Having just returned from two weeks of really fun and very productive photography on some of the best private ranches in south Texas, I’ve had a lot of time to think and rethink about the design of the bird blinds we used, and some of the others we saw in use. In this case I’m not talking about the physical blind structures where we, the photographers, sit. That part of the blinds has continued to evolve for the better over the six plus years I’ve been shooting there. They are more comfortable and better positioned than ever. No, in this case I’m talking about the part of the blind where the real action is, the “stage” where birds and mammals hopefully appear and are photographed… Read more »
I'm pleased to announce our next trip back to the magical wildlife photography of the Okavango Delta and Linyanti/Savuti areas of Botswana. Once again we've been able to secure accommodations at several of the very best camps in the country--on private concessions in prime areas for photo safaris. We've made the trip modular so whether you only have a limited time to spend with us or the luxury of an extended safari you can participate. And we've added a special discount for non-shooting or casual shooting companions who don't need as much room and weight for camera gear. Read on to learn more...
Like most nature photographers, I’ve used photo backpacks for most of my life. They’re great for getting around, working from vehicles, and fitting into small planes. But lugging them through airports or conference centers – especially when combined with other luggage – is hard work, and doesn’t get any easier with age. A roller bag that doubles as a backpack is the obvious solution, but there hasn’t been one that is compact enough to fit nicely in an overhead or on a vehicle seat, until now … Read more »
One of the niftiest new filters in Photoshop’s bag of tricks is the Iris Blur filter. It mimics the behavior of limited depth of field by blurring the image outside a customizable “iris” shape. As usual, Photoshop provides plenty of options for controlling the radius of the non-blurred area (both an inner “hot spot” and outer "total effect” area), the shape of the iris, and the amount of focusing you want within the iris. Unlike using a wide-open aperture on your camera to blur the background, Photoshop doesn’t “know” which objects are close or far, so you need to craft the shape of the iris yourself. Fortunately Photoshop also lets you add multiple different iris blurs to create effects that would not be possible with a camera… Read more »
Lens flare can be a major problem when photographing wide-angle scenics, especially through large groves of trees. Sometimes the sun is close enough to the frame that it isn’t possible to completely block it out without changing the composition of the photograph. Removing it after the fact is difficult if not impossible with traditional photo editing tools. One common approach is to use the Patch tool in Photoshop. Fortunately for all of us, the new Photoshop CS6 Patch tool can be made content-aware, and does a remarkably solid job helping fix lens flare… Read more »
Each generation of Nikon flash systems has become more powerful and flexible, but also more complex. Understanding how the latest version, dubbed Creative Lighting System (CLS) works, and how to make the most of it, can be a daunting task, especially since each Nikon flash unit has slightly different controls, and works in a slightly different way. Fortunately, Mike Hagen’s new book, The Nikon Creative Lighting System, provides an easy-to-read, soup-to-nuts, dissection of CLS and specific, detailed instructions on how to use it with just about every model of Nikon flash – both on and off camera.
While not one of the marquee new features of Photoshop CS6, the Adaptive Wide Angle filter can help with one of the trickiest post-processing situations – correcting the distortion caused by using a wide angle lens. At the same time it can help reshape the image to draw attention to the subject in an image, which can be tricky if the subject isn’t the closest object to the camera…. Read more »
I’ve been fortunate enough to get to spend some time with a production model Nikon D800 this week (thanks Adam!) and put it through its paces – shooting sports, scenics, and EDLs. The first thing I noticed about the D800 is that it is one solid camera, almost exactly the same size and weight as the Nikon D700, at 2.2 lbs. Many of the control updates from the D7000 and the D4 have been included, giving the camera a more contemporary design than the D700 which was Nikon’s previous high-end “small-bodied” DSLR... Read more »
The Nikon D800 set the all time record score of 95 on its DxOMark tests, eclipsing the previous "king for 3 days," the Nikon D4. In short, purchasers of either camera are likely to be delighted with the images they get. Of course there is more to a camera than just the image quality, but if you'd like to read up on all the scores of the D800 and the D4 you can head over to the DxOMark feature story. You can back-order the Nikon D800 for $2999 from B&H, or the Nikon D4 for $5999.
