My Photography History

I’ve been in love with photography for over 30 years now. I still remember the very moment that a camera was put in my hands. My Nanny and Poppy took me on a trip to Walt Disney World when I was five years old. They got me a little 35mm camera so I could document everything I saw.

We didn’t grow up with means and my Nanny and Poppy were never able to take my aunts and uncles to places like Disney, so this was a huge experience for all of us. We really savored every part, from going through the stores and picking out the perfect stuffie (a Daisy Duck plush) to getting a fancy burger on the Empress Lilly and me having the very best manners up until I licked the ketchup right off the plate.

But the most vivid memory I have is that little camera my grandparents bought me so I could document our trip. I’m not really sure why they bought me a camera, but I remember my Nanny telling me she figured I’d take better photos than they would. And, funny enough, she was right.

After that trip, we developed my rolls of film and there they were – our best photos of the trip. My Nanny would tell people, “She has an eye!” And maybe I do? But I think it’s always been about wanting to not just document a moment, but really document a feeling. How that moment makes me feel… or how I want other people to feel about that moment.

I stayed a hobbyist from that moment on, but really got serious about photography in high school. By the end of high school, I learned how to develop my own film in a dark room, took photos for my school’s newspaper and yearbook, and also won a number of photography competitions. My photos for school and competition were all lifestyle and sports at this point, but my photos for me were all wildlife and landscape. That probably should’ve been a hint to what I was passionate about, but it would take many years for me to realize that I was a landscape and wildlife photographer.

In college, I was that friend who took your profile pic for you. Or was generally being creative, whether that meant photography, videography. I started using my photography skills to become an expert scrapbooker (something I still do to this day, just digitally). And then I got the opportunity to travel to Russia to go to school there and study Russian. I did my best learning while exploring Moscow and using my Russian language skills as much as people would let me. (As soon as locals found out I spoke English, they always wanted to practice their English with me.) I’m only a little ashamed to say that I was obsessed with my Kodak Advantix 35mm camera that allowed you to take photos that would print in 3 different sizes: classic up to panoramic. Listen, the early 2000s were a weird time and man, I abused this Advantix camera all across Russia. But that trip connected more dots for me. I realized my passion wasn’t just capturing the feeling of a moment or experience, but really doing so while traveling.

It was that trip that made me realize I need to put money into a real DSLR and see if this is just a hobby that I’m really good at or something more. So, that’s what I did.

A breakdown of my camera history:

2004 – Nikon D70: My first DSLR camera that was my own. And honestly, it was such a good camera. It wasn’t the fanciest DSLR on the block, and definitely not the most expensive. But I created such beautiful photos on that camera. I picked it because I was most comfortable with using a Nikon, and it would eventually become one of the most popular cameras of its type and constantly out of stock. This Nikon started me on a path that I’m still on today. A Nikon fangirl.
2008 – Nikon D90: This camera upped my photography game to 12 megapixels. It offered better image quality, more features (11 focus points!), and a smaller body. It also cost a bit more than my D70. While still a hobbyist, this camera came with me just about everywhere. It documented so much, including my daughter’s first couple years.
2013 – Nikon D7000: This camera replaced the D90 in 2010, but I didn’t buy it first gen. When this camera came out, it was Nikon’s most advanced camera at any price point. And I bumped up to 16 megapixels. It was a lightweight and refined powerhouse of a DSLR. I took over 100,000 photos on that camera. It served me well throughout the years. I kept it as a backup even after I upgraded.
2017 – Nikon D750: This was quite an upgrade – 24 megapixels. And also a conscious decision that I am a photographer and I need to invest in better gear. This is a remarkable camera. It’s a camera I still use as my primary landscape camera. And it is the world’s first full-frame DSLR with a flipping LCD screen. And at 6.5 FPS, it is a fast camera. Excellent in low light. And good enough for me to print massive canvas that cover a whole wall. I also use this body for my astrophotography. Shortly after I got this camera, I had my first paying gig as a photographer.
2019 – Nikon z6: The first camera introduced as part of Nikon’s new mirrorless system: the Nikon Z system. I wanted a new walking around camera for documenting family travel and lifestyle photography and the z6 seemed like a perfect opportunity to try my hands at mirrorless. This was part of my kit as my everyday camera until 2023 when I replaced it with the z7ii.
2020 – Nikon z7ii: This camera jumped me up to 45 megapixels, which is just massive. I found that it was easier to travel with multiple camera bodies that each serve a specific purpose, so I don’t need to change lenses over and over again. I also knew I wanted to focus more on wildlife photography and needed a camera body that was fast even in tough light conditions. Today, the z7ii is still in my kit as my everyday camera that I also use for lifestyle, as well as occasional landscape, food, and architectural photos. It’s a true chameleon of a camera body.
2022 – Nikon D850: While the z7ii is excellent, it wasn’t giving me the combo I wanted for wildlife photography. The D850 could do just that, plus be another body that can be used for landscapes and astrophotography, as well as portraits. The D850 is still a flagship camera body for Nikon. It takes some of my best wildlife photos. I pair it with my Nikon 200-500 lens, and teleconverter when needed.
2023 – Nikon z9: When planning our trip to Antarctica, I knew I needed to be smart about just how many camera bodies and lenses I brought. I saw some other wildlife and landscape photographers talking about the z9 combined with the 100-400 lens and figured I’d give it a try. That combo created my favorite photos of my entire trip to Antarctica. It is now part of my pro kit when I’m traveling for work. I trust this combo best for non-safari wildlife photography, while also knowing it can take a beautiful landscape photo, as well as lifestyle. It’s a little slower than my D850/200-500 combo, though, so I will always have the D850/200-500 combo for birding, scenarios when the subject is going very fast, and situations where lighting is somewhat suboptimal. Truly, the z9 is an excellent camera and I highly recommend it if you’re into wildlife photography.