Davis Walking Take 2

So, after many frustrations with the 55-200mm lens yesterday, I took another crack at shooting with it. Manual Focus seems to be the only way to get fast response from this lens, so I spent most of the day practicing manual focus. Here are the pics!

Walking Around

Decided to get out of the house after being cooped up all day studying. Found a gem of an old Chevy Truck and did some macro stuff for the hell of it. Came to the conclusion that my 55-200 F4-5.6 lens is awfuly slow focusing, unwieldy, and quite terrible in low light. Also reached the limits of my camera's light capabilities, with very bad grain at IS0800. Next up, SB600 flash, manfrotto tripod, Tokina 11-16mm wideangle!

Now, on to the pics!

East Quad Farmer's Market

Figured I needed to expand my photography to street events, and food so I decided to visit the Davis East Quad Farmer's Market for some shots that I felt turned out pretty well. 

I'll be doing more street events, and commercial food-type stuff from now on to add to the architecture and animals.The Farmer's market, while small had some of the most delicious fruits, vegetables and berries I have had in a long time. If I wasn't so busy taking photos I probably would have bought out the entire market.

After some food shots I decided to try my first hand at portrait work (shudder). Here's probably the first decent shot of people I have ever taken. Thanks to the kind farmer standing by the apricots who let me walk around and shoot pics of him from different angles.

Food

One quick food-related shot before I hit up the farmer's market/Tea List tomorrow :).
Thanks to the sis for being my gracious hand model!

Finally, Another Shooting Day

Decided to go to City Hall in San Jose before meeting up with a friend and then heading off to a bbq in Walnut Creek. Had been looking at the place for a long time, and finally just decided to go. Lots of drama this week, so taking the 280 with my windows down was a much, much needed stress relief. Here is one of 2 shots of the city hall, which is so much more interesting than San Francisco's butchered attempt at a White House re-creation.