I recently facilitated a wide-ranging discussion about photography for an online photo mentoring club and fielded a few questions about gear and equipment. I used those questions as an opportunity to update the "Inside Our Camera Bags" section of our website, which we share in response to the questions we get about our photo equipment. Beyond the typical laundry list of camera gear, we annotate the list to help explain why we use some of these items. While a lot of these things will seem obvious to experienced photographers, we hope this compilation will be helpful to newer photographers who are trying to establish their photography kit for the first time. In addition to this post, we will maintain an updated list here (for anyone visiting well after the publish date for this post).
Read MoreOver the past few years, I have been working on tweaking my cold weather gear so I could more comfortably photograph during the winter and in cold temperatures. After a trip to a very frigid Yellowstone National Park this winter, I think I have finally found a winning combination. No more ice-cold hands, nearly frozen toes, and general cold-weather misery for me!
With so many options for winter gear, I thought it might be helpful to put all of my lessons learned and advice in one spot to help others who want to photograph in winter but are not sure where to start in terms of choosing gear. In this post, I will share some thoughts on using camera gear in cold weather, choosing the right clothing, and some basic tips on being prepared for wintery conditions.
Read MoreAn important note: I like my camera gear because it is a means to an end – it creates the files I need to create photographs. I know as much technical stuff as I need to know to be a proficient photographer and not much more. This is not meant to be a technical review with things like file comparisons and a comprehensive overview of useless camera features (like the direct print option, which seems out of place on an $1,800 camera). It is only meant to summarize my initial impressions of my new favorite camera for my needs as a landscape photographer. Since I could not find any reviews on the camera written by landscape photographers, I thought it would be helpful to share a few observations for anyone looking to upgrade from a 5D2 or move to a Canon full-frame camera.
Read MoreOverall, the F-Stop Loka pack is a perfect size for my needs, carries my mix of photo gear very well, and is very comfortable. Since I got the pack in early May of this year, I have worn it on hikes totaling about 35 miles in all kinds of different conditions – raining in the Colorado mountains, freezing on the Colorado prairie, along the Oregon coast, in the Columbia River Gorge (raining again), and in warm weather in Moab. So far, the construction seems very solid and I expect it to last as well as any other well-made pack. I do wish that F-Stop made a women’s version by modifying the hip belt and the shoulder straps (more on that later). That would make it a nearly perfect pack for me.
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