When you see a professional landscape photo, usually in a gallery, a magazine cover or photobook, there is just something different...it's jumps out to you as "pro level." In today's episode, I do a deep dive into how you can achieve this same look and vibe in your own photography.  Spoiler alert, there is no shortcut.  But, I do have a roadmap. It involves a lot of the "classic" photo ingredients like timing and aperture, but the list goes well beyond that.  And frankly, it's the combination of all or most of these techniques that give that pro look. I hope you enjoy and get ..read more

The wide angle lens is a thing of beauty--it's probably the most crucial piece of any photographer's gear bag.  They're a must for landscape photography, but also really excellent at travel and cultural photography, and even wildlife photography if you get the right one.  Plus, they give you a lot of bang for your buck and are often a beginner photographer's first entry into high quality lenses due to relative affordability.   In this episode I dive into everything that makes up this category of lens, including zoom range and ideal focal lengths, aperture ratings, overall qualit ..read more

This episode is full of so many gems!  Today I talk with Arthur Lefo, an extraordinary wildlife photographer out of Denver (and Jackson Hole) whose meteoric rise with photography has been nothing short of inspirational. In this episode, we talk a lot about his strategy, thoughts, and workflow when setting up, taking the photo, and processing the result.  We talk about positioning with wildlife, following the light, and his intuitive way to edit photos using mostly gradients and brushes.  And we get some fantastic ideas and techniques for the best bear photography! Again, this e ..read more

It's shocking, demoralizing and just wrong...you nail the shot but then you go back later and look at your "prized" photos and they all have a slight blur to them.  Or worse, they're  really blurry! Either way, I have the explanation and solution for you. It this episode, I do a deep dive into all the reasons this happens, and specific guidance on how to avoid this in the future.  I talk a good bit about shutter speed, but also explain how ISO, aperture, focusing mechanisms and even lens quality can play a major role. This is a big one, but oh so worth the listen--it may be a ..read more

Zoom Telephoto lenses are the workhorses of wildlife photography. However, there are many attributes that differ between each "class" of zoom telephoto. Whether you're deciding which telephoto to bring on your next trip or are just wanting to know what to look for in your next purchase, this covers it all. In this episode, we dive into the various components that you should consider when picking out a lens for wildlife photography, including max telephoto length, range, build quality, image quality, and aperture. I specifically go over the pros and cons of different features and which ones ar ..read more

Ready to immerse yourself in the captivating world of blue hour photography? We've got you covered with our tried and tested tips and tricks to help you master this enchanting time of day. Discover the beauty of capturing the gradient of light from the horizon to the cosmos, and how both urban and natural settings can yield stunning results. I'll explain the importance of having just the right amount of light to aid in composition and storytelling, and why using a wide angle or ultra wide angle lens can elevate your blue hour photos to new heights. Gear up as we dive into the technical aspect ..read more

Bear photography is one of the most spectacular forms of wildlife photography on planet earth.  It's also one of the most popular, with summertime Brown Bear photography in places like Alaska and Yellowstone National Park being a yearly ritual for many wildlife photographers. In this episode, I dive into the many strategies and pro tips for bear photography to ensure you get the absolute best photos during your bear photography adventure.  While most of my examples speak about Brown Bears, you'll quickly realize that these tips are very generalizable for all bear photography, be it ..read more

In this episode I go through all of my camera gear discussing what I have and why I have each piece, whether its a lens, a tripod, an accessory, etc. I've always found this to be a super useful tool in broadening ones horizons with photography and learning from others.  In addition to the things I do have, I mention certain things I do not in order to break out what I view as essential, nice-to-have, and can-do-without. Although I call out specific brands and models, this definitely isn't meant to be salesy at all.  It's really just a way for you to understand the what and why behin ..read more

When you're a traveling nature photographer, having a great camera bag is a must.  In this snapshot episode I talk about the components of a great camera bag and give recommendations for my favorite styles for each type of photo adventure ..read more

Extraordinary wildlife, stunning scenery, and a travel vibe that is just plain awesome--African safaris are the best!   Today we dive deep into all things African safari photography including gear advice, trip planning advice, as well as specific photo strategies for wildlife, sunrise, blue hour, and landscape photography (and more) in Africa. I continue with a detailed overview of safari regions, discussing the merits and specifics of East Africa and Southern Africa photo safaris, getting down to the country level. And finally, we discuss what a typical day looks like on the best Afric ..read more