I know some of this has to do with the location, the time of day, and how much energy I had at the time, but I found it much easier to take photos at only 40mm (which is 26mm on my mirrorless APS-C camera) than at only 35mm (which I’d been doing for the last two weeks).
In case this is the first time you’re reading about this, I’m in the middle of conducting a creative exercise: for a fortnight at a time, when I go on my photo walks, I’m taking photos at only the 27mm, 35mm, 40mm, 55mm, and 85mm focal lengths.
Aside for the creative challenge of shooting at just one focal length at a time — which I am really enjoying and also learning a lot from — by the end of this exercise I should have a decent idea about which prime lens I’m going to buy next.
I managed to take a bunch of decent photos at 40mm on my last photo walk, and so I’ve split this into three posts. Here’s part 1.
Regular menu and the day’s specials at an outdoor café
Photo of a café menu in the form of a brown leather binder that’s lying on top a single sheet of paper. Both of these are lying on a wooden table in the outdoor seating space of a café.
Readings bookshop
Photo of a large sign on a shop awning that reads ‘Readings’. A smaller sign affixed below the awning reads “Readings. Melbourne’s own since 1969. Books. Music. Film.”
Entrance to Readings bookshop
Photo of the entrance of a bookshop. A woman with her hands on her hips is looking at the books arranged in the display window. A man inside the shop is looking at books displayed on a bookshelf. Entering the frame from the right, and slightly blurry because of the movement, is a small child being pushed in a pram.
Cocktails, pasta, vibes on Faraday Street
Photo of a sandwich board sign next to the outdoor seating of a café. The sign reads (across four lines), “Open all day. Cocktails. Pasta. Vibes.” The café is located inside a wide, red brick building with doors and windows that have been painted green.
Seating outside Vintage Cellars on Lygon Street
Photo taken just above the surface of a wooden table that’s part of the outdoor seating of a liquor store named Vintage Cellars.
Pasta display
Photo of five different types of pasta arranged on a wooden chopping board in the display window of an Italian restaurant.
Gelato at Gelatissimo
Photo showing the inside of a gelateria, with various flavours of gelato on display.
Outdoor heater
Close-up photo of a large, outdoor space heater that is used to warm customers sitting in the outdoor seating area.