With work and school in the city and campus area, I often get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life in the city. The other day, I had the opportunity to take the Sigma 35mm and 85mm out to my friend Stephen’s farm. As we drove past the open fields listening to country music, I found myself getting overly excited for a day away from my usual routine and to test out the two lenses. Pulling in the driveway, I was greeted by several dogs and I instantly felt the warm, homey feeling of the farm. For the entire time I was there, I don’t think my smile ever left my face.

We didn’t waste any time and I quickly took out the 85mm Sigma lens to see what it could do. I’m glad I stuck with the 85mm at first while the horses got a bath or else I would’ve been soaked. The focal length was ideal for getting detailed shots farther away. The large aperture allowed me to have a fast shutter speed that allowed me to freeze the water droplets and the horse’s frequent movements without getting wet in the process. I was pleasantly surprised by the durability of the lens as well. Being on a farm, I was worried about dirt or debris getting on the lens, but nothing got in the way of my shots during the day.

The 35mm lens performed just as flawlessly as the 85mm, giving me sharp, detailed shots while being up close to the horses as well as giving me some great landscape shots from farther away. Without this lens, I would not be able to get the artistic shots that the aperture allowed me to get with a shallow depth of field. Not being a fine art photographer or a landscape photographer, this was definitely a challenge, but I found myself having fun and taking some odd-angled shots to show off the artistic ability of these lenses.

Although prime lenses, their versatility allow for perfect pictures no matter what setting you’re in. Whether you’re out shooting horses on a farm, taking portraits of your kid at home, or shooting wedding photos, both of these lenses allow you to get the shot you’ve been wanting. I’m glad I was able to capture my day away from the city with Sigma, as it’s not something I get to do often!

Special thanks to the Midwest Rentals Department for supplying me with equipment for this post.