A Few of My Favorite Things... Photography Edition
Favorite Camera: Canon 5D Mark III. I recently incorporated a mirrorless Canon into my equipment list, and as I transition more lenses to mirrorless, a new favorite might emerge :)
Favorite Lens: Canon 70-200mm - I enjoy stepping back to capture the crowd, seizing those smiles and laughs from across the room. It's also my go-to for portraits; the smooth background separation is simply dreamy.
Favorite Type of Photography: Family and Brand Portraits.
Favorite Pose: I'm not big on posing. My focus is on capturing moments and adventures. The resulting photographs may not always be flawless, but they will be uniquely perfect for you!
Favorite Photographer: I'm going to have to say my dad. I think he is who I got my eye from. When I looked through our photo albums as a child I was mesmerized by the cropping of the photos he made. And wen I say made, I mean made, he was in the darkroom creating photographs! I wanted to be able to take photos like that. But if I'm selecting famous photographers, I'll go with Pete Souza. The way we brought the Obama White House to us all is truly awe-inspiring.
Advice for New Photographer: Visit your local camera shop and explore their used camera section. You'll spend about the same as a new camera but get better quality. While Amazon's "All-in-One" packages may tempt you, it's not necessary. A used camera is a better value. Start with:
Digital DSLR - Get an inexpensive manual digital DSLR camera – I started with a Canon Rebel XT. Check out my hometown camera shop, Robert's Camera for example, they've got fair to good rated DSLRs for as low as $50. Now keep in mind these
Prime Lens - You're new to this right? So I'd suggest getting a nice prime lens that you can practice with, get messy with, and make art! My favorite to recommend is the Canon 50mm pancake lens. You can get it used for less than $150 and you can learn with almost the full range of f-stops.
Favorite Lighting: I like to think of myself as a "natural light" photographer, but external flashes are a necessity for some situations. My preferred in-studio flash has been the Paul C. Buff - DigiBee. It adds just the right amount of fill light without compromising the natural look I love. The versatility and portability make it a staple in my studio setup.
Favorite Photo Ever Made: That's a tough one. I love so many photographs in so many different ways and I'd say the photographs I was making in 2021 were cleanest. But I loved what I was doing in my early days, just learning my camera. One evening after work, I did a couple of self portraits, playing with lighting. And all though they aren't the sharpest photographs, it's still some of my favorite art pieces. Let me see if I can find those photos!
