Camera: Nikon D200 Lens: Nikkor 18-200/3.5-5.6 Digital: 10.2 MP [24x16] CCD Software: Adobe Lightroom
Location: Galápagos Islands Date: June 2007 Lighting: Daylight Genre: Travel
As I sat in the Zodiac amongst fellow travelers off the Galápagos Islands, I was getting acquainted with my very first digital camera — the Nikon D200. It was mid-2007, and I was late to the digital party, still rooted in the world of film. Looking back, I wouldn’t recommend trying out your first digital camera on an expensive trip — but sometimes, lessons learned the hard way leave the deepest impression.
It took me a full day to realize I didn’t need to advance the film and that I could change the ISO anytime I wanted. Those simple revelations felt revolutionary. I was instantly hooked.
The only lens I brought, however, was Nikon’s 18–200mm f/3.5–5.6G VR — a super-zoom that proved more convenient than exceptional. My copy wasn’t particularly sharp at the extremes, but it got the job done and taught me to work with what I had. That practicality turned out to be the real gift.
What Darwin Saw
What Darwin Saw was captured from a Zodiac as our group explored the misty waters near the Isabela and Fernandina islands. The early light was golden and soft, and the Nikon D200 performed admirably on its maiden voyage, any issues being user error rather than equipment fault.
Back home, I began backing up files onto portable hard drives — a practice I still follow today, archiving both digital and scanned film images each year. Not long after, a non-profit organization selected What Darwin Saw for a conservation calendar — a small but proud milestone that connected my art to a meaningful cause.
Over time, I upgraded to the Nikon D700, which served me faithfully through my teaching years, before eventually transitioning to Fujifilm’s mirrorless systems. While I still appreciate Nikon’s color science and design, Fujifilm brought me closer to the tactile joy I’d always loved about photography.
MY NIKON D200 KIT FOR SALE
Closing
Embarking on a new photographic journey — whether digital or film — always involves growing pains. If there’s one lesson I took from that Galápagos trip, it’s this: never take an unfamiliar camera on a major journey before learning its workflow. Explore it at home first, experiment with its quirks, and understand its rhythm.
Even so, mistakes can lead to unexpected gifts. What Darwin Saw, created with a 10MP camera and an imperfect lens, remains one of my favorite images. It’s a reminder that creativity and vision matter far more than megapixels or technical perfection — and that every adventure, however flawed, can lead to something lasting.