Bring a camera with you as often as possible

It’s probably not the first time that you hear that tip, but now the photographers have more and more choices of high quality compact camera systems that are easy to bring everywhere without having a 25 pounds camera bag to lug around !

Great shots can happen everywhere and at anytime, having a camera with you even if you don’t have the “right lens” for the photo, it forces you to compose with the equipment you have. The light might not look good right now but you never know when it can change into something spectacular.

Family activities:  In september 2010  i went with my family (my wife and my 2 girls) at our local “base de plein-air” (summer camp), it’s a forested area where the kids can play, walk in the trails, skate…

I brought my DSLR with just 2 or 3 lenses but i always have my Macro lens with me since even in bad light i can manage to take a shot of a small subject. While my kids were playing i was looking around in the forest and suddenly saw a Gray Tree frog at the base of a big tree. The frog was very well camouflaged on the moss covered trunk and made a great shot.

Pentax K20D, Pentax DFA100mm Macro WR, tripod.

Before going to work: Nearly everyday that i’m going to work i bring a camera with me, sometimes it’s my full Pentax DSLR kit and sometimes it’s my NEX-3 with some lenses depending on what i expect to photograph. I don’t always come home with a good shot or not necessarily always  take photos. Luck will be on your side one day and you will have beautiful light on a great subject or you will encounter an animal that will let you take unexpected photos ! By having my camera with me i was able to take some very good photos over the years and at the same time enjoying the natural world.

Here are  shots i took on my way to work this year:

Pentax K20D, Pentax DA*50-135mm, ISO 100 at f/11, tripod, MLU

Pentax K20D, Pentax DA*50-135mm, MLU, tripod.

Pentax K20D, Pentax DFA 100mm Macro WR, handheld, SR activated.