Beyond the obvious

Regular readers know that I very rarely write about cameras and equipment. However as a photographer I am often asked, “which camera should I buy?” The follow up question from me is how much are you willing to spend and what do you want a camera for...there are hundreds to choose from? This summer I helped a number of friends find cameras which means I had to do some serious research. So why not share what I found out on my blog. If you’re serious about learning photography and giving yourself room to take it to the next level then you will want a Digital Single Lens Reflex camera (DSLR). Yes, they are heavier to carry around than a compact but these days the entry level DSLR models are pretty light and portable. There are numerous small compact cameras that deliver excellent quality, so long as your subject stays quite still. The moment you’re confronted with a relatively fast moving subject (people at a party, sports, street photography, active kids) you need a DSLR. It’s simply the ...

Part of our old Hasselblad system in its case Many of us photographers get a little carried away with all the cool gadgets, equipment and cameras. We end up with lots of stuff – sometimes causing mild distress to our partners. Fortunately my wife is also a photographer although she takes a very practical approach to equipment. I’m definitely the Magpie in our family. So I’ve ended up with truck loads of cameras and gadgets. And guaranteed when I open a photo magazine tomorrow I’ll see something else that ‘I need’. I’m sure that many of my readers will be nodding their heads wistfully at this stage. All sounds a bit familiar eh. But sometimes all of this stuff can get in the way of good photography. I remember seeing a photographer in the street a while back with a backpack, a camera bag in each hand and a tripod, and two cameras dangling round his neck. The poor chap could hardly move, never mind capture the action on the street. He decided to go for a tripod shot and then spent 15 min...

To all my blog readers I would like to say thank you for your continued interest in my writings. Your comments and emails make the effort worthwhile. I wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year for 2009. You may have noticed that I’ve been quiet lately. I’ve covered numerous topics over the years from photographic technique to the thought processes behind creating strong images. Looking back over my stats, I see that thanks to Google searches many of my earliest articles are still being read on an almost daily basis. I see no reason to repeat myself. There’s a handy search feature on my blog. Feel free to use it if you have any specific subject you’re interested in. You may well find I’ve covered it in an earlier blog. Failing that you can always send me an email via my website with a specific question. What will 2009 bring? On the technical side we’ve already seen the integration of HD video recording into mainstream DSLR technology in the Canon 5D Mark II and Nikon D90 camera...