Thoughts on beginning photography

If you have been following my Instagram, you have seen how I like to hunt down scenes and try to capture odd and interesting people, objects, and things from around the world. I'll spend hours wandering streets and allies at any time of day or night looking for that thing, something unexpected, something beautiful:

For the longest time I did these with just an iPhone 7+. Back in February, I was at Mardi Gras having a drink on Burbon St when my phone got snatched from my pocket. I was planning to use that phone until it was a useless nub, but I found myself at the New Orleans Apple Store the next day parting with some precious cash to get a new iPhone.

My policy on tech purchases is to buy a max config. It is more expensive but I don't replace gear unless it is broken, and not in a "whoopsy I broke it, I guess I get to upgrade" way either. Based on my policy, I went with the iPhone 11 Pro Max, which a big chunk of change after tax, Applecare+, and an Otterbox case.

The upgrade is pretty significant, we're talking several years of imaging upgrades all at once.

Zooming in all the way is pretty amazing too: