a standing ovation today for my nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens as it is retiring from service after over 15 years with me. it will be replaced with a shiny new nikon 50mm f/1.4g lens
i found these these 2 shots from 1998 taken with that nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens
i remember that day in virginia…i remember the oreo cookie face. i am glad i could locate these prints and (poorly) scan them for the blog. this lovely girl is now a gorgeous 15 year old. the godsister to my kids.
the lens has served me well.
i get asked all the time about my gear. why i shoot with nikon, what is my favorite lens, do i have the latest “this or that” etc…
well, i don’t upgrade every time the latest thing comes out. i only have one d3 (one of the first they released in 2007) and i have kept my d200, but it is sorely in need of a trip to the camera hospital. i buy prudently and i make sure that i get the most out of my gear.
does it mean that i would turn down free gear to review? heck no.
does it mean that i would not like the equivalent to a stocked camera store in my closet? heck no again!
i love stuff. i love trying out new stuff, but my point is to the beginners out there who email me over and over again in despair that they don’t have “the newest and most expensive whatever piece of equipment they think they need or were told they need to even think about taking photos”, it is ok. neither do i.
you need a camera and a lens, a memory card or film and a computer to edit on. make what you have shine. don’t go into debt to obtain what you really do not need.
see jamie, teddy,danielle, maendi and jessica for inspiration on absolutely rocking the equipment that you have.
so to answer the questions:
i shoot with nikon because i understand nikon. i really don’t get the spinny wheel thing on the back of canon cameras. my advice to anyone looking to buy a new camera is go and fondle it, touch it, work with it in a store. a camera has to feel right. the adjustment of the controls have to become second nature to your hands.
my camera body is the nikon d3
my favorite lens changes all the time since it really depends on the shoot.
for portraits i love the tamron 90mm macro
and the nikon 105mm f/2.0
in fact, i used that 105 at a recent client session after ignoring it for some time and it reminded me why i love it so with the amazing creamy shallow depth of field in portraits.
i have long loved the nikon 60mm f/2.8 micro
i try to keep consistent color by doing custom white balance on my commercial shoots. if i remember to do it for my daily life photographs, then i consider myself on the ball that day. this lens cap tool makes it a no brainer. i have tried other things for custom white balance and none do a better job or are more convenient.
i edit on a dell laptop
one thing i can’t live without is my spyder monitor calibration system
my slik tripod is from 1991 and and has this really cool pistol grip head.
i cart it all around in in this case by tamrac
and heck, while we are talking about my favorite things…no one asked, but these shoes rarely leave my feet
so if i have not gotten back to you about recommendations, i hope this list will help.
i like helping and luckily i have no problem with tmi!
i am very excited for the opportunities that are coming in 2010 for me to help a lot of beginners with their photography journey. stay tuned!
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to the beginners out there who email me over and over again in despair that they don’t have “the newest and most expensive whatever piece of equipment they think they need or were told they need to even think about taking photos”
This brings to mind something my husband said about musical instruments. He's known a lot of people in his day who have said they need such-and-such brand or type of guitar to be able to really show people what they can do. My husband maintains that, if you are really good, you can play on any guitar that is handed to you. I think the same goes for pretty much every artistic medium.
hee. this is great.
i shoot canon, and have never really given the spinny wheel on the back a second thought. not sure if that is good or bad;).
my favourite lens is my 50mm.f1.4…but i also love my incredibly worn 28-135mm, which really is not that special a lens, but it works magic for me.
i like lenses and have been known to trade in and around for something different. i just got a 70-200mm/f2.8 on the weekend (hannukah gift) and i am loving it:). i like my crumpler bag but need something different. i have LR2 and am waiting for cs4. and my favourite shoes right now are…pink suede and shearling fit flops. pathetic, i know, but i keep hoping my bum gets trimmer while i sport them…
and i love the idea of making what you have work for you.
love the flip flops.
thanks so much for the shout out friend!!!! i miss those shoes, they are in storage in Cali. Bummer. Aren't they so comfy?
I'm loving the answers to these questions….now i'm off to buy Spyder.
i can't stop wearing them. can't stop. i still think the black ones are the best. all shiny.
That second shot is too cute!!!
Back when hubby supplied his own photo gear for newspaper photography, everything was Nikon. Then his current employer decided to buy gear for the photographers and they all got Canon 1Ds. When hubby ever gets to buy a DSLR, he wants Nikon, because he still has a lot of Nikon lenses and they can be used on the Nikon digital bodies.
My older daughter, has a Canon S3 IS and used it to death. It just recently returned from the Canon doctors in Elk Grove Village, Illinois! It was making a grinding noise when she turned the camera on. She would LOVE to have a DSLR, but college and learning how to be a nurse have to come first. She would also like Photoshop and as a student can get that cheap. We need to get that for her. Dad works with Photoshop, so he has taught her a few things. Oh yeah. Sarah takes beautiful pictures with her S3. I have the same camera, but I can tell I don't have the same "vision" that she does.
Cute pictures. I love the braid on the now-15yo's hair. I've never had long hair and never had my hair in braids. The emile on the girl in the coral dress is infectious. She looks like a fun kid.
Nikon ftw!!! And I couldn't agree more about "fondling" the camera before buying. As you had said, the Canons just didn't feel right.
The 60… the 105… all excellent lenses. I had borrowed the 60 from a friend a while back and loved it. Loved loved loved!! But ended up buying the 105 after I returned the 60. Your words really couldn't be more spot on, rock what you have until you find that you are missing something.
Though I have been really tempted to pick up a fisheye for more than a year now……just can't quite justify that kind of expenditure…. maybe next year.
I'm sorry but I could not let those bags go by without a mention…. *LUST* in fact, lusting so much I feel dirty.
Thanks so much for sharing your kit, there are so many who wouldn't.
i KNOW! looks like there will be a give away on the blog here very soon!
To start things off just let me say those shoes are AWESOME!. Anyway thank you for telling me what you use to edit because if you read my blog (which I really need to catch up on) you know your my inspiration.
Thanks for putting all this together, Rachel! I have a quick question regarding the white balance lens cap though. On the photojojo website they say once you've taken a shoot with the cap on, 'your camera creates a perfect profile of the actual lighting in front of you'. I know Canon cameras do auto white balance adjustment when you shoot a grey card, but like you have a Nikon so I have to set the colour temperature myself. How can you read from the shot how to adjust your white balance manually? I'd love to purchase this cap (or a couple of them) but am unsure how to use it. Many thanks!!
What Nikon do you have?
Nikon D80. Not the highest spec I know, I am dreaming of a D700 or D3 at the mo…
Thanks.
i would have to look up the ability to do a custom white balance on the d80, but you can google how to do it.
Thanks for sharing! I love my 50 f/1.4 too, so glad I listened to friends got that instead of the kit lens.
Thanks for all the great tips! I am totally in love with that lens cap. What a find? I haven't had great experience with the Spyder calibration system, however. I use a Mac and for the life of me haven't figured out how to make it work. I'm a fairly technical person (former web developer) so you'd think I'd be able to get it to work. Did you have trouble figuring it out? Another great bag you should check out is http://www.shootsac.com – they look awesome and I'm hoping to get one for Christmas
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no clue about mac!
Those bags are gorgeous, and just what I'm after. I wish Lola came in a different colour.
I bet there will be many more options in the future. I am in love with the brown and the red ones.
the blonde little girl reminds me of an grow up Clover =D
So glad I found you…this helps me so much!
Thank you Rachel!
I have ordered the lens cap per your recommendation. Can't wait to try it out!
i always find that i still need to adjust the white balance a bit from the custom settings, but at least every image in the same conditions has the same settings so adjustments can be automated in post processing!
your the best, Rachel!!!
LOVE tmi
I have a few of these on my wish list-KK
One of the many things I have always admired in your work is your spot on perfect color balance…thank you so much for reminding me about the photojojo lens cap. My grey card is usually left behind, but this would make taking a custom wb a piece of cake!