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📸 Think you need an expensive camera to take great photos? You really don't. In episode 229 of the Photography Explained Podcast, I take my entry level Canon R100 to Mexico for two weeks — kit lens only — and come back with portfolio-worthy images. Under £500 of gear. Real conditions. No tricks.

In this episode I reveal 7 things an entry level camera can genuinely do brilliantly — and the results might surprise you.

💡 THE 7 THINGS COVERED:

1️⃣ It produces genuinely excellent photos — right out of the box

2️⃣ The kit lens is a much better starting point than you think

3️⃣ Programme mode is a perfectly valid way to shoot

4️⃣ It handles low light significantly better than your phone

5️⃣ A tripod unlocks a whole new level of what's possible

6️⃣ Auto Exposure Bracketing helps you handle tricky light

7️⃣ It will make you a better photographer

🔗 USEFUL LINKS:

📝 Blog Post (Full Episode Text)

🌄 Mexico Portfolio — Shot on the Canon R100

🎓 Photography for Beginners Hub Page

📖 RELATED EPISODES:

• Episode 228 — How to Know If You're Ready to Move from Phone to Camera

• Episode 225 — I Just Got My First Camera, What Do I Do in the First Week?

• Episode 106 — Programme Mode: What Is It? Is It OK For Me to Use It?

• Episode 160 — What Is Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)?

• Episode 60 — What Is a Kit Lens?

🌐 My Website: https://rickmcevoyphotography.com

📺 YouTube Channel: Rick McEvoy Photography

🎓 My courses page

📚 Resources Page

💬 GET IN TOUCH:

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 My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

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Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

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📸 Is your phone holding your photography back — or is it you? In episode 228 of the Photography Explained Podcast, I’m sharing seven honest signs that tell you whether now is the right time to move from your phone to a camera. And if it isn’t quite the right time yet, I’ll tell you exactly what to do instead.

In this episode you will learn:

📱 Sign 1. You keep running into the limits of your phone camera — zooming in that turns to mush, photos that blur in dark rooms, moments you miss because your phone just can’t keep up.

🌸 Sign 2. You want proper control over blurry backgrounds — not the faked portrait mode version, but real optical depth of field that you actually create yourself by controlling your aperture.

🌙 Sign 3. Low light photos keep disappointing you — why small sensors are fighting against physics, and what a camera with a larger sensor genuinely gives you.

💡 Sign 4. You’ve already learned the basics of composition on your phone — because a camera won’t make you a better photographer, only practice does.

🤔 Sign 5. You’re genuinely curious about how cameras work — and why that curiosity is the best predictor of whether you’ll thrive with a camera or leave it in a drawer.

⏰ Sign 6. You’re ready to invest time, not just money — the thing that catches most people out.

🌱 Sign 7. You want to grow as a photographer, not just capture moments — the most important question of all.

Whether you’re a phone photographer wondering if the time is right, or you’re already sold on a camera and want to know what to do next, this episode will give you a clear, honest answer.

📝 Find the full episode blog post here: How to Know If You’re Ready to Move from Phone to Camera

🎙️ Related episodes:

Episode 7 — What Camera Should I Buy? — the best place to start once you’ve decided you’re ready.

Episode 212 — Creative Use of Depth of Field: Blurry Backgrounds, Sharp Subjects — if blurry backgrounds are what’s pulling you towards a camera, this is the episode for you.

Episode 225 — I Just Got My First Camera — What Do I Do in the First Week? — the perfect follow-on episode once you’ve made the move.

➡️ Next episode: 10 Things to Know Before Buying Your First Camera. Out Friday 27th March 2026.

🎞️ Want to watch the full podcast video? It’s exclusively availab

 My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick

Send a text

Your photos are sharp and well-exposed — but they look weirdly orange or horribly blue. Here's how white balance works and how to fix it. 📸

This is one of those photography settings that nobody really explains to beginners. But once you understand it — and it really doesn't take long — you'll stop wondering why your photos look a bit off and start knowing exactly what to do about it. 💡

📚 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN:

✅ What white balance actually is (and why it matters)

✅ Why your indoor photos look too orange 🟠

✅ Why outdoor photos sometimes look too blue or cold ❄️

✅ When to trust Auto White Balance (and when not to)

✅ How to use white balance presets on your camera

✅ How to fix white balance perfectly when you shoot RAW

✅ The grey card trick that professionals use for perfect colour 🎨

Whether you're using a camera or your phone, this episode will help you understand one of photography's most fundamental settings and fix your colour problems for good. 📱📷

💡 THE 7 TIPS COVERED:

1️⃣ What White Balance Actually Is — and Why It Matters

2️⃣ Why Your Indoor Photos Look Too Orange

3️⃣ Why Outdoor Photos Sometimes Look Too Blue or Too Cold

4️⃣ How to Use Auto White Balance — and When to Trust It

5️⃣ How to Use White Balance Presets on Your Camera

6️⃣ How to Fix White Balance in Editing When You Shoot RAW

7️⃣ The Grey Card Trick — Your Secret Weapon for Perfect White Balance

🔗 USEFUL LINKS:

📝 Blog Post (Full Episode Text)

🎓 Photography for Beginners Hub Page:

📖 RELATED EPISODES

• Episode 226 - Why Are My Photos Too Dark? Understanding Exposure for Beginners

• Episode 4 - What Is The Exposure Triangle?

• Episode 21 - What Does Exposure Mean In Photography?

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 My brand new course Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico, will teach you exactly how to get out at sunrise and come back with photos you love all told in plain English. it includes real footage of me photographing an actual sunrise in Mexico with an entry level camera. Find out more at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

If you want to start taking stunning sunrise photos, and why wouldn't you, check out my Photography for Beginners: Sunrise in Mexico course at rickmcevoyphotography.com/courses.

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Support the show

Get your question answered
This is what my podcast is all about: answering your photography questions. Just head over to my shiny new website to find out more about me, my podcast and my photography.

Thanks very much for listening

Cheers from me Rick