Carrel

Nikon D3000, Lensbaby Scout with fisheye optic, 1/250, no f-stop, ISO 200

Earlier this year I started playing around with fisheye photography for the first time. In the past I avoided this specialized realm because it requires a low focal length lens, and such lenses tend to be pricey. Further, I’m typically not a big fan of highly distorted images, and they don’t call this stuff “fisheye” for nothing.

But when I bought a Lensbaby Scout (a system with interchangeable optics), it came with a fisheye lens. So I gave it a try, and I was surprised by how much I liked the results.

One of my first experiments with the new lens tested it in a familiar haunt: KU’s Watson Library. As an undergrad I loved spending time in the carrels reading, writing or just watching the seasons change out the window. So I started with a “standard” lens pushed to the lower end of its focal length range:

Nikon D3000, 18mm (18-55), 1/125, f/5.6, ISO 100

Then I swapped in the Scout and got a shot that included a lot more information. I'm still not a super big fan of the distortion, but I love being able to capture more of the scene. This is especially good for tight spaces such as the library’s stacks where stepping farther back to get a wider shot isn’t an option.