Tag Archives: photography

A quick-start guide to choosing a digital SLR camera and lens

Claudio Matsuoka (flickr.com/photos/cmatsuoka/3518394738/)

Claudio Matsuoka (flickr.com/photos/cmatsuoka/3518394738/)

The Right Camera

I am a fan of Canon SLR cameras. I like their controls and the fact they can use virtually any manufacturer’s lenses including Nikon. Some people like Nikon’s controls better and feel more comfortable with them. The two companies compete so heavily there are practically head-to-head matches in all equipment. I’ll focus on Canon where I have more experience and will only reference Nikon equivalents occasionally.

My recommendation for anyone interested in buying a digital SLR (single-lens reflex) camera for the first time is to go with the Canon EOS Rebel XSi (450D) body for around $560. If you are interested in Nikon, the equivalent camera body is the D3000. The camera body is basically a small computer and will become obsolete roughly as fast. Spend your money on timeless lens technology, not rapidly evolving electronic technology…. Read more…

Discover the photographer within

This article is adapted from a couple blog posts and an article on photography Steve wrote a while back. (-Nate)

Here are some tips on developing your Photographer’s Eye along with simple things you can do to take better photographs. Remember, it’s not the camera that takes great photos, it’s the person behind the lens!

1] The Basics

Simplify the Shot

Define your subject and avoid distractions. Oftentimes this just means moving in closer and filling the frame! This way you will be able to eliminate distracting backgrounds and draw attention to the subject…. Read more…

Steve Evans: Citizen of the world

When you meet him in person, Steve Evans is a little like Clark Kent or Peter Parker. Intelligent. Mild-mannered. Unassuming. A reporter. You probably wouldn’t notice him in a crowd. But, spend any amount of time with him and the facade quickly unravels.

I met Steve sixteen years ago in Africa on a family ‘vacation’ (my family, not his). We were on a two week outreach trip with a bunch of South Africans, or Afrikaaners, to some villages in Mozambique. Steve was one of the only Americans besides us, and he and my parents hit it off right away. They’ve been friends ever since, and for the past decade co-conspirators in teaching the world the value of storytelling in communicating more effectively with oral, non-literate cultures.

Steve is a cultural researcher, communications specialist, and world-class photographer. He has posted over 2,500 photos to Flickr, each one better than the last. He travels extensively and is currently based out of Johannesburg, South Africa. I interviewed him over Facebook, and he told me after spending three hours answering my questions he hit the wrong key and lost it all. Fortunately he was willing to start over…. Read more…