead so it’s not the best example. It works better with sidelight but, even so, it’s still something a bit different.Taken with a vintage Nikon Nikkor 105mm f2.5. It’s famous for being the lens used to capture the National Geographic ‘Afghan Girl’ image taken by Steve McCurry. I haven’t had the lens that long but it’s fast becoming a favourite of mine. I tried to backlight the water here which sort of worked but again, being midday, it wasn’t as good as it might have been later in the afternoon with the sun lower in the sky. I shot this with my vintage Helios 44-2 lens. I’ve removed the front element of this lens and reversed it which gives these strange out of focus effects. Only the centre is ever sharp using this adapted lens and even that sometimes needs some help with Topaz. I really like using it though, especially for flower shots.My final image is a portrait of the humble rose head. I shot this with my vintage Vivitar 55mm f2.8 Macro lens. It’s a great dual purpose lens and I really like it’s close focusing abilities.
Thank you to Egidio for setting this weeks challenging challenge. It certainly had me pondering on how to approach it or even wondering if I could.
What a clever approach for the week Steve! I loved the variety in the results of your lenses. My favorites are the image with the water pouring and the image just above it. Really terrific response.
Thank you Anne. I’d never owned a Nikon camera or lens until I bought that 50mm f1.8. I’ve been blown away with the quality of that lens in every respect. That led to me buying the 105mm f2.5 and that’s an incredible lens. It’s heavy but a lot of the older lenses are. I’ve just purchased a Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AI. That gets rave reviews in the vintage lens blogs and forums but I’ve not had chance to really use mine as yet. The vintage lenses cost a fraction of their original retail value and as long as your happy manual focusing they’re a joy to use
Regarding my Nikon gear, I bought my camera new, but all the lenses were used. The only reason I switched to Fujifilm was the color. The Fuji gives much better color.
I like you take on this challenge a lot, Steve. As I also like the swirly soap bubble bokeh balls, the possibilities are endless 🙂
Thank you Pamela. I really like that lens and it’s not a lens I could have ever afforded to buy new. All my Fuji lenses are currently sitting on the shelf but I’ll no doubt see something or read a blog that gets me grabbing them again 🙂
Steve Hyde 
Steve, I like how you approached the challenge by photographing the watering can rose head with different lenses. Great response to the challenge!
Than you Beth 🙂
Wow, Steve! That is creativity at its best! Not only did you choose one place, but you also chose one subject. Amazing captures!
Thank you Egidio. I think you’re the creative, a great challenge idea 🙂
Interesting and creative take on the challenge!
Steve, a creative take on your response to Egidio’s challenge. What a wonderful idea to focus on the metal watering can.
Thank you John 🙂
What a clever approach for the week Steve! I loved the variety in the results of your lenses. My favorites are the image with the water pouring and the image just above it. Really terrific response.
Thank you Tina 🙂
This is very clever and creative Steve. Now I want to get out my old Nikon 7100–first camera–and see what it can do.
Thank you Anne. I’d never owned a Nikon camera or lens until I bought that 50mm f1.8. I’ve been blown away with the quality of that lens in every respect. That led to me buying the 105mm f2.5 and that’s an incredible lens. It’s heavy but a lot of the older lenses are. I’ve just purchased a Nikkor 28mm f2.8 AI. That gets rave reviews in the vintage lens blogs and forums but I’ve not had chance to really use mine as yet. The vintage lenses cost a fraction of their original retail value and as long as your happy manual focusing they’re a joy to use
Regarding my Nikon gear, I bought my camera new, but all the lenses were used. The only reason I switched to Fujifilm was the color. The Fuji gives much better color.
I like you take on this challenge a lot, Steve. As I also like the swirly soap bubble bokeh balls, the possibilities are endless 🙂
Thank you Sofia 🙂
These are so fun! Well done. 👏
Thank you Pepper 🙂
Awesome shots! Looks like you had fun!!! I have a lens that is f1.2, I dont get it out often, but now, you’ve got me inspired!
Thank you Pamela. I really like that lens and it’s not a lens I could have ever afforded to buy new. All my Fuji lenses are currently sitting on the shelf but I’ll no doubt see something or read a blog that gets me grabbing them again 🙂
Who knew..the good ol’ watering can could be such a great subject 😀