Close to 10 years...

In March 2025, I'll reach 10 years since I got my first DSLR, a Nikon D5200, and began regularly taking wildlife pictures, mostly of birds and sometimes the two legged animals called humans 😂.

It has been a long learning process. When I look back at the pictures I took back then, I can see the significant improvement I've made over these 10 years. 

Photo taken in 2015 using the Nikon D5200.

I've taken more than 69,000 pictures, and that doesn't even include the ones that ended up in the Windows Trash Bin. This number may seem small for some photographers that use their camera in burst mode and shoot thousands of photos in one session. But believe me, these are 69000 pictures edited by me representing long hours seating in front of my computer. 

You can see these pictures organized by albums at Flickr, the platform that use to backup online my pictures.

Photo from my album Quinceañera, from November 2015. 
One of my first attempts to shoot an event.
At that time I was a firm believer in not editing my photos. 

This is one of my latest photos in a Karate Event, using a Canon R6 Mark I. 

 

 

Another picture taken with the Canon R6 Mark I,
an example of me editing a photo.

From time to time strangers ask for their photos to be taken.
Taken using the Canon R6 Mark I.

What camera brand to buy

 As you may already gather, this is one of those articles about what camera brand is best. The difference is that in case the answer is there is not a camera brand that is best in everything. And I quote an article recently posted by The Photographer. 

• Canon: The Best for Autofocus and Ergonomics
  • The Best Canon Cameras
• Fujifilm: The Best Colors and Aesthetics
  • The Best Fujifilm Camera
• Leica: The Best Build and Character
  • The Best Leica Cameras
• Nikon: The Best Lenses and Low-light Autofocus
  • The Best Nikon Cameras
• Panasonic: The Best Photo-video Hybrids and in-camera LUTs
  • The Best Panasonic Camera
• Sony: The Best Innovation and Speed
  • The Best Sony Cameras

Sensor Size Matters More Than Megapixels

Here's an elaboration of your text with a more in-depth explanation and smoother flow:

Recently, I joined a discussion about the significance of megapixels in cameras. While having a higher megapixel count can be advantageous, particularly when cropping your images, it's not the sole factor that determines image quality. In fact, the physical size of the sensor plays a far more critical role in producing high-quality photos.

A larger sensor, such as a full-frame sensor, captures more light compared to smaller sensors like those found in APS-C cameras or smartphone cameras. The ability to gather more light directly impacts the image's dynamic range, detail, and overall quality, especially in low-light situations. This is because each individual pixel on a larger sensor tends to be bigger, allowing it to capture more light and produce clearer, sharper images with less noise.

In contrast, while smartphones and APS-C cameras may boast high megapixel counts, their smaller sensor sizes limit the amount of light they can capture. This often results in noisier images, especially in low-light conditions. So while megapixels are important, particularly for cropping and printing large images, the sensor size is actually the key element in achieving better image quality.

For a deeper dive into this topic, check out the video below that covers these differences in detail. Play attention to what he says at minute 6:15.

Are you a photographer?

 This is a very interesting topic recently analyzed at DIY Photography. When you are not making a living with your camera you hesitate to call yourself a photographer and this is what they call "The Impostor Syndrome". 

I resonate with this video deeply because even after over 15 years in photography, I still don’t call myself “a photographer.” When someone else refers to me that way, I feel like a fraud. It could be because I don’t do it for a living (never did), but it can also be because of the impostor syndrome I’ve felt in each and every field I’ve worked in.

A photographer, in my view, is not simply someone who earns a living by taking pictures; rather, a photographer is anyone who uses a camera to create art. While professional photographers may earn a salary through their work, I believe photography transcends the idea of a mere occupation. It's about capturing moments, emotions, and perspectives through a lens, turning them into meaningful expressions of creativity. Whether someone is a professional or an amateur, the real essence of being a photographer lies in the ability to use a camera as a tool to craft visual stories, evoke emotions, and make art.

Explorer Web Winner of Wildlife photographers of the year

The winning photos from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year will leave you in awe! Explore these breathtaking shots on the Explorer webpage and be prepared to be amazed. Check them out here.

How to shoot Manual

One thing that I do in this blog is to find easy tutorials about photography so you don’t have to. Today I would recommend you to watch the below video showing how to shoot manual.

Lens Basic

Ok, you bought your camera but what lens do you need? Buying your first lens it’s not an easy task and depends a lot on how are you planning to use your new camera. The next video tries to explain what do you need to know when picking your first lens.