IN LOVE WITH A LENS

For five years I've refused to buy a better camera lens. Despite the fact that I couldn't take a decent photo indoors or in low light, I told myself that a) good photos don't require fancy schmancy equipment, and b) a better lens would cost too much. And while I still firmly believe in Statement A, I'm a fool for waiting this long to change out the lens in my camera kit.

Just a little bit of research online clued me in to this lightweight Nikkor lens, which is a ridiculously good deal at a little over $100. I ran to the local camera store (Ilkwang Camera in Nampodong for you Busanites), snapped it on my Nikon D70, and was instantly sold on the beautiful portraits I could take without the dreaded flash. After paying I wandered around the nearby market, which is constantly cast in shadow because it's sandwiched between buildings. Without a hulking telephoto lens to give me away, I could step right up to the grumpy ajummas and surreptitiously snap a photo before they even noticed. I'd say this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.