I am a northern transplant - from the great state of Minnesota to the warm and wonderful state of South Carolina.

. . . Critique away . . .

ATTENTION -My list of followers is very important to me but has grown quite a bit over time. With this growth comes drawbacks. I no longer have the time to communicate as much as I like. Please do not take this personally or negatively. I no longer get the chance to visit all streams and see all the wonderful images (which I treasure). I no longer make as many comments and perhaps more importantly, I make much briefer comments. This does bother me, as I feel more detailed and caring statements were the backbone of the experience. It's just not possible anymore. I've seen some say they have cut back on their following to better enrich their experience. This does not seem ideal, either. I am torn as to which method is best. For now, please accept my apologies for being somewhat lame. I DO VALUE all of you and will try to actively participate as much as I can.

My name is Michael Anderson, better known as Mike, but you may call me Augphoto, or even Auggie. Like many, photography is my passion. Being born and raised in northern Minnesota all but assured a healthy relationship with nature and it’s infinite nuances. Learning to hunt, fish, camp and otherwise enjoy the outdoors was a right of passage in this small corner of the world, as was an ongoing appreciation of sports. Photography for me manifested itself in the need to document these activities and all the visual wonders which I experienced through them. As life went on, the creation of my own family caused an increased interest in capturing the human experience, on a whole new level. First came the candid pictures, which I still much prefer, then came an interest in more formal portraiture. As a byproduct of equipping myself with the tools of portrait photography and my interest in natural macro photography I, also, became involved in the art of the still life.

Today, I routinely explore most all the various sub-genres of photography, including travel photography, street photography, and event photography, in addition to those studies already mentioned. In todays world it is often mentioned that one must specialize in order to stand out. Perhaps I am going against common wisdom and maybe it is to my own detriment. But my goal is to document all of life and whatever comes with it. So, I will continue my varied approach and though I indeed have favorite areas of photography nothing will be safe from my camera.

I fervently hope you enjoy viewing my work, as I have definitely enjoyed creating it.

At the end of the day, however, I'm just another camera guy.

My Gear

After much thought and deliberation, I have switched from Sony equipment to Canon gear, specifically to the Canon EOS 7D. No Canon backup camera, for the foreseeable future, will be scary. Someday I will get a full-frame.

*** I now have a full-frame. The 5D Mark III and I have a lot to learn. It is great to have a backup again. I feel much more secure.

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For support I have the following -

Bogen 3022

Manfrotto 3021BPRO

Vanguard Elite CP-364 Monopod

Ergo Rest MultiTripod/Window Pod

RRS BH-55 LR: Full-sized ballhead with LR

My bag of choice is the Lowepro Mini Trekker AW, although I have many others.