Alicia Fox Photography Blog

I often get emails from friends asking me what type of DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) Camera they should buy. There is so much information on the internet, but it is difficult to know what to trust. I hope this helps out anyone who is looking to upgrade from a compact camera to a DSLR.

Brands
In terms of DSLRs, I have only ever worked with Nikon and Canon. These are the two brands favoured by most Professional Photographers.

Personally, I prefer Canon. I think they are slightly ahead of Nikon, in terms of technology and quality. The camera body of a Canon tends to be heavier, which I actually prefer, for stability. I also think that Canon has a better range of accessories and lenses available.

I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II, and I find it to be amazing. My main lens is a Canon Zoom EF 24-105mm. This gives me freedom to shoot from wide angle, to closer up without changing lenses. I also use my Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens a lot (beautiful for low light and selective focus images), and have a Canon 70-200mm lens (for close-ups and to shoot from a distance).

Camera Models
The model of camera that you choose largely depends on how much you want to spend. Most DSLRs now have quite a generous number of Megapixels. 12 – 22MP is plenty for most people, unless you intend to be shooting billboards in the near future.

Think about how much you can afford to spend, what you want to use the camera for and how long you intend to keep that camera. Is it for a hobby or an investment? If you are fully committed to photography and are happy spending a bit more, go for the next model up. The worst thing is when you spend $1000 and in a few months, realise that you should have spent another $500 and bought a better model. As soon as you purchase a camera, the value drops because you can never sell it for as much as you initially paid.

Accessories
The accessories you buy really depend on what type of photos you like to shoot. For a basic kit, I suggest a Canon body and good lens. Canon usually sells each level of camera with a basic lens, and you can pay a little more to upgrade to a professional lens. I definitely recommend upgrading the lens. Along with the quality of the sensor (the part of the camera which records the image), the quality of lens is extremely important, because this is essentially what the sensor “looks through”. I only ever buy Canon, rather than the cheaper, inferior brands.

Other accessories can be bought later, when you feel like experimenting a little, or you can bargain at the shop a little if you buy a whole lot of things at once. These might include:

• A tripod (buy a strong sturdy model. I always buy Manfrotto tripods)
• Flash (on camera flash can be used, but an additional flash will make photos look much more professional and flattering)
• Additional lenses (eg. for macro, sports, fine art photography)
• Filters – keep a UV filter on all of your lenses for protection. Other useful filters are Polarising filters, Neutral Density filters and Graduated filters.
• Extra Batteries
• Camera bag – make sure it seals perfectly to keep out all dust, dirt and moisture
• 8GB Compact Flash cards (CF cards)

Buying the Camera
In Australia, I buy my cameras from JB HiFi, because they always give me amazing discounts and it’s not hard to convince them to throw in some freebies like CF cards. Buy your camera from someone who will take the time to explain the features of a few different models, and let you play around with the camera and lenses before you buy. Think about extending the warranty when you buy the camera. The shop can usually organise this for you.

I hope this helps you. Please put a comment below or email me if you have any more questions.

I have been taking photos every day of April, in this beautiful village, nestled amongst the Andes of Ecuador. Tomorrow is the last day of my photography project 30 Days in Chugchilan. Chugchilan is on the Quilotoa loop, near the famous crater lake. It is (relatively) near to Latacunga.

Thanks to everyone for all your lovely photo comments through emails and Facebook. It’s great to see the effect photos can have on people across the globe. Here is one of the photos that proved to warm the hearts of many people. Please check out the photo project page and let me know what you think.

I was sitting on a block, taking photos outside a store this afternoon. As I took the viewfinder away from my eye, I literally screamed with shock, then recovered with an embarrassed giggle, at the man standing over me, watching me. He was tiny - no more than 4.5feet, and had the friendliest smile that I have seen in a long time. He had come to town to get 2 bread rolls, he told me he paid 1 cent. I knew that it was my duty to take a photo of this magnificent character, and as I walked with him I asked why he wears no shoes. 'I'm poor' he said, shoes are too expensive. I thanked him for letting me take his photo and as I carry no money with me, I agreed to meet him at 8am. As I tried to ask him where, he softly shook my hand and wandered off. I wander if I'll see him in the morning.

P.S. Selected prints will be available to buy from my Gallery & Shop for the month of May 2010.

I have added a new page to my blog, Chugchilan in 30 Days.

Chugchilan is the little village I am currently living in. There is no bank, no post office and no noise. There is a whole lot of charm, culture and natural beauty.

Just click on the tab at the top of the page to take a step into the Andes of Ecuador.

You can also get a written perspective of the village on my partner James’ blog.

Today I am launching my Photo Gallery and Shop at http://aliciafox.net/encap/

Each month I will have a series of 3-5 images available for sale at various sizes. The images can be purchased as single prints or in a set of 3.

The photos are being sold as prints, which you can then frame or mount yourself. The theme this month is Temples of Japan. They will be in the Gallery until the end of April 2010.

When placing your order, please mention if you are on my mailing list or a Facebook Fan, and I will send a complimentary 5×7 inch print of your choice, from the Temples of Japan series. International postage is available.

My boyfriend James is on a mission to recycle everything possible. While in Peru, he designed a funky wallet that can be made from used milk, juice or wine 1 litre cartons.

He taught some local kids how to recycle the cartons into wallets, and he started a 1-man factory in our apartment where he created wallets from the piles of cartons which were donated. All wallets come from either Peru or Ecuador, with a variety of images and writing in Español.

These wallets will be for sale. If you want some early inside info, send me an email at info@aliciafox.net

Here are some shots of James teaching children at the C.E.P school in Huanchaco, Peru, how to make the wallets.

I have left the coast of Peru to spend a few months in the mountains of Ecuador.

The sunsets in Huanchaco were stunning. Here are a couple of silhouette shots that I took during my last few days in Huanchaco.

The Caballitas de Totoras - the first surfer in the world, today still used for fishing, on the North coast of Peru

Life on the dump

I have been living in Peru for three months now. I have a nice little apartment, with running water (until 3pm) and everything I need to live comfortably. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how thousands of people around me are struggling to get by every day.

This week I visited the ACJ Project, which is working to improve the lives of families living and working on a city dump. These men, women and children spend their days sorting through rubbish to sell to recyclers for less money per week then what I spent on a Chai latté in Japan.

I stepped out of an ancient VW combi and watched the dump dwellers sort through garbage outside their home. I felt compelled to walk over and talk to them. As I approached, the father waved to me and I felt encouraged. I had been told that the people were shy and that I had to be discreet when taking photos. I didn’t want to offend anyone by pulling out my camera.

I walked closer and saw the little boy crying to his Mum. I pulled out of my bag a small koala that my Mum had sent me, to give to Peruvian children. ‘Tengo un regalla para tu’ (I have a present for you), I said in my best Spanish. He took the toy and the conversation opened up. De donde eres….cuantos anos tienes….
I asked the little boy his name. Ronaldo told me he is six years old and I told him that his is tall for his age. I showed him how to use the little koala and I clipped it onto his finger.

I was a bit afraid that these kids who literally live on piles or rubbish, would be jealous of his toy and beg me for a present. But they just seemed happy that Ronaldo got something and asked me for nothing.

Before I knew it, the children were asking me to take photos of them. Even Ronaldo had wiped away his tears and was waiting for his photo to be taken. Mama arranged the niños into a row, before returning to her work of smashing bottles into a bag. She was injured years ago and now cannot walk well. She seemed proud of the recycling job that she was doing.

The kids loved having their photo taken and soon wanted to have a go at the camera. I held it for them (it’s so heavy) and taught them how to take photos, helping them to reach their tiny fingers around the camera to the shutter button.

I may not have had much impact on these lives, but they certainly touched mine. The adults have been living on the dump for 30 years. I felt like there are certainly a lot of people out there who really struggle through life. With living on a dump comes injuries, diseases, uncomfortable living conditions and a feeling of alienation that I cannot even comprehend. These people are not citizens. They do not exist on any records. They live in their own world, a world that I briefly brushed up against before returning to mine.

If they taught me anything, it’s that you should never be ashamed of what you are. We are all the equal people doing our best to get through life, and if we can do it with a smile then we are doing okay.

For more information on the ACJ Project:
http://www.otracosa.nl/indexenglish.asp?page=270

Me showing the kids how to take a photo

The photo the little girl took

There is a new mini ramp in the little town where we were living in Peru. Two months ago, it hadn’t even been thought of, but thanks to the chance meeting of 2 super keen travellers – Ollie and Hanes, the kids up the hill who live with next to nothing, now have a skate ramp to call their own.

It has been amazing to see the progress of the ramp from an inspired idea, to pieces of wood, to a playground in the desert village where kids can’t wait to play at 3pm every day. It took just over one month to see the kids ripping on the ramp, and 5 of them are already dropping in.

The blog for the skate ramp is: http://introductiontotheproject.blogspot.com/

One of the future skaters waiting for the ramp to be completed

While I was San Francisco recently, I went to a screening of the amazing documentary ‘The Cove’ which exposed the brutal mass slaughter of whales in Japan. www.SaveJapanDolphins.org

As a surfer and vegetarian, I was horrified by what was depicted in the movie, yet moved by the progress that has been made by the people standing up for the dolphins, especially Ric O’Barry (trainer of Flipper cum eco-activist) and the Sea Shepard crew, who risk their lives on regular occasions.

This morning as I walked along my now local beach here in Peru, I was shocked to come across the head and tail of a dolphin. The decapitated animal looked as if was still smiling – just as they do at Seaworld and other marine parks.

These photos will be used by an amazing organisation in Peru, Mundo Azul, which is working to protect Peru’s beautiful cetaceans. Killing dolphins is illegal in Peru, however this is rarely enforced.

Fotógrafo de las ONG en el Perú

While I am living in South and Central America I will be photographing for NPOs and NGOs to help with their publicity. I will be in Peru until February 2010, when I head to Ecuador. I will then be travelling to Central America. My location and schedule are flexible and I will be in South/Central America until 2011. Please contact me by email (photographer@aliciafox.net) if you are looking for a photographer or if you would like further information.

These photos are of some of the beautiful children I have been working with in Peru with the organisation Otra Cosa.