I have been following your blog since you went to Africa...I was a frequent lurker on AllNurses.com as a former PICU nurse. (I am currently an OB nurse in Rochester, NY). Anyway, I have always wanted to ask you what kind of camera/lenses you use, because you always so beautifully capture a person's spirit in your photos. And your photos have incredible color.
I love photography, so I'm always happy to talk about it! =)
My camera is now considered a dinosaur; the Canon 20D. I think the closest equivalent that they make now is the 40D. Almost all of my portraits are shot with a Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens, usually pretty wide open. For landscape and wider-angle stuff, I have a Sigma 18-120 f/something that I can't remember right now.
I like Canon because I love their glass. I also have an 85mm f/1.8, but I don't break it out much on the ship - I'm never usually able to get far back enough to use it!
I read the newspaper article. Great story! I know you must get very busy, but I noticed what your mom said, and I'm a mom, so... call home, please! ; )