“Go as far as you can see; when you get there you’ll be able to see farther.” – Thomas Carlyle
People ask me why I bring my camera with me when I go places. Some say they just bring their phones and do not worry about the costs of bringing a camera, as their phones do just fine. It is true that bringing my phone would be easier. I would not have to bring a camera bag. I also change camera lenses while I am out, which takes time away from other things. Also, my camera was not cheap. I could have saved a lot of money by not buying one and just sticking with my phone. The truth is, photography is my hobby. It is something I enjoy doing. I feel like I can take a better photo when I use the viewfinder of my camera versus my phone’s screen. The feel of holding my camera to take a photo compared to my phone just feels better. As long as it feels good, and I keep taking great photos with it, then I am going to stick with my camera.
My camera came in handy while we were visiting Europe over the summer. There were some great photo opportunities while we were there. Some of the great landmarks we saw were far away. To get a closer shot, I used my camera with a 300 mm lens. I used that lens to capture shots of Lews Castle. Lews Castle is a Victorian-era castle near Stornoway on Scotland’s Isle of Lewis. Built between 1844 and 1851 for Sir James Matheson, it was designed by Glasgow architect Charles Wilson. The estate was later purchased by Lord Leverhulme, who gifted the castle to the people of Stornoway in 1923. During World War II, it housed naval air crews and later served as student accommodation. After years of disuse, the Category A listed building was restored and reopened as a museum and cultural center in 2016, with apartments opening in 2017.
