My new 50mm lens + golden hour!

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If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, then you’ve probably heard the news: I finally ordered a new Canon lens for my camera after 3 and a half years of using my kit lens!! (I do technically have an additional zoom lens but I have stuck almost 100% with my kit lens over these past few years.)

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Maybe you’ve also noticed that I’m getting more serious/passionate/excited about photography lately. I strive to honor my Creator in all I do – and as an aspiring photographer, I love glorifying Him through the art of capturing moments!

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My new lens is a Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM (this is the newer version of their f/1.8 lens). I researched a lot of lenses, read a lot of articles, and watched a lot of YouTube videos before going ahead and ordering this one.

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I like it because it’ll work really nicely if and when I upgrade my camera body someday. My current Canon Rebel has a crop-sensor body (it’s not a full-frame body), so whatever prime lens I put on it does alter the focal length a bit (I think my camera’s body requires you to multiply the “mm” by 1.6?). So, on a crop body my 50mm lens functions as something a bit closer to an 80mm lens. That being said, I am already in love with how it’s working with this current camera body I have! And, this nice lens will be a flexible option for me to use both now and in the future if I upgrade, acting like its true 50mm on a future camera body.

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This new lens is a huge breath of fresh air and I am so excited! The bokeh has the perfectly promised “buttery” quality, and I am a bit obsessed with it already.

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Bjorn snapped a few of me, too, so we could play with the light and so I could see how far away he had to stand to focus.

I feel like my photos are FINALLY showing these glimpses of the world as I see it and have so desperately wanted to capture it…from glowy golden sunsets to the way tall grass moves in the breeze, from perfectly messy dirt roads to the puff of a dandelion. Even the quiet, dreamy stillness of a rural evening out in the middle of nowhere, shafts of sunlight through lace curtains, the stance of my husband as he oh-so-patiently waits for me to snap photos. It’s magical. ✨ And I can’t wait to keep experimenting with it!!! ??❤️ PS- can you tell I’m a bit obsessed with light?!

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Bjorn and I love going road-chasing every now and then, and the arrival of my new lens in the mail gave us the perfect excuse to hop in the truck and go for a ride! 🙂 (As a side note, around here I’ve often heard of people who grew up going for a “Sunday drive” – everyone piled in the family car and went for a dirt road sightseeing “tour” on a lovely afternoon! What a fun way to grow up!)

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My husband mostly listened to his audio book in the truck (he’s not really into posing as a model for photos 🙂 ), but I did convince him to step out for a little bit! This whole road-chasing outing was his idea and what he pushed for that evening, though – I am touched by how supportive he is of my hobbies.

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There are 3 really special things about road-chasing:

1 // How still and quiet and peaceful it is. It’s amazing how, without fail, I find myself taking an extra deep breath once we get out there in the middle of nowhere.

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2 // Stumbling upon abandoned farm places. They’re obviously so quiet and peaceful; it’s incredible to thing about their history and what those places used to be like.

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3 // The fact that you can park in the middle of the dirt road, whenever and almost wherever you like! If I see something beautiful, we can just stop the truck so I can run about and snap photos…without worrying about another vehicle coming our way.

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I have a “Magic Hour” (free) app on my phone, which is also super fun. I haven’t used it a lot recently, but I love how it calculates for you in your location when golden or magic hour will begin!

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All in all, we really recommend going road-chasing…And I really recommend the Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM lens. 🙂

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19 Comments

  1. I’ve actually been looking at this lens! It’s one of the things I’d like to buy this summer. I’ve been looking at a wand scanner to scan my paintings, a microphone to do voice overs for YouTube videos and this lens. 🙂 Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous! I was actually thinking about getting this lens toward the end of the summer, but I might have to wait on the mic and get this sooner so that I can use it outside during the warmer months. 🙂

    1. Ooh, a wand scanner sounds so neat!! I’ll have to go look that up! 🙂 Good for you! You have some really neat projects going on, it sounds like! I really love this lens. You DO have to back up quite a bit if taking photos indoors, but it is a blast anyway!

  2. Yay! How exciting! Your pictures are beautiful! <3 I'm still learning my DSLR that I just got a few weeks ago but this lens is definitely on my to-purchase list someday!

  3. I love your photography posts, Hannah! They’re great inspiration for someone still learning how to use her DSLR ? I often find myself looking at your photos and wondering what settings you used – aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and now, which lens. Would you ever consider including that info in your photography posts? Just a thought!

    1. That’s a neat idea, Emily! Thanks so much – it makes me happy to hear my photos have been inspiring to others! 🙂 And yeah, perhaps in my more “heavy” photo posts, I can list settings in there! I like that idea. Now I’ll just have to remember. 🙂

    1. So much fun, Allie!! I love hearing what lenses others have (and love), so it’s great to hear you love your 50mm! And thank you, that means a lot! 🙂

  6. These photos are gorgeous Hannah! What aperture were you using? I get super nervous when bloggers get the 50mm because most people shoot at 1.8 and their photos are totally blurry. Yours are so crisp!

    1. Thanks, Madison! That means a lot! I strive for crisp photos but it can be super tricky… The water pump photo above had an aperture of 1.8, actually! ISO was 200 and shutter speed 1/2000. The black & white camera one (the 1st photo) was also at 1.8, but ISO 400 and shutter speed 1/1600. The shot of the truck was also at 1.8, with ISO 200 and shutter speed 1/1600. 🙂

  7. Congratulations! I know well the amazing feeling of having a brand new lens to play with…ah bliss…

    Your pictures are great and you won’t be disappointed. I shoot almost everything with my 35mm fixed lens on my Sony or the 50mm on my Nikon – totally versatile and takes the most amazing portraits. Have fun!

    1. Nice! Thanks for sharing! I’d love to get a 35mm someday but decided to start with the 50 🙂 You’re right – playing with a brand new lens is so much fun! I keep coming up with more excuses to run outside and play with it… 🙂 Or play around with it in the house, too!

    1. Aww, thank you, Brittany! 🙂 I have a couple photo shoots (with people besides my husband and myself!) coming up and I’m nervous but excited!

    1. It really has been a game-changer!! That’s a good way to put it! I’m learning whole new things about “zooming with my feet” and getting used to the lens – but I love it! Thank you! And thanks for reading along 🙂

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