I like churches. More precisely, I like them as pretty buildings. I don’t care about their religious symbolism, but I like them as architecture. This particular church is located in Vindeln. It’s one of my favorites, both because it’s a pretty building but also because it’s placed in a pretty place, on a hill right next to a river. It’s very scenic and if you for some unknown reason happen to be close, I recommend a visit.
On another note and a bit of a rant, this was shot with my little S1 and the kit-lens. Occasionally I encounter various photographer preaching to newbies about what equipment you need to take various photos. They’ll say, you need this lens for landscapes, that lens for portraits, so forth and so on. While this is true to a point, you can take great photos with even entry-level equipment. All you need is patience and acceptance of the equipments limitations. The kit-lens of the S1 is not amazing, but I’m pretty sure I could manage a lot of decent photography with it.
I think the vast majority of people who buy a DSLR today never ever changes from the kit-lens included with their entry- or medium-level camera. Some might buy a fast fifty because it’s a quick, easy and very rewarding step up from the kit-lens, but the bulk of most photos taken today are taken with a kit-lens. I also think a lot of professionals and semiprofessionals underestimate how much bang for the buck you get out of a kit-lens. A lot of pros dismiss them as a bit jack of all trades, master of none. This is true to a certain extent but pros have very different demands of their equipment than the happy go lucky amateurs.
Personally I enjoy the artistic challenge of the S1 and the tiny kit-lens. I’ve also learned that it’s not to be underestimated because even though it might be relatively slow (i.e. doesn’t let in much light) and has generous scoops of distortion, I’ve also learned that the autofocus of the Nikon 1-system is blistering fast and that this unassuming kit-lens is surprisingly sharp when handled properly.
Also, I’ve always liked underdogs. They tend to surprise you and kit-lenses are no exception. They may be cheap, plasticcy and unassuming but don’t dismiss them too quickly. After all, almost every starts with a kit-lens at some point in their photographic journey. I know I did.
