Ave Maria Grotto
In North Alabama, Cullman to be exact, there’s a small display of miniature reproductions of some of the most famous religious structures in the world. And it was all built by one man, Brother Joseph Zoettl, a Benedictine Monk at St. Bernard’s Abbey. I’ve been a few times over the years, and each time I find something I love more and more about the place. At first blush, it comes off as campy, or at least it did to me, but with each step, the display opens up and the enormity of the display is revealed. I visited last weekend, the first time in 12 years. The place had not changed one bit, well, maybe in one regard, I didn’t see a single cat this time. Anyway, the visit was quick, and I was blown away by it. I took my Canon R5 with the RF 35mm lens and had a blast documenting the visit.
The 35mm RF lens is impressive. I’m not a pixel peeper, but it was as sharp as I needed it to be, it locked focus quick and I was pleased with the results. Plus, it is a lens, I can pop on the camera and just go have fun, something that’s been lacking in the past. I want to take photos with this camera and lens combo. It seems sometimes in the pursuit of that epic life changing shot where the light is just right and the conditions are perfect, we forget that life isn’t perfect. Just keep taking photos, the light or conditions may never be “epic”, and that spot may never be revisited, ever. So take the shot(s), have fun. Anyway, pretty great lens for less than $500. Here are my favorite few pics, which one is your favorite?
