I continue to be amazed at the Nikon D850. There is a reason that this camera is still on backorder a year after it was released. Since this is my main camera right now, and I shoot a variety of assignments and subjects, I decided to get the MB-D18 grip. Why get a vertical grip? Read More
Gear Talk
Carrying super telephotos
Each year I travel to Alaska on assignment and to lead workshops. Living there 10 years forever changed my concept of wilderness and wildlife photography! And every year I travel to Alaska, I bring the big glass. I’ve carried everything from 200-400mm, 500mm F4 and 600mm F4 lenses. Prime big glass helps capture those incredible Read More
Carrying big telephotos on the airplane
I just returned from two weeks of assignment work in Alaska, and as usual had a ton of gear with me. Lights for interiors, prime lenses for portraits, travel zooms…and of course the big 600mm F4 for wildlife. While the other gear fits nicely into rollers and backpacks, the 600mm is a beast. But one Read More
Nikon 1.7x
When it comes to teleconverters, everyone thinks 1.4x and 2x. I have used the 1.4x on my 300mm F2.8 on many shoots, and honestly I can barely notice any difference in image quality. 1.4x on a 300mm F2.8 gives you 420mm F4 lens. Autofocus is still plenty fast even with one stop less light. Put Read More
Rain Covers
I was recently photographing burrowing owls in eastern Colorado during a rainy few days, so of course I put on my rain cover to protect my gear. Pro level lenses and bodies are well sealed against the elements, but they are not waterproof. I really like that Nikon has eliminated the popup flash on the Read More
Nikon AF-P 70-300mm F4.5-5.6E
I’m always on the lookout for new Nikon lenses. They just keep getting better, sharper and lighter, so updating our lenses happens on a regular basis. One lens that has been a hit with many Nikon shooters was the 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G, a low cost zoom with excellent performance. This lens was sharp, and costing around Read More
Elinchrom ELB500 first look
I just returned from teaching a lighting class in Las Vegas, and I was able to get my hands on the ELB 500 for the class. I think Elinchrom makes the best strobes in the business; their packs shine in all conditions and withstand years of hard use and abuse. They stand above in a Read More
Battle of the 300mm lenses
Since both my wife and I are photographers, we have a lot of lenses. We tried the idea of ‘sharing lenses’ until we both saw the same incredible eagle photo and we only had one long telephoto lens. So we have doubles of a few of our favorite lenses, including the venerable 300mm. This focal Read More
Keep your feet warm
It is the heart of winter here in Colorado, and the mountains are getting lots of new snow. This time of year I travel into the mountains to photograph winter sports, landscapes and wildlife. Star photography is also great this time of year. But the one thing that can dampen any photographer’s enthusiasm for winter Read More
LensCoat
If you have ever watched wildlife photographers lining up on a bear in Yellowstone, chances are most of the big lenses were in camo. What is this, and why do I want it? LensCoat makes terrific custom-fitted neoprene covers, and if you use your big glass a lot for wildlife, then you want one. The Read More