I have enjoyed taking photos since I bought my first camera while in the USAF back in 1960 to 1968. I have had a lot of different cameras over the years. My currant camera is an Olympus E620 with 3 different lenses. I also like backyard bird watching and have fed hummingbirds for over 20 years now.
Birds and butterflies became my favorite subjects.
The editing software I use is Photoshop Elements, currant version is 10. Back about 2007 I was active at a photography site called treklens. It is like this site where photographers from all over the world show their work and talk about them critiquing each other. I have over 600 photos there if you want to check them out. Some are good and some not so good!
http://www.treklens.com/members/deains/I have had two photos published and sold one at an Art show here for $60 a couple years ago. I am not too shabby but would starve to death as a photographer!
From treklens I built myself a PVC light tent to use photographing small objects. A lot of food photographers use one to get good photos without harsh reflections from using a flash. If you are interested in making one here is a link to the site I used for plans to make mine.
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tentI don’t use the light tent for taking my food photos, I don’t have room to keep it set up and I am more interested in eating the food I cook before it gets cold! I take all my photos with the onboard flash in Macro mode and rely on software to make it better. I have kind of learned to keep most reflections down shooting photos around my kitchen.
You don’t need an expensive camera to get good photos, most of the point and shoot cameras in the $100 to $200 range price take great photos and you can make them better with software. I know Photoshop Elements software pretty well; I have belonged to a site that gives instructions on how to use it. I am not a fan of the new cameras built into the newer cell phones now. Sometimes they do great and other times can’t get the right color balance. If any of you have any questions on taking photos I will try to help if I can. The better your photos the better your cooks will look.
Some photos from last summer
Female Ruby Throat Hummingbird
Dogwood Bloom
Sparrow
Day Lily
Smokin Don