Message from John Stevenson
As soon as I saw the $15 Nikon Nuvis E10 at my local drugstore when I was eight I knew I had to get it. Sure, my weekly allowance was a dime times my age (taking “don’t spend it all in one place” to a whole new level), but I had a goal. A few months later I was the proud owner of my first, of many, Nikons. My equipment certainly has evolved – my style, too – but not my passion. I’m in love with the art today just as I was ten years ago; capturing the best possible photograph I can still drives me.
My photography has two distinct approaches: the photographs that I plan and those where I suspect I just get lucky. Sometimes I visualize every dimension of an image in my head – composition, lens, aperture, shutter speed, film, lighting, processing, post-processing – months or even years before actually capturing it. But then, many of my best photographs weren’t taken like that at all. So much of photography is just going out and finding something completely surprising, and capturing life the way it really is: unexpected and constantly changing. Knowledge of your equipment and the art of composition are beneficial but not essential.
Today, when I go out shooting, I try to find compositions that I can turn into arresting images. Sometimes I’ll set out with a goal in mind; sometimes I won’t. Today, after years of capturing still life, nature, and water images, I’m trying to take my work in a new direction: to photographs of us, the people in this astounding world.
What’s the best way to get better at photography? Shoot. Relentlessly. I’ve taken over 20,000 photographs in the past four years alone, and I still have so much to learn. Thank you for looking at my work, I hope you enjoy it.
I am currently a sophomore in college at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania studying mechanical engineering.
I would like to thank everyone who has helped me get this far with their generous support.
John Stevenson (Jestev)
Member NPPA
Current Gear:
Nikon N70, N6006, Nuvis E10; D300, D50 | Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S DX, Tokina 12-24mm 124 f/4 AT-X AF Pro DX, Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF, Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX, Nikkor 28-85mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-n Macro, Nikkor 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D AF, Nikkor 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6D AF, Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6D AF, Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 AI, Nikkor 28mm f/2.8 AI-S, Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI-S, Tamron 1.4x Teleconverter
Minolta XG-7 | Minolta 50mm f/1.7 MD Rokkor-X, Minolta 100-200mm f/5.6 MD Zoom Rokkor-X, Minolta 35mm f/1.8 MD W.Rokkor-X
Canon S1 IS, SD850IS
Ricoh Shotmaster Zoom
SanDisk Extreme IV 4GB CF (2x)
SanDisk Extreme III 2GB SD (2x), Patriot Memory EP Plus 2GB SD (1x), PQI 1 GB CF (1x)
Quantaray QDC-900WA
Gary Fong Lightsphere II P2, C2, and Chromedome
Sekonic L-208, Kodak Grey Cards
Lowepro Stealth Reporter D400 AW
Lowepro Nova 3 AW
Lowepro Rezo 15
Tenba P262 Medium Photo Backpack
Cokin Z-PRO System
Nikon MC-36
Nikon ML-3 (returned)
Nikon ML-L3
Future Purchases:
Nikon MB-D10
Nikon SB800
Holga 120N
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