Canon today announced a new version of its popular 5D camera. The new Canon EOS 5D Mark III is an upgrade all around. Featuring an updated 22.3MP sensor the new model has plenty of resolution for almost everyone. And at 6fps, it meets the minimum requirements for serious action photography – unlike the paltry 4fps of the Nikon D800, otherwise a stellar offering. The Canon also offers built-in HDR, a huge ISO range showcasing low-light performance, solid construction, dual CF and SD slots, and upgraded processing and AF sub-systems… Read more »
As a travel and nature photographer, I’m often carrying a large bag full of gear. But for many shorter trips, or for photo tours where I’ll only need shorter lenses, I’m always looking for the perfect travel photo bag that can double as my briefcase. It needs room for at least two cameras (I’m willing to check my third in a solid case or bring a rolling camera bag if I can carry a lot of gear on the plane), a few lenses, and at least one of my flashes. However, I also need to stash my laptop and papers in it – and these days even a tablet. So camera-only bags just don’t cut it. And most briefcases aren’t well suited as camera bags.
Nikon’s worst kept secrets, the Nikon D800 DSLR and Nikon D800e DSLR were, dare I say finally, announced yesterday. At 36MP and $3,000, it blows the doors off the raw pixel-per-dollar performance of Nikon’s flagship Nikon D3X – an $8K camera with lower resolution that uses older technology. And Nikon has amped up the video capability by leaps and bounds on the D800 and D800e. But is one of them the right camera for you… Read more »
Despite being crazy addicted to Nikon DSLRs, I usually find myself carrying a Canon point and shoot. Canon has consistently shipped small, usable, models that take great images. Sometimes it has gotten it wrong and packed too many pixels or too much zoom into too small a package, but year in and year out there have always been a few standout models. Read more »
As the old saying goes, “f/8 and be there.” That can be just as true of wildlife photography. Even after 12 years of photographing Alaskan Coastal Brown bears every summer, I am surprised with new opportunities each time. This photo of a sow (mother bear) playing “hide and seek” with her cub just won 1st place in the Professional Mammals (I think that means that the photographer is a professional – not the animals) category of the National Wildlife Federation 2011 photo competition. I’m frankly really honored, as the other winning images are all amazing. A special shout out to fellow bear watchers and dedicated biologists Laura Romin and Larry Dalton, who took first place in the Amateur Baby Animals contest. The images are all showcased on the NWF website and in the November issue of their magazine. Read more »
It has become almost impossible to actually figure out how big a sensor is, or how long a lens is, just by glancing at the specs. For most of the photography industry, for many decades, 35mm was more or less the norm. By definition that meant a standard size film negative, about 35mm by 24mm – corresponding to today’s “full frame” sensors – and a simple measurement of focal length for lenses could be read right of the lens as a result. Read more »
Each year I think our Alaska safaris can’t get any better. But this year, our twelfth of visiting with the Bears and Puffins alongside the spectacular volcanoes and the mountains lining the Cook Inlet was the best yet. We had two fun groups (kept small as always so we can move around with the bears and provide lots of personal instruction) and our daughter Annie helping with lessons on Photo Books and with the gear hauling…
July is a special time for the bears of the Cook Inlet. Just about all the moms have brought their cubs out into the open along the water to graze, to learn to clam and to start thinking about fishing. It is still early enough that the bears are fairly relaxed and haven’t starting panicking in their fall rush to put on weight for winter. We were treated to many scenes of cubs and moms playing and mothers nursing both spring cubs (born this winter in the den and first out in the world only a couple months ago) and “yearling” cubs—last years spring cubs in their final year before being kicked out by their moms.
Main trip: January 9, 2013 - January 22, 2013 (almost sold out, so act soon!)
Optional Special Unspoiled Upper Irrawaddy River Trip Extension: January 21-29, 2013.
Deluxe Myanