I started teaching photography as one of my subject areas in 1993. At that time the College used a stock of 35mm Pentax K1000 SLRs, and Bronica medium format cameras. We also had a reasonably well equipped studio and darkroom. My own equipment at the time was a few Pentax and Ricoh SLRs and a brace of compatible lenses. I also used a Rolleiflex twin lens medium format camera (6 x 6), and maintained my own modest darkroom.
In the late 90's, the department explored the change to digital, starting with a Nikon bodied Kodak digital back. By todays standards it was terribly limited, but it showed the direction photography was taking. Since that time the department has settled on a range of Canon digital SLRs, a selection of EOS 20D, 350D and 450D models. I use the same models myself, and am currently considering the EOS 5D, which offers a HD video capability as well as full frame high quality image capture.
My main area of interest is landscape photography, Ansel Adams being a particular influence, but I also enjoy portraiture, still life, and commercial photography. Photoshop is now my darkroom, and although I can do almost anything to an image in this environment, I tend to use it mainly to replicate older traditional darkroom techniques. I feel somehow that this gives my images a little more integrity.
I've changed from my old setup of a Canon EOS 350D with 18-55mm and 90-300mm lenses to the Canon EOS 5D mk II with much improved lenses, the 24-100mm f4 L and the 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L. The IS (image stabilisation) facility is a boon on these lenses, as many of my images are handheld. The improvement in quality is remarkable. The full-frame sensor has a resolution of 21 mega pixels, which when combined with the sharpness of the two IS lenses allow large format prints (A0) with a level of clarity that is astonishing.
You can read a review on my blog. >>>
All images © Inkwell Design 2009.
You are free to use the images on this site for non-commercial purposes only.
I would appreciate a credit/link to Inkwell in return.
If you would like to use one/some of my images for commercial purposes, please contact me for price details.