We are getting ready to do two of our favorite trips, bird photography in the bayous of Louisiana and from blinds in south Texas. Every year we fly south from our home in Alaska for a little warm weather bird photography during migration. For these trips I carry my 600mm F4, which brings up the Read More
Gear Talk
Nikon Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S II Review
When it comes to workhorse lenses, the 70-200mm fits the bill for many photographers. If you are shooting portraits, events, travel and landscapes, this lens does the job. I have owned every version of the Nikon 70-200mm for the last 30 years, so naturally when Nikon introduced version two of the Z 70-200mm, I was Read More
Waterproof backpacks for photographers
Cree and I have been using waterproof backpacks on a lot of photo trips recently. They are great when you are carrying an extra lens and body in places where the weather gets nasty. Recently we were in Antarctica and the zodiac floor had 2 inches of water sloshing around on it. No normal photo Read More
How we pack for photo trips
We get a lot of questions about how we pack for our photo trips. Last year we had over 70 flights and visited six continents, a normal year for us. Over the years we have fine tuned how we carry our photo equipment depending on the location. And living in Alaska, every trip gets a Read More
Photographing at -47F
I get a lot of questions about shooting in the winter and cold since I live in Alaska. There are different levels of ‘cold’, and photographers need to prepare accordingly. For many -10F is pretty cold. But what about extreme cold? This winter Fairbanks has had more than 22 days of -40F or colder, and Read More
Warmest pants for winter photography
I was recently reminded I had done reviews on all things cold weather clothing…except what pants or bibs I was using. I am very focused on staying comfortable in the extreme cold we experience in arctic Alaska. I spent many years guiding in some very cold places, but the difference now is I am generally Read More
Photography gear for Antarctica
I just returned from three weeks in Antartica, South Georgia and the Falklands. This is a bucket list trip for photographers, one of the most amazing experiences and loaded with beautiful photography opportunities. Cree and I were leading a photo workshop, and this was my second time leading a trip there. Things had changed since Read More
Z9 Firmware Update 5.30
Nikon deserves a big thanks for how many firmware updates they have done on their flagship Z9. This camera is 4 years old, and they are still adding major new features with firmware. We’re not just talking bug fixes and a few new color profiles, we are talking completely new capabilities and functions…incredible! The latest Read More
The warmest winter boot
In my quest to stay warm shooting aurora and winter landscapes in Alaska, I am always on the look out for the best gear possible. Last year I purchased a new pair of bunny boots from the Alaska Gear Company, you can read my review here. I really liked these boots, they were the warmest Read More
The warmest winter sock is…?
If you follow this blog you have seen previous posts on the warmest socks I can find. After countless days in subzero temps living in Alaska (-40F), warm feet are always on my mind! But I absolutely love photographing in winter…low angle light and alpenglow last a long time at northern latitudes, the winter scenes Read More