Originally posted on April 23, 2024

Despite a rather strange April snow storm last week, spring has actually come to Saskatoon. Many things spring to mind (no pun intended!) including spring cleaning and photographing the spring migration.

Okay, for the record, I do clean my camera every time I take it out. It’s pretty standard protocol when one works with any kind of optical equipment but, in dusty Saskatchewan, it’s extra important. So, when planning an outing or a session, I spend the night before prepping my gear.

How do I clean my camera? I start by taking the lens off and locking the shutter up so I can blow air on the sensor to remove dust particles. Do NOT used canned air! Few people realize that those cans are actually chemical and therefore, leave marks on the sensor. A hand squeezy blower is more than enough. And of course, hold the camera in such a way that gravity can also do some of the work.

Next up is to clean the lenses. Again, my hand blower is more than enough to get the big particles off although, I should probably invest in a quality brush. Using Kim Wipes and a store bought solution for cleaning camera lenses, I spritz the wipe and carefully wipe the lens using large circles. Remember that there are two sides to your lenses – the part that is attached to your camera and the part that points at your subject. That last part should have a UV filter and yes, I don’t take it off to clean everything as much as possible.

I recently went a step deeper with my sensor as there was a water mark that just wouldn’t budge. Some photographers say not to touch your sensor yourself and that you should take it for a professional to do. Others recommend doing it frequently so it’s a skill you must learn. After speaking to some guys at Don’s Photo, I decided to try it myself and if I mess up, they could do it for me. I have to admit that it really wasn’t that hard but that could have just been beginners luck!

So, now that I had a super clean camera after my regular and spring cleaning frenzy, what to shoot? Instead of testing things out on people, I headed down to the weir here in Saskatoon. Alas, there were no pelicans that morning but I did snap many photos of a couple of Canadian Geese and a certain little mustelid who was having way too much fun tormenting them!