click photo to enlargeLast week, with a group of people, I visited a number of Lincolnshire churches. One of those on our intinerary was St Mary at Long Sutton. This marvellous medieval building is known by architectural historians for its lovely, almost detached tower that has one of the earliest well-preserved lead spires in the country, as well as its fine Norman, three-tier nave arcades. People who don't have an interest in eccesiastical architecture are more likely to know St Mary's for the fine flower festival displays that fill the church every year at this time, and for its beautiful collection of tulips that grace the churchyard.
It was in connection with flowers rather than architecture that I made my visit the other day. I'd been to Long Sutton last year for the first time, and on that occasion took my DSLR, a collection of lenses, and shot the building as well as the flowers: regular viewers of the blog may remember this image. However, this time I decided to restrict myself to the compact LX3, and work within its limitations: today's photographs are the two best images to result from my endeavours.
This year I caught the tulips in pretty much perfect condition, with drifts of different colours and varieties positively glowing under the trees' canopy of freshly opened green leaves. Anyone who looks at the camera details that I include with the photographs that are posted may have noticed that when it comes to the LX3 I use it at the widest point of its zoom (24mm/35mm equiv.) much more often than at any other setting. That is the case with both of today's images. In fact, I do wonder whether I'd be happiest with a compact that had a wide fixed focus lens such as Olympus and Panasonic are offering in Micro Four Thirds because it seems to suit me down to the ground.
photograph & text (c) T. Boughen
Photo 1 (Photo 2)
Camera: Lumix LX3
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 5.1mm (24mm/35mm equiv.)
F No: f2.8
Shutter Speed: 1/200 (1/250)
ISO: 80
Exposure Compensation: -0.66 EV
Image Stabilisation: On
