I just returned from two weeks in New Mexico teaching photo workshops in Bosque Del Apache and White Sands NP. The groups were terrific, and the photography was spectacular. Bosque Del Apache has flooded new ponds this year, so the birds were in different places…but there were plenty of birds, and incredible light. Bosque Del Read More
Gear Talk
Nikon Z9 First Look
I have to admit, I have never received so many emails about a new camera launch. Last week my email was humming with questions about the new Nikon Z9. And with good reason…Nikon shooters have been waiting for the flagship mirrorless camera, and now they have it. There are a lot of great camera systems Read More
USB Battery Charging Z7II
One thing that Nikon has introduced with their mirrorless cameras is external USB-C charging. The Z6II and Z7II, using EN-EL15c batteries, can be charged by simply plugging the camera into an outlet using the external EH-7P cord, or using a battery with suitable charger. If I am charging using an AC outlet, I will just Read More
Nikon 20mm F1.8 Z review
The 20mm F1.8 has been one of my go-to lenses for landscape photography. Just a little wider than a 24mm, but not over the top like a 16mm…it just looks good to me when I frame up my landscape images. I knew this was a lens I wanted for my Nikon Z system, and I Read More
Cropping versus using a teleconverter
Recently I had someone send me a note and ask why I even bother bringing a long telephoto lens for wildlife when you can just crop down from the original file. And wouldn’t the image look better if they cropped down instead of using a teleconverter to produce the same subject size. This photographer had Read More
MacBook Air 13″ 2021 M1 chip
A few weeks ago I was backing up over 10,000 images on a big commercial shoot in Alaska. I had my 11″ MacBook Air to process images and backup flashcards to external drives. I loved this laptop, it was so light it felt like an iPad, I didn’t even know it as in my pack. Read More
The D6 has a new firmware update available. This improves autofocus performance, as well as tweaks Auto ISO performance. Click here to get the link. The D6 appeals to pros, sports and wildlife photographers, and comes with a big price tag. But you get what you pay for. I have been consistently impressed with this Read More
My number one rule of packing for air travel.
I’ll be getting on a few planes this summer on my way to workshops and assignments. After over a year of not flying, it is nice to be packing for some trips. Next up is Alaska for a bear photography workshop, and many participants have been asking about packing for the trip. Since I have Read More
The Justin Clamp
Here is one piece of gear that is so versatile I take it on all my shoots. The Justin Clamp, or Manfrotto 175F clamp, is one piece of useful gear. We just returned from photographing hummingbirds in Arizona, and we used these clamps in a number of ways. Take a look at the photo above. Read More
Singh-Ray Filters
I’ve been using Singh-Ray filters my entire career, and I never leave the office without 3-4 in my pack. My normal selection includes polarizers, ND filters, graduated ND and reverse ND filters. These filters allow me to create photographs that are not possible unless I am using them. I also find that I change compositions Read More