Have you heard of the new Compact Camera from Light?

As part of Light’s Vantage Point project I was asked to write a post about my favourite location to shoot. I can’t even begin to tell you how difficult this was for me. I think of the hundreds of thousands of photos I have taken and all of the amazing locals I have visited to take those photos.

And then it dawned on me. It’s nature! My favourite location to shoot is everywhere in nature. I don’t have just one go-to spot. For instance, take yesterday afternoon. I was taking a break from work, camera in hand and exploring my back yard. There is nothing more relaxing and grounding than spending time in nature, connection to all that is around you and allowing yourself to just be in the moment. Amazing things happen when you’re in that space!

After taking pictures of the river, the apple tree, the wildflowers, I stopped to admire a blooming thistle and was excited to see a bee also enjoying the thistle. He dug in deep, working hard to make a hole in the centre of the thistle. I admired his work through the viewfinder of my camera, snapping shots of his handiwork. As if in communion with me, he stepped to the side of the flower, showing off his work. I snapped a few more pictures and managed to capture him hovering just beside the thistle. The two of us connected; In the moment; admiring nature at work.

This is why I love nature. This is why I love photography. Being able to connect with nature and then share those moments with others hoping they will also connect with nature.

Photography is more than a hobby it’s my passion and it comes very naturally for me. I just follow what feels right and on occasion I experiment as I go. Experiment is key for me. I’ve tried reading about focal lengths, aperture settings and all that stuff but my brain becomes mush and something gets lost in the enjoyment of the moment. No, what works for me is to just show up with camera in hand, be present, be engaged with whatever nature is offering me. You would be amazed at the lucky shots I’ve gotten.

Now, for the technical stuff:

My camera is a “new to me” Canon T2i. For this photo I used a Tamron 18-270mm lens. If you had asked me what setting my camera was on when I took the photo I would have shrugged and replied “don’t know”. But, after the fact, I can tell you that these were the settings:

1/250 sec / f/10.0 / iso 200 / focal length 55.0MM / No flash

I am rarely without a camera in hand, whether it’s my Canon DSLR or my iPhone, I like to always be ready to capture the beauty of nature. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Compact Camera that gives you the control of a DSLR with the convenience of a smart phone? Oh yeah!

Enjoy!

~Wanda