photography equipment

I kind of laugh whenever I say “photography equipment” because it sounds like I’m all professional and whatnot … um, I am FAR from being a professional. I really love taking pictures, I have one very beautiful subject, I love being outside, and I have been blessed with the things that I get to use to take pictures.

It all started about 3 years ago when I got my first DSLR camera – an Olympus Evolt E-300. This was back when pretty much all DSLRs were $1000+. I think we found this one on sale for $900.

It came with a 14-45mm kit lens that isn’t a bad little kit lens — it worked great for my time of learning.

I have used and loved and dropped and toted this camera for a little over three years. It opened my eyes to digital photography, and I learned a lot about taking GOOD pictures rather than taking 742 okay pictures and calling it a day.

This is one of the first pictures I took with this camera, and I still love it to this day.

As time went on, I started reading up on the basics of photography – I really tried to focus on the technical aspects. But it was really hard for me to grasp, because I’m a visual person — I can’t really read something in a book and comprehend it. So I really did go out and take a zillion pictures a day, and then studied the ones I liked the best. Looking back, I should have taken a photography course when I had time (ahem, when I didn’t have a kid) but I always thought I was too busy. ::rolling eyes now::

After doing what I could with the kit lens, I ended up getting a new zoom lens right before we got married, so I was able to take it on our honeymoon.

Zuiko 40-150mm f/4-5.6

It’s a fun little lens, and I was able to get some of my favorite pictures with it.

I can almost guarantee that I took at least one picture every day from the day that I had it until the day I switched to my new camera. That sucker got USED. But as with all electronics, the E-300 really started wearing out, so K bought me the E-520 this past Christmas.

Oh man, the instant I pulled it out of the box and slapped a lens on it, I was hooked. The way it handles, the much bigger screen, the pictures … wow-ee. It was love at first click.

But that just wasn’t enough, so I finally cashed in those credit card points on this little beauty.

Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 Macro

This is my first prime lens (meaning, it doesn’t zoom in and out) so it has forced me to look for pictures from where I stand and move around for better shots. This was the lens that taught me about aperture and shutter speed. I can honestly say that after using this lens, I rarely shoot on Auto mode any more. (I prefer aperture priority, at this point in my photography life.) The only time I switch to Auto is when I’m trying to get some action shots of my kiddo, and I don’t have time to play with my shutter speed.

And this lens can take some killer macro shots.

So that’s it!

I have a wish list a mile long, but what photographer – amateur or professional – doesn’t?

So for birthdays and Christmases and every holiday from now until eternity, I’ll take gift cards to B&H Photo Video, please.

all images were processed in Photoshop Lightroom with the Cool Shades preset from Sarah-Ji

That just goes to show how different cameras take totally different pictures. I used the same settings on both cameras — the ones with a more pinkish/purpleish hue were taken with the E-300; the ones with a redder hue were taken with the E-520!

•