China is saving the digital camera market

 According to this report from The Photographer. 

...the digital market has seen positive changes thanks to Chinese youth. This comes from the generation’s dissatisfaction with smartphone cameras and their preference for better quality images and videos, which one can only capture with a proper camera. This trend has been more pronounced in China, where large shipments of digital cameras saw an increase of 1.9 million units in 2024, which is about 25%. China now accounts for 28% of the total global shipment value, up 13 percentage points since 2019.

I was expecting an article about how cheap, low-quality Chinese cameras are flooding sites like Amazon, but it turned out to be good news. Even the best smartphones can't match the image quality of a dedicated digital camera. Just invest in a good one and avoid wasting money on poorly made, unbranded models.

Collaborative Spirit

Dani Connor recently published a video answering questions, and she mentioned a few points that caught my attention.

The first is the lack of a collaborative spirit within the wildlife photography community. This is something that has affected me personally—both when I started wildlife photography in South Florida and now after moving to a new place in Central Florida. It’s difficult to find people willing to share information about where to see and photograph certain animals and birds. While I understand the need to protect wildlife, I wish there were more trust within the community. After all, not everyone is out there with a heavy camera and a zoom lens.

The second point is how difficult it is to make money—or even a living—solely from wildlife photography. Many people assume that if you have a camera, you must be making money from your photography, but that’s far from reality. Of all the photography genres, wildlife photography is probably one of the hardest and least profitable.

 

Wildlife Photography vs Environmental Photography

 

Wildlife Photography and Environmental Photography overlap in some ways but have distinct focuses:

Wildlife Photography

• Focuses on animals in their natural habitat.
• The subject is the animal itself—its behavior, movements, and interactions.
• Photographers often use telephoto lenses to capture distant or elusive subjects.
• Examples: A close-up of a bird in flight, a lion hunting, or a macro shot of an insect.

Environmental Photography

• Broader category that includes nature, landscapes, and human impact on the environment.
• May feature wildlife, but the emphasis is often on the ecosystem, conservation, or the relationship between nature and human influence.
• Can include landscapes, pollution, deforestation, and climate change documentation.
• Examples: A photo of a forest recovering from a wildfire, a polluted river, or a wide-angle shot of animals within their changing habitat.

If you’re shooting a Carolina Wren perched on a branch, that’s wildlife photography. If you frame the wren against a deforested background to highlight habitat loss, that’s environmental photography.

Where the past meets the present

 This family came to an event dressed as the late 1800s and made me smile. Can you guess why?

Photos from last weekend

Last Saturday, I participated in an event celebrating the 182nd anniversary of Hernando County. Many attendees wore historical costumes, making it a great opportunity for photography.

 

I took to the event the Tamron 28-300 EF, It’s a very convenient lens because it covers a wide focal range. However, that comes at a price—photos aren’t as sharp as those taken with my Canon L lenses. Still, as you can see, the images have enough detail to satisfy any photographer. At one point, I had to remove the battery from my Canon R6 because the camera became unresponsive—something that occasionally happens when using this lens. Keep that in mind. You can enjoy the rest of the pictures from this event at Flickr. 

On Sunday, I returned to wildlife photography and captured this beautiful shot of a Carolina Wren. It perched nearby, delighting me with its lovely song. 

Taken using a Canon R6 and EF100-400 Mk2 with 1.4ext.

 

 

 

Is photography an Art?

That’s the subject of a recent article published by The Photographer.

Conquering the top of the world!

 According to Google AI: "Art is a creative expression that can be a physical object, experience, or skill. It can be beautiful, thought-provoking, or emotional. Art can be created through a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, music, dance, and photography."

Google AI goes deeper by saying that photography is an art because:

It's a creative endeavor that uses skill and imagination

It can evoke feelings and memories

It can be used to express thoughts and emotions

It can be used to research the world and our place in it

Do I think that photography is an art?

Putting modesty aside, yes, I do. What do you think?

Birds portrait photography

I'm fascinated by bird portrait photography. While capturing the entire bird showcases the vivid colors of its feathers, shooting portraits highlights the beauty of its eyes. Birds' eyes come in a stunning variety of colors. Click on the image to zoom in and appreciate the details.