After years of borrowing cameras from friends, it finally arrived: my very own camera, a Nikon D7200, featuring a 24-megapixel sensor and the ability to record videos at 60 frames per second. That last feature was exactly what convinced me to choose this model. Anyone who works with video production knows how useful high frame rates can be.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t give it much attention when it first arrived. I had an animation project to finish, and animations have a way of consuming all of your time. Once the project was delivered, though, it was finally time to head outside and start shooting.
Testing the Nikon D7200 for Photography and Video
With the camera wrapped around my hand, I walked through the streets of my neighborhood. It is remarkable how photography changes the way you observe the world. Suddenly, I began noticing details I had never paid attention to before. My eyes became alert to everything around me, yet I still struggled to find a compelling photograph. There was simply too much to see.
I passed by the local bakery, turned left, and a few houses ahead I spotted a small sidewalk garden. Still clumsy with my new camera, I took three quick shots and found myself satisfied with the result. At that moment, I decided to focus on photographing the neighborhood’s gardens.
As I continued walking, I reached the jogging track in my hometown—if memory serves me right, the only one we have. Along the path, I noticed several flowering plants and moved closer to photograph them.
I carried on with my journey as an unofficial chronicler of other people’s gardens, crossing the city one photograph at a time. Then one garden, in particular, captured my attention.
The garden belonged to a house near the jogging track. In fact, it is the same image featured as the cover photo of this post. Let me show it to you again.
The Most Memorable Photograph of the Day
I can’t quite explain what drew me toward it in that moment. I rarely overthink when taking photographs. Looking at it now, however, I can identify a few reasons.
First, there is the sheer presence of this garden. Look at how robust it is—a small urban jungle flourishing in the middle of the city. Consider the amount of space it occupies; the homeowner dedicated a significant portion of the property to it.
There is a certain wildness to the composition without sacrificing beauty. It feels like a fragment of the Brazilian Cerrado biome transplanted into a suburban backyard. Without a doubt, it is a garden full of personality.
I hope you enjoyed these photographs as much as I enjoyed taking them. Feel free to share them on Facebook or any other social media platform. Just don’t forget to mention that you were the one who took them. 😉
