I feel like my life purpose has been to find the perfect camera bag. I want something that I can travel with, that doubles as a purse so I don’t have to carry two bags (granted, since I got an iphone wallet, I rarely carry a purse these days). I want something inconspicuous; I don’t want it to yell “HEY! I’M CARRYING A BUNCH OF EXPENSIVE CAMERA GEAR!” And the trickiest parameter, I want it to be fairly fashionable. Let’s go through the bags I have and my thoughts on them:
This was the first camera bag I purchased for my DSLR. This was the perfect bag for my Disney trip! It held my D3100, an additional lens, camera accessories, and everything else we needed for a day in the parks (sunscreen, ponchos, fold-able water bottles, etc.). I like that it is a sling design, so you’re not carrying all that weight on one shoulder, and you don’t have to take it all the way off to get anything out of it, the way you would with a backpack. It is a larger bag, so if you’re looking to just carry a single camera body and lens with minimal accessories, this is probably not the bag for you. While this is a good bag, its very utilitarian looking and didn’t meet my fashionable needs. This is the bag Chris uses these days, but all of the pockets can make it hard to find things, especially little things like extra memory cards.
Eddie Bauer Adjustable Shoulder Strap Camera Bag:
Honestly, this is not a bag we use too much. We bought a used camera and it came with this bag. But, if you’re looking for a simple bag to carry a single camera body and lens this is a good, inexpensive choice (its $11.99 on Amazon).
Ghope Black Canvas Messenger Bag for DSLR Camera:
These days, my gear lives in this bag. I’m able to hold my D3100 – lens on and two backup lenses (although one is a small prime lens). There are two pockets in the front for small accessories and a pouch on the back for skinny things like cable releases. The detailing on the front gives it a little added aesthetics and while its pretty boxy for a a messenger bag, it doesn’t scream “camera bag”.My one complaint is the strap is kind of short so it rides a little high if I wear it cross body.
My dream camera bag, if you’re looking to buy me a gift, is the Kelly Moore B-Hobo Bag. It looks like a handbag, but has built in padding for your gear. The price tag is the only thing holding me back. I haven’t been willing to shell out over $150 for a camera bag.
Thanks for stopping by! Do you have a camera bag you love? Let me know in the comments! To see what I carry in these bags, check out my gear page. If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Flickr! This month I am taking part of an Instagram Travel Challenge, posting a travel photo a day on Instagram and I’d love for you to follow along!
I must continue to post pictures that are impressionistic. My last couple posts have been too realistic!
This one was taken at Island Lake Recreation Area, east of Brighton, Michigan. Island Lake is part of the Michigan State Park system, which is renowned for the quality of its parks and the skill with which they are administered.
Island lake has great opportunities for hiking, biking and boating. It also connects with Kensington Metropark, one of the gems in the HCMA Metropark System.
About the Photo:
As far as photo impressionism goes, this one is pretty simple. It is a single exposure of the reflection of trees on Spring Mill Pond, rotated 180 degrees. I did do some fairly heavy color adjustments, but that’s really about it. Nature did this one for me rather than Photoshop
Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens.
Date Taken:
March 4, 2016
Thank you for reading. You can see my best work on 500px and can also find pictures of the “trying my hardest to be good at this” type on Flickr or Pixoto.
Also, be sure to like the Go See Do Facebook Page, and follow Ashleigh on Instagram and Flickr! Check out our Gear page to see inside our camera bag!
Someone on Facebook had recently posted some awesome photos of the birds at the Howell Nature Center and I had been dying to get over there and try to get some pics myself! Well, last weekend, the weather was finally nice enough to go outside without completely bundling up, so I dusted off my camera gear and made the trip to the Howell Nature Center.
All of the animals in Howell Nature Center’s Wildlife Park are animals that could not be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Besides Keelee, this beautiful Bald Eagle, the Wildlife Park is home to bobcats, porcupines, and Livingston County’s Groundhog – Woody the Woodchuck. While the Nature Center is fabulous for photographers, kids love it too because of the beautiful, interactive nature playground!
About this Photo:
Since Keelee was behind bars, this was shot with a longer focal length to blur out the cage (this was trickier when the animals were sitting close to the bars). This photo was definitely not a one and done, I stayed and watched him for a while, and luckily someone he knew walked by and he started to talk! This was a single RAW exposure with basic edits done in Lightroom. Those basic edits didn’t remove or lessen the bar lines that were in the dead space (this is what’s tricky about shooting through a cage) so I pulled it into Photoshop and removed the background. Voila!
Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens.
Date Taken:
March 2016
Thanks for stopping by! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Flickr! This month I am taking part of an Instagram Travel Challenge, posting a travel photo a day on Instagram and I’d love for you to follow along! For more information about the Howell Nature Center, visit HowellNatureCenter.org.
Last summer, Ashleigh and I had the joy of taking a cruise on the Norwegian Gem out of New York.
Not only was cruising out of New York great because it is a relatively short drive for us compared to Florida, but it was incredible to sail from a pier in Manhattan. These views were unbelievable.
Most of the pictures we got in New York Harbor were from our departure. The weather was outstanding. The thing that was really difficult though was that everyone else was also outside trying to get pictures. We decided we would get up early on our arrival day and try to get pictures with fewer people on deck.
One problem- the weather didn’t think this was such a great idea. Seriously, we didn’t get much. I don’t know how on earth I managed to capture this image, but I’m glad that I did.
About the Photo:
I took this photo at 55 mm, f/4.5, ISO 200, from the Promenade deck of the Norwegian Gem. I captured this photo the day that we drove home from New York, and on that car ride home, listening to the Improve Photography Podcast, heard all about the new dehaze slider in the lastest Lightroom release. I used that same dehaze slider on this photo with excellent results.
Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 55-200mm f/4-5.6 lens.
Date Taken:
June 21, 2015
Thank you for reading. You can see my best work on 500px and can also find pictures of the “trying my hardest to be good at this” type on Flickr or Pixoto.
Also, be sure to like the Go See Do Facebook Page, and follow Ashleigh on Instagram and Flickr! Check out our Gear page to see inside our camera bag!
Chris photographing the Livingstone Lighthouse on Belle Isle.
I’m sure if you did a search for most commonly used phrases on this blog, the phrase, “you don’t need an expensive camera to take good pictures” would probably come out on top. This is something I mention a lot because I know the price of camera gear can hold photographers back from pursuing their hobby or make them think they can’t make good images on cheap gear and that is just not true. Yes, an interchangeable lens camera system (either DSLR or mirrorless) will make it easier to get quality shots, but the camera does not make the photographer. I figured its time to start a series of photo tips on the blog and I wanted to start at the beginning – choosing a camera. I won’t get into the Nikon vs. Canon debate (although I’m a Nikon shooter, only because it was cheaper that day) or DSLR vs. Mirrorless (there’s a lot out there on this topic right now) but just simply what specs to look for when purchasing your first serious camera. Let’s get to it!
In my opinion, one of the biggest things you want to look for is that the camera has the capability to shoot in RAW. I didn’t understand what RAW was when I first got my DSLR so up until recently I did all my shooting in JPEG. When I go back and look at those older images I’m frustrated because I’m unable to do as much to them as I am to RAW files. My friend Steve at Burnsland.com recently posted a great article about the power of RAW files that is a must read for anyone who is scared to switch from JPEG!
Another thing to look for when camera shopping, is manual controls – the ability to control your aperture and shutter speed and do it easily (a lot of cameras have the setting buried in menus and that’s no fun for anyone). To be able to get full control of your images, you’ll want to be able to control your depth of field and the motion in your shot and you just cannot do this in camera that will only shoot in fully programmed mode.
And then there’s the sensor size question but honestly, any camera on the market today has a big enough resolution for most of the things you’ll be doing and, if you ask me, some of these new giant megapixel cameras are kind of a gimmick. Go out on one shoot and your hard drive is full! It is important to note that with smaller image sizes it is harder to do any significant cropping to the image without taking a hit in quality. But, for the average photographer doing basic printing and online sharing, you’ll be fine with most any camera in today’s market.
Interchangable lenses like mirrorless and DSLR camera systems have are obviously a better but more expensive choice than a fixed lens camera. But, if your budget doesn’t allow for that, definitely consider something with a optical zoom (the lens comes out of the camera) over the strictly digital zoom (like an iphone camera). My first digital camera was strictly digital zoom and I hated it because the zoom was basically worthless; it made everything very noisy. But, if that’s all you can afford, you always have the old-fashioned zoom, your feet!
So, to recap, when looking for a camera look for the ability to shoot in RAW, manual controls, and optical zoom. If you’re looking for an entry-level DSLR, I highly recommend the Nikon D3x00 series (I have the D3100 but the D3300 has newer features). You can also get older cameras used for a good deal (although, this is where you’d have to watch out for megapixel count)!
Thanks for stopping by! Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments! If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page, follow me on Flickr! This month I am taking part of an Instagram Travel Challenge, posting a travel photo a day on Instagram and I’d love for you to follow along!
Today’s picture is of the Zehnder’s Wooden Bridge (Holz Brücke) over the Cass River in Frankenmuth, Michigan.
For most who know Frankenmuth, they think of it as a corny little town between Flint and Saginaw that is known for a humongous Christmas store, chicken dinners, and all sorts of Bavarian type celebrations and touristy shops.
For Ashleigh and I, Frankemuth is that, but also has a deeper, less kitschy meaning.
Frankenmuth (meaning “courage of the Franconians”) was founded in 1845 as a Lutheran mission to the Native Americans in the Chippewa Tribe. These missionaries founded St. Lorenz Evangelical Lutheran Church, the church at which Ashleigh and I were married.
So you see, Frankenmuth, for all of its crazy touristy identity, has historical import and authenticity. The chicken, cheese, fudge, and river boats may be products of tourism, but nevertheless, Frankenmuth is real.
About the Photo:
I took this photo at 18 mm, f/3.5, ISO 800. Honestly, there’s not much to say here; this was pretty much straight out of camera after I worked the angles a bit to get the right shot. I did do minimal processing in Lightroom including some color correction.
Camera Gear:
Nikon D3100 with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens.
Date Taken:
January 29, 2016
Thank you for reading. You can see my best work on 500px and can also find pictures of the “trying my hardest to be good at this” type on Flickr or Pixoto.
Also, be sure to like the Go See Do Facebook Page, and follow Ashleigh on Instagram and Flickr! Check out our Gear page to see inside our camera bag!
