Lakewood Park
On Saturday, I tried to go to Lakewood Park.
Keyword: tried.
I’d never been before, and I’d heard that it was a nice park with good views of the lake, so I hopped in the car and made the forty minute commute to Lakewood.
And then it started raining cats and dogs. I got there and did an immediate u-turn. I felt badly for the families and couples rushing to their cars, kids slung over their shoulders to avoid the rain.
It was just as rainy and gross for most of the day Sunday, but around 6:30, the sun came out again. Considering how I don’t get much time during the week to go out, I decided to take advantage of the sun and drove to the park again.
There were lots of people there, and I was grateful to get a spot. Some folks were barbecuing or playing volleyball, while others unrolled blankets and opened picnic baskets.
One attraction of the park is the "solstice steps.” The steps are made of stone and rise ~30 feet. The steps provide a great view of the lake, and if the weather is good, the sunset over the lake. I got a quick picture while sitting on the steps myself.
It’s a very quiet spot–perfect for reading, having a little picnic lunch, or just sitting. It would be great to catch the sunset on a clear day.
Hopefully, I can return again. There’s a lot of construction happening, which made parking a nightmare, but I’m guessing it’ll be done in time for the summer park season.
Camera thoughts
I used the 18mm for most of my time at the park. I pulled out the 50mm occasionally, thinking that I was going to take some shots of people, but I wasn’t feeling up to it. Also, the 50mm has an aperture of f2, which isn’t that great in low light or overcast skies. The 18mm’s aperture is very helpful in low light situations. And generally, I feel like the wider lens means I can include context in the image. So almost every photo in this bunch was the 18mm.
