Photography as a Hobby
Still learning and having fun. I've always enjoyed taking pictures of family and friends over the years, but never considered it one of my hobbies. I dabbled when I was in college, got a nice camera (bookend today) and primarily shot ISO400 film. I got busy in my career and set it aside for a while. Then one day my Sister and Brother-in-law said..."Hey, you interested in going to the Holy Land?" Our church was sponsoring a pilgrimage at the time. I looked at my old camera...'no good', I said to myself. The world had moved on to digital. The digital camera I had...well...we won't go there. I looked, and researched and finally bought a Nikon D600. Don't get me wrong, I know people who like other brands passionately, but for me, the Nikon really fit. I have traveled to Israel, Italy, Ireland, Switzerland and other locations. My gear has held up very well, rugged and dependable. What I am doing with my site? First, I wanted a place to share my photos with fellow travelers. When you go on a pilgrimage and averaging over 300 shots per day; well people come and say, "Will you share your pictures?" Secondly, I wanted to explore my hobby, share my successes and failures; with hopes that people better versed may reach out and say..."You might want to try this..." Finally, I simply wanted a place to talk about gear.
Cameras
The choices I've Made
As I mentioned, I've become a Nikon advocate. I've experimented with other DSLR's initially from other companies, but for me the Nikon just feels right in my hands. I used the D600 for quite some time; but have recently upgraded to the mirror-less line. I currently use both the Nikon Z7ii and the Nikon Z9. My Z7ii primarily for my photography work and the Z9 for video.
Galleries of My Photos are within
Shots taken on my journeys
You'll see pictures here and there, but all my pictures are found within the galleries. The majority are of my travels, but some relate to daily life, activities and events, drone shots, and videos. Please note that access to my galleries are currently locked and require a user account to view. The camel above is a friend I made in Jericho
DSLR and Mirror-less
The workhorse for many years was my D600 DSLR and Nikkor 28-300mm Lens. The performance over the years with this kit has been phenomenal.
I had the opportunity to work with Nikon's Z9 and Z7ii cameras. I initially chose the Z9 as my upgrade, desiring to expand in the area of video work. An issue arose which took my Z9 out of my hands for a bit. The business that I frequent, gave me a Z7ii as a stop gap. In the end, chose to keep them both. The Z7ii was a bit more flexible in the field I found and the Z9 worked best when I was doing video (Tripod and Gimbal) setups.
I confess that I struggled initially with the digital image while looking through the eyepiece. If you like 'live view' as found on the LCD screen, you'll be extremely pleased.
I should mention that the image quality of the Z series is simply breath taking.
Why Carry a Heavy Camera?
What is wrong with the camera on my phone?
As I've traveled, I've had people ask me that question. "Why...? The camera on your phone is good enough right?" I always answer, "Yes, the camera on any smart device today is pretty good and for the most people that is probably enough. Again, however, I wanted more. A camera on a smart device just doesn't offer the same quality and reach to capture great images. They look great on the screen; but to off-load and print at a size greater than 4x6 becomes questionable. Inside the galleries, you'll see pictures side by side, one taken with my Nikon and the other on my iPhone. I'll let you be the judge.
Gear that I am Testing
Checking out new gear is fun and can get you to the next level.
As I test new things, cameras, lighting and other tech, I'll let you know how things worked out. Currently I'm testing 'Case Air Wireless' tethering system. I'm also testing 'Arsenal' for the photo stacking, time lapse and etc.
Find a Reason to Leave Auto
The future seems to be Mirror-less
When I got my first DSLR, it was pretty easy to stay in the 'Auto' mode. The camera pretty much takes care of the settings, but again I wanted more. I'll admit it, it is pretty intimidating to move the dial to a 'manual' setting. However, the training wheels had to come off at some point and I'm happy with the results. Yes, some shots were plainly bad and some fantastic. It has been the learning that has been exciting.
I recommend, that you start with Aperture Priority. This will allow you to experience a better range of visuals that your camera can produce.