I get many emails from clients and shutterbugs on a regular basis, and enjoy being able to answer when I can. Sometimes I get many of the same questions, so I thought I’d start choosing one from email a week and answering it here on my blog.

Q: What kind of camera do you have?

A: I get this question A LOT, and feel Canon owes me some sort of stipend for regularly promoting their product. I’m joking, of course (or am I?), but I do profess my love for Canon often.

I shoot with Canon digital SLR cameras. I have several, and love them all–from entry level to professional grade. The bodies are great, the lenses are beautiful, and Canon’s Professional Services are awesome.

This question often goes in hand with something along the lines of, “What camera will give me pictures like yours”? Unfortunately, I have no easy button for you! I am one of those annoying photographers who will tell you, “It’s not the camera, it’s the photographer.” This is true whether you shoot with Canon gear, Nikon, Olympus, Sony… today’s digital SLR’s have an array of wonderful bells and whistles, but if you don’t take the time to learn how to work them, they are useless. Fortunately, there are a plethora of books on the subject at your local library, and plenty of reading material found for free online to get you started. Practice (and patience) make perfect!

Another question that is related: why Canon and not Nikon? I actually have no good answer for that. I’ve shot with Nikon and really like them– quality lenses, beautiful color. I just prefer Canon– always have. Again, I think this is another opportunity for the “it’s not the camera” sentiment to come into play!

I’ve included a few photographs from a recent family vacation. I shot all of these with a Canon Digital Rebel XT and a plastic 18-55 3.5-5.6 lens. This is one of the most basic setups you can get– nothing fancy or pricey at all, and yet the variety of images you can create are limitless.

Who can guess where these were taken?

That’s it for this week’s Q/A. Got another? Send it to me at amanda@amandapryde.com, and look for another question next week!