Here are some links I mentioned on my Night Sky Presentation I also recommend them to people on my photo tour. Starry Landscape Stacker (MAC) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/starry-landscape-stacker/id550326617 Sequator (PC) https://sites.google.com/site/sequatorglobal/ Focus Stacking Helicon Focus  https://www.heliconsoft.com Weather Underground: http://www.wunderground.com/ Cloud cover info, Maps and Radar then interactive Radar and or Satellite, Astronomy Section and hourly forecast   Clear Dark Sky http://www.cleardarksky.com/   Dark Site Finder www.darksitefinder.com   ..read more

Camera Bags comes come in a large variety of choices and features. Here are some questions to ask yourself when shopping for the best bag.   Does the camera bag fit all of your gear? I would recommend you make a checklist of what you need. It is important to buy a camera bag that fits all your gear you actively use. Make sure you have room for any gear you plan on buying in the future. If you’re going to buy a second body, another lens or a second flash, make sure it fits in the new bag. Does your bag offer protection in bad weather? Is there a hood to protect it from the rain or snow? For m ..read more

I just finished a photo tour of the Great Smoky Mountains. It was a fun group. We had a great time. We photographed bears with cubs, great rivers, and other landscapes. It was our last day and we got stuck in a traffic jam in Cades Cove. This is not that common on a weekday in April. What is causing this jam I wondered? Must be bears. As we drove down the one way road it ended up being a male turkey blocking the cars. I drove my van past the turkey and pulled over. It was a beautiful male in breeding plumage. Everyone in my group bailed out of the van to photograph this roadside Tom. As soo ..read more

Just got back from another successful northern lights trip. Alaska is incredible the Aurora has been active every night we have been there (7+ years). Some nights the Aurora is blocked by the clouds but this is very unusual. March is one of Alaska’s clearest months. This is also one of the most active time of year ..read more

Here are two of my favorite sites for keeping up with the new photo technology and reviews I recommend A.) Digital Photography Review websitehttps://www.dpreview.com/B.) DXO Markhttps://www.dxomark.com ..read more

Here are some quick notes on Mirrorless vs DSLR. The choice is not easy. Mirrorless cameras are now big business right from the entry-level consumer market up to professional use. DSLRs and mirrorless cameras both show the scene through the camera lens itself as you compose the picture, but the way they display it is completely different.The DSLR design show the view through the camera lens was to use a mirror in the body to reflect and image of the scene up into the viewfinder. Mirrorless cameras take a different approach ..read more

Sea Otter This photo of a Sea Otter was taken from a boat along the Alaska coast during last year’s photo tour. I have been lead several Alaska photo tours and workshops so I have a lot of experience photographing from a boat.. Here are two great tips on photographing wildlife from a boat. Tip number 1Make sure it is a small boat. Simply because you can get closer to your subjects. It is much easier to get a full frame subject. It is a better perspective since you are closer to eye level. You can hear the splashes, dives, vocalizations e ..read more

Five kinds of loons nest in Alaska: common, red-throated, Pacific, arctic, and yellow-billed. Loons are excellent divers. They can stay underwater more than a minute and have been found caught in fish nets 240 feet (73 m) deep. They propel themselves underwater with their feet, using their wings for turning. Loons feed on small fish but are also known to eat aquatic vegetation, insects, mollusks, and frogs. When alarmed, loons prefer diving for safety to flying. When you photograph animals in the water look at the backgrou ..read more

As you are reading this I should be on a plane to Alaska. The northern lights are calling me back. Hopefully it is not super cold although I am dressed for it. I will be coleading a trip with good friend and expert Galactic Photographer John Chumack. For those of you in the northern parts of the country keep an eye on the aurora forecast it is peak season for the year. Hope you all get to see it ..read more

Sea Otter This photo of Sea Otter was taken from a boat along the Alaska coast during last year’s photo tour. Here are two great tips on photographing wildlife from a boat. Tip number 1Make sure it is a small boat. Simply because you can get closer to your subjects. It is much easier to get a full frame subject. It is a better perspective since you are closer to eye level. You can hear the splashes, dives, vocalizations etc. This can also be a disadvantage if some animals are too loud and smell awful (for example: Stellar Sea Lions).It w ..read more