One of the nice things about Tasmanian media is that sometimes when we meet up while out and about at jobs, it's like a reunion and it makes me wonder do our subjects wonder how any work gets done at all.

Such was the case at a local high school where, instead of photographing the talent, I was chatting to one of Launceston's legendary lensmen, Rob Burnett, who's been filing photos lately for that other birdcage liner at the bottom of the state.

Macquarie House and Civic Square

While we solved the world's problems and bemoaned the fate of newspaper budgets, a photography student joined our conversation, asking our opinion on the best camera to get.

Rob, with a new Sony kit the envy of us SLR dinosaurs, started talking about mirrorless cameras and lenses, and offered interesting and knowledgeable advice on the latest technology.

What he didn't say was that he was talking many thousands of dollars.

Chalmers church, St John Street

I took a different approach.

For a student, I would recommend a second-hand Nikon D700 full-frame camera or the DX equivalent D300, and 50mm f1.4 lens.

Then learn the theory of exposure, depth of field, shutter speed and composition until it becomes second nature, and be as creative as possible with the 50mm lens.

Best of all, at about $500 on Marketplace, it's something a student could potentially afford.

At the end of that conversation, Rob said, "What he said".

It was time to stop talking and photograph our subjects and steal each other's photo ideas.

Launceston town Hall, St John Street

Brisbane Street and St John Street

Recommending a 50mm lens for a student comes from my own early days of learning photography.

Our teacher insisted the class use Ektachrome 100 daylight film and a 50mm lens, regardless of camera.

That way we were all starting on the same level.

Every image was to be presented full frame, with no cropping.

As a photographer, I was an artist painting a picture, with the viewfinder my canvas, the teacher said.

Therefore, I should only include in my image something I would paint on a canvas.

He was teaching us to be responsible for everything that appeared in the frame.

I think this is one of the most important basics I learnt and spending months using only a 50mm lens was great training.

Hole in the clouds over West Launceston

I like the old Nikon D700 / D300 so much I have a half a dozen of them on a shelf at home.

I got them for a time when I was interested in time-lapse photography and wanted good, cheap cameras to allow me to "time-lapse" a scene from several angles.

These days I take one for a walk from South Launceston to work each day, usually with a 50mm lens.

Paterson Street steeples and sunset

When we moved to South Launceston earlier this year, Prince's Square was about to put on its autumn show.

The 25-minute walk to work took me along Charles and St John streets, through Princes Square.

The afternoon walk became a sunset walk and a night walk as the seasons changed.

Now as I walk past the fountain each evening, the sun shines through an opaque layer of budding leaves.

Princes Square fountain

While an ordinary street scene might not make it to an exhibition, except maybe on my Facebook page, one of the relaxing things I enjoy while on the commute is to shoot a wide panorama by overlapping three photos high by about 12 photos wide.

But other times, I'll take one click, and even though the image is only 12 megapixels, it's still satisfying.

I find one part of the walk special and it has nothing to do with taking photos.

It's the magnificent Josh Foley mural at the vet in Charles Street.

Josh Foley mural at a Charles Street vet

Late December about three Christmases ago, I was working on my computer on a large project I needed finished yesterday, when my wife Michelle and son Nick announced, very excitedly, that they had a great Christmas present idea.

I was preoccupied with finishing the project, so without finding out what the present was, I asked them to go and get it.

I didn't expect them to come back with a cat!

"We could give her such a good life," Michelle wailed, when I said I wanted to send it back.

When the fluffy black kitten pranced across the kitchen floor to its own enclosed kitty litter tray, I was persuaded.

"It comes with its own toilet?"

Our little RSPCA rescue kitten quickly became our favorite child as she grew into the most good-natured ragdoll, who gave us such a good life.

With her tail in the air, she followed us around the house like a dog.

Other times, she would flop onto her side or back, and when we sat down on the couch, she would snuggle between us.

Sadly about a month ago, she suddenly got very sick and our poor little catty went to meet her maker.

There is such a similarity to the black cat on the wall at the front of the vet, for us it is a lovely reminder of our little ragdoll.