What Kind of Camera and Brand Should You Buy?

I have friends come to me all the time asking what kind of camera they should buy. Since I do the photographizing they think I can point them in the direction. That question usually results in the annoying “it depends” answer for the person.  So I go into long winded explanation with hypothetical situations and lay out scenarios and discuss needs.

I’ll start by saying I’m a Nikon shooter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get other brands. There are pros and cons to all brands but at the end of the day there will be complimentary cameras at each level and price range. I chose Nikon because the magnesium body felt more solid to me. I’m always taking it hiking on treacherous trails or have it with me while travelling so I wanted something that could take a little punishment. But ignore anyone who says there is only one good option for a brand. It often comes down to personal preference.

First thing to decide when buying is to identify what you want to use your camera for. That could drastically affect what camera you should get and how much money you should expect to pay. I’ll explore a couple of photography user types and suggest cameras based on those needs. Perhaps you fall into some of these categories

The Casual Shooter

You enjoy taking photos to capture memories or random moments. You may want to take a picture of your beautiful garden, take a snap at a family get together, or are obsessed with your dog.

The Vacation Shooter

You want to take some nicer pictures on your upcoming vacation. You know you’re going to have great photo ops on your European tour, or Caribbean cruise. You know you will deal with various lighting conditions and will be on the move a lot.

The Extreme Sports Shooter

You want to capture those awesome moments skydiving, surfing, or snowboarding. You want something tough and unobtrusive.

Aspiring Filmmaker

You want to exercise your artsy side. You enjoy photography but want to harness the video capabilities as well. Maybe make a short creative film, be a YouTube star, or actually pursue filmmaking to a higher level

Hobbyist Photographer

You love photography. You see things differently than others. You enjoy going out just to take photographs. You spend your free time browsing photo sharing sites like Flickr.

Aspiring Pro Photographer

You have been a Hobbyist and want to go beyond that. You want to explore your creative potential. You want to shoot at an advanced level with manual modes, off camera lighting, and unforgiving lighting situations.

Examining these categorizations can give an indication as whether you should purchase a point and shoot, “action camera”, DSLR, or other interchangeable lens camera. Each of those choices will result in different prices ranges and varied level of photo quality. They also are not the be all and end all, just loose guidelines.

Point and Shoot Camera.jpg

Let’s start with the entry level Point and Shoot Digital Camera.  Perfect for those “Casual Shooters” or even the “Vacation Shooter”. They are small, light, easy to use, and well-priced. A majority will just turn the power on aim at what you want and press the button. They range in price from $50.00 - $200.00 and upward depending on features. Don’t let their size fool you, some of these cameras are incredibly sophisticated and have fantastic features. For great picture taking without any thinking this is a fantastic option. Many of them even include a decent amount of manual controls. Their size is also beneficial. These cameras tend to have slim bodies and retractable zoom lens. They are perfect to slip into a pocket and go. If you are thinking this is a good option for you I would opt for a waterproof and shockproof option such as the Fujifilm Finepix XP200. This is great for vacations as you can take this pretty much anywhere. You can get great photos and HD video under water or in snowy mountains without worrying about ruining it.

Hero GoPro.jpg

For the more adventurous bunch there are actions cameras such as the Hero GoPro. These are beneficial for the small size, light weight, great footage, but especially for being mountable. Other cameras can be mounted but cameras such as the GoPro has numerous attachments that allows you to mount the camera to nearly anything for truly unique footage. The filmmaker category can get great use out of this to get footage that otherwise would require intense rigging. However, unless you are into extreme sports, or have a need to mount a camera in a normally challenging situation you can get more out of a point and shoot or DSLR.

Mirrorless Camera.jpg

The next level up would be a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. These offer superior image quality and compact size. They are costly, but if you want an easy to use small camera and can afford it this is a great option. If you want to get the creative juices flowing a bit you can invest in new lenses for these as well. Great option for a hobbyist photog or someone who wants great vacation photos without lugging around a bulky heavy camera.

Entry Level DSLR.jpg

My bias always leads people to get a DSLR. If it’s within your budget and you have an interest in photography, get a DSLR. You can get amazing pictures 80% of the time just on automatic mode. While you have a wide range of features you can put it on auto, and let the camera do the hard part. An entry level DSLR such as a Nikon D3200 or D5200 allows you room to grow while giving you consistent quality photos. So you can start slow and just learn basics slowly working your way up through the various manual features. In most lighting conditions you can get a nearly identical photo to a camera that costs thousands more. You can also explore video features and take film-like footage. A skilled person could create nearly professional looking footage with an entry level DSLR.

Crop Sensor Dx DSLR.jpg

If you truly love photography and want to take it to a higher level perhaps are an aspiring pro I would recommend a high end DX crop sensor camera such as a Nikon D7100. This level of camera has fantastic image quality and the cameras are packed with features that can really allow you to explore creatively.

 

Buy Used

The beauty of the DSLR market is that there are constantly new bodies being released which help drive down the price of older bodies with plenty of life left in them. If you want something a bit better than entry level but can’t afford it look on the second hand market. Great options include the D90, D300, D7000, and even the FX D700

FX Full Frame Camera.JPG

If money is no object 1. I hate you 2. Buy an FX camera body. The image quality is unmatched. There are great options including the D600, D800, D4, as well as the older D700 or D3. I myself shoot with a D700. It’s an older body but shoots beautiful images.

Like I mentioned earlier there are lots of options of brands and models to get. Pick them up and see how they fit in your hands. Read reviews. But in reality if you have a DSLR from the last 5-7 years you are golden. You will get great pictures. If you buy a modern point and shoot camera, you will get great pictures. Just figure out what you are using it for, how compact you need it to be, and how much you are willing to spend.

 

International Canadian Fashion Showcase June 2013

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International Canadian Fashion Showcase 2013

Starting A Model Portfolio Part II: Picking The Right Photographer

How To Pick The Best Photographer For Your Portfolio

You're a tiger!​

You're a tiger!​

You’ve gone this far in your research; you now want to pick the right photographer. You are in luck because there are thousands of photographers you can work with. As a new model there are tons of people who are willing to work with you for free. Great right? The old saying you get what you pay for could not be truer at this stage.  You can certainly build a portfolio with budding photographers but you will not get the results of an experienced professional.

What to Look for In A Photographer

Consistent Quality

Look to see if they have a good sample of high quality work. Photographers have work displayed all over the internet. They may have Flickr accounts, Facebook fanpages, Model Mayhem portfolios, and portfolio websites. Take a look at these different portfolios and see if they have a consistent amount of work you think is high quality. You can even look at dates of those being published to see the evolution of their work

Shooting Style

Does the photographers work match the style of work you want to pursue? If you want to become a high fashion run way model look for a photographer that has experience lighting and posing a more avante guard style of work. Conversely if you want to be on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, that takes a very different style of posing lighting, and composition. Think about what target market your portfolio will attract, and what look you are trying to achieve.

Processing Style

The final images you will receive can be very different from what you see while shooting in the photographers LCD screen. Some photographers go for a very natural untouched look, while others do a fair bit of processing. This can include adding various filters, a varying amount of skin retouching, or other artistic choices. These come down to personal preference. Try to examine how the images have been touched up and if that adds to detracts value for you as a client. There can be a fine line between interesting looking and tacky.

Niche vs. Versatility

Some photographer’s images all look the same; while some are so varied it’s hard to imagine the same photographer took all those shots. When you are starting off it’s nice a get a range of different looks in your portfolio so it’s helpful to look for someone who can shoot and edit a lot of styles. If you have a specific style of modeling in mind hiring a photographer who specializes in that is your best way to go.

Personality

Starting off as a model can be pretty intimidating/scary. It can be nerve racking being in front of the camera as a novice especially when you are working with a complete stranger. I believe it’s critical to work with someone with whom you can create a good rapport with and have fun while shooting. There are incredibly talented artists out there who have zero social skills and create discomfort for new models. Often discomfort seeps into the images and the final product is not ideal. Pick someone you will enjoy shooting with. Not only will a good experience produce better results, but it will encourage you to continue shooting.

 

15 Signs You Are A Photographer

Signs you are a photographer.jpg
  • Most of your Facebook statuses are “Editing tonight” or “Check out this teaser”

  • Currently or at one time your profile picture is a film noir style low key black and white photo of yourself

  • You have numerous odd shaped black bags – carrying cases for every piece of equipment imaginable

  • You have a love-hate relationship with Instagram

  • You raise an eyebrow when your friends with DSLRs call themselves photographers (Photographer friends of yours probably did the same when you told them you were a photographer)

  • You have an accountant friend who would like free photos taken as a favour, but charges you to do your taxes

  • You can be awake at all hours of the day and be in any condition to get the perfect shot

  • You can never stop buying equipment. There is always something you need

  • When attending weddings you don’t watch the bride and groom, you watch the photographer

  • You love the stack of gold boxed in your closet and will never throw them away (If you’re a Cannon person insert whatever colour your camera products come in. Black and red? If you are a Hasselblad user you probably have mahogany boxes in your Penthouse storage closet).

  • You see in f-stop

  • You own numerous books on photography and Photoshop you have never read, but you love looking at the pictures

  • You hate the fact the women keep hair elastics on their wrists (at some point you forgot to check)

  • You have to justify to friends/spouse why you spent $90 on a little piece of plastic that has something to do with lighting

  • You have purchased stupid pieces of $90 plastic, you regret buying because you never use them

 

Cool or Cliché

There are numerous concepts, backgrounds, techniques that take the photography world by storm. Some are long lasting, some come and go very quickly, while some stay on to become a mindless cliché. A lot of us know they are cliché yet we still do them. We have our reasons, for some just look cool, some evoke a common emotional response, while others are trying to look artsy. I will be the first to admit I’m a huge hypocrite, or borrow inspiration, but I will declare that openly. What I won’t do is try to pass something off as being artistic when it’s not. To me photos can serve different purposes. They capture memories, capture something amazing looking, are used commercially, are used to evoke emotion, tell a story, or just looking interesting. I don’t think there is anything wrong for taking a photo of something that looks cool, or using a common technique, as long as you’re clear as to what you are representing.

Cool or Cliché Photography – There is a fine line that separates those. Sometimes what’s cool becomes cliché very quickly, sometimes what’s cliché looks very cool and should be recreated. Below I summarize types of images that are redone a lot. Some veer towards the cliché side while some if executed well are pretty cool. Some I have a strong opinion on while others I have more ambiguous/hypocritical feelings towards. Some views are expressed pretty sarcastically so watch for those ;)

Cool Vs. Cliché

The black and white photo of a homeless man (can include poor children, or people in ratty clothing in third world countries)

Please stop with these. Too many of these photos are exploitative of those individuals for the sake of you trying to look artistic. It had artistic value about 20 years ago when it was first done, now they just look cliché.  When visiting new places there are so many interesting things to photograph that you should not rely on what others have done in the past. While getting a snapshot of daily life in another place can be interesting, I would instead like to see images of what the photographer had a connection to. If you do a portrait of a person you had an interesting interaction with and that photo can tell a story I think that speaks volumes over trying to illicit a sad emotional response from guilt.

Models against graffiti background

Why do we love models against weird backgrounds? Especially when the background feels out of place. Have a girl in a beautiful dress in some grungy back alley with spray paint and old tires. To me backgrounds should enhance a photo by either providing context, serve as a beautiful backdrop to make the overall image look better, or be very simple and non-distracting to focus on the subject. Would you rather have a couple in front of a brick background or stunning waterfall? That question is often answered by personal taste. Some prefer simplicity, while others like the striking beauty of nature to give oomph to a photo. Others like the contrast of location to the subject, while some like the visual interest in “different” looking backgrounds. My issue is when someone chooses an odd looking background again for the sake of looking artsy.

HDR – High Dynamic Range

You may not know the term for it, but you have surely seen these images before. You know the really surreal looking photos where you can’t tell if they are a painting or digital artwork. This is one of those cases where a cool technique is adopted by a few, someone makes software for it and boom everyone is popping out surreal looking landscape images or 50’s Chevrolets. A modest use of this technique I think is perfectly acceptable, but when you go full out HDRey and your image looks like it belongs  airbrushed on an 80s van then I think it’s too much.

Girl looking out window

What is she looking at? Why is she in her underwear? For some reason photos look very intense when someone looks away from the camera out of a window. That pensive look of the model, the contrasty natural lighting comingin through the window, and usually black and white makes for some deep stuff.

Select Saturation

This refers to black and white photos that have a select part of the image in colour. It could be a flower, or the grooms boutonniere, or other part of the image you want to stand out. This can look good 3% of the time. Some people can pull it off, again if done in moderation. For most people it ends up looking silly and amateur.

Wearing Cultural Clothing

You know what makes for a very deep and interesting photo? Get a Caucasian model to wear cultural garb from a far away and exotic land. It can certainly be interesting to highlight different cultures and traditions. Often that’s what makes photography so enticing to viewers is seeing something they are not used to. To me it gets ridiculous when you try too hard to create something exotic. Those photos feel forced and often have ignorance and stereotypes peppered throughout the image.

Marilyn Monroe Pastiche

Please no more Marilyn Monroe remakes, imitations, etc… We all know Marilyn Monroe was an amazing cultural figure. She has some of the most iconic images in the history of photography. Why do people insist on recreating these? They have been remade to death.

Old, rusting, rotting things

Old cars, pieces of metal, fence, logs decomposing. We like taking pictures of old crappy things. No one takes a picture of a brand new wooden fence in suburbia. But wait 50 years until that wood rots, maybe has some aforementioned spray paint and you’ve got photo magic.

There you have a small list of things that can be cool or cliche. I would love to hear your comments. Is there something I missed? Am I completely wrong in your opinion and you want to destroy my argument?