Hello! It’s been a while since I last posted a journal, life has been hectic as always and finding the time to really sit down and write has been a struggle! I am currently on the 18:40 British Airways flight to London Heathrow, en route back home from my recent adventures in Paphos, Cyprus where I spent the last week relaxing in the sun with family. The flight time is 4 hours so there literally is no excuse!

OK, lets talk cameras and photography now. Cyprus is now the second holiday I’ve been on where I’ve been brave enough to take my mirrorless camera with me (first one being Iceland)! I know, shocking right? I’ve only just recently upgraded from a Canon 6D Mark II to Canon R5 so you can probably understand my hesitance! Shout out to my friend who works at Canon getting me that staff discount! 😉

My Airport Experience

I thought going through airport security with my camera, lens and gear would be an issue, I mean I did have to pull it out of my camera bag each time I went through security and it did get pushed to the side for further inspection – probably because I had additional camera batteries which I didn’t take out and put into the tray separately, lesson learnt!

So this trip for me was not only about taking an overdue break from my hectic career as a Chartered Accountant in the real estate sector but also it was to really get stuck in with some travel photography as I’ve always wanted to continue developing my skills in Landscape and Nature Photography, my true passion.

What gear did I take with me?

Camera: On to the fun stuff then. So, as I mentioned previously, I’ve recently upgraded to the Canon R5 mirrorless camera at the end of last year. It has only been the best purchase that I have made considering previously I was using a 6D Mark II DSLR. The R5 is one of the latest entries in Canon’s mirrorless cameras, its mainly targeted at photographers that need higher resolution images. It has so many best features: 45 megapixels, 8K video, built in image stabilisation, lightweight and easy controls, advanced autofocus system and many more.

Lens: To pair with my Camera, I decided to pick my most versatile lens – the RF 14-35mm. This was perfect for Landscape photography due to its wide focal length which means that you can get more of the scenery around you into the shot compared to a long focal length lens such as the 80-200mm which tends to give you photos that are a lot more “zoomed in” and narrow angled shot. 

Tripod: I was quite indecisive about taking a tripod with me. Tripods tend to take up space in the suitcase and my current camera bag does not have a strap on the exterior to allow you to attach it externally. So instead of a full size tripod I settled on my smaller manfretto which is travel friendly and still lets you get that perfect stable shot when shooting long exposures.

Camera Straps: I think all of us photographers that use Canon cameras can admit that the straps that are provided by Canon in the box when you first purchase your camera are not that great! Over the years the strap has become thinner and thinner. When you have heavier lens attachments on your camera the canon strap can be quite uncomfortable as it feels like it is digging into the side of your neck.

If you are experiencing the same issue as me, instead invest in this long camera strap which is much wider and definitely more robust.

If you are looking for something a bit more “hands-on” then I would recommend the grip strap which fits perfectly around all hand sizes, it has an adjustment strap so you can make sure it fits comfortably.

Both of these straps you can purchase from Wex Photo Video.

Landscape Photography

Finally, landscape photography is the art of capturing pictures of nature and the outdoors in a way that brings the viewer into the scene. From grand landscapes to intimate details, the best photos demonstrate your own connection to nature and capture the essence of the world around.

Here are some of the shots I took… Enjoy!