Gear Talk

This fall I was in Portugal on a fantastic workshop, and one of the participants asked if I would like to borrow his 105mm F1.4. I had shot the 105mm before, and knew it was really nice.  But I had the legendary 85mm F1.4, and have used it as my main portrait lens for years. Read More

It’s that time of the year again!  The holidays are here, and if you are shopping for a photographer, you’re in luck.  The photo industry is exploding with new products.  New camera systems, editing software, lenses, flash accessories…the list is long.  Below I will list some of my favorites covering a wide range of prices. Read More

I’ll be posting my holiday shopping guide next week, and one of the items on this list will be the Think Tank Emergency Rain Cover.  Rain covers typically are too big and often require an instruction manual on how to attach them to your camera.  But wouldn’t it be nice to have a small simple Read More

This summer and fall I was really excited to see all the interest in macro photography on our workshops.  Often overlooked, macro scenes are fascinating and inspirational; who knew what was right at your feet?  Our redwoods workshop is timed perfectly for the Columbia lilies to be in bloom; when you get tried of looking Read More

One of the most common questions I get is what tripod is the best.  Six years ago I did a post on buying the right tripod, so I thought I would update some content.  Here are your basic considerations: -size -weight -stability -amount of use -price -customer service There are a lot of tripods on Read More

Traveling with photography gear can be nerve racking.  The last thing you want to have happen is have your camera gear get broken or stolen.  So we all try to carry it on the plane….until we can’t take it on the plane!  Here are a few things I can pass on that might change your Read More

Less than 5 hours from being home from a workshop in Portugal, I was driving up the winding roads of Big Thompson canyon on my way to Rocky Mountain National Park.  September brings yellow aspens, fresh snow and rutting elk in RMNP.  I really wanted to spend a day in the field with the new Read More

Okay, I haven’t been so excited about a lens showing up on my doorstep for a long time.  I was so excited about receiving my 500mm 5.6 PF yesterday I even tried to intercept the UPS man.  It finally arrived, and after less than a day of shooting, all I can say is ‘Wow’. The Read More

Someone recently asked me if I agreed with all the buzz about the D850 being the best all around camera…i.e. it can do everything great.  For my photography this is an easy answer; yes!  High res portraits…check.  Landscape camera cable of producing huge prints…check.  Sports camera with 9fps using MB-D18 grip…check.  Travel camera that you Read More

What is about photo backpacks?  You can never find the perfect one.  Some are too big, others the compartments aren’t great, zippers blow out or are hard to access.  And my real hang-up…hipbelts that are only a piece of 1 inch webbing!  Having spent many years of my life as a mountaineering guide carrying 80 Read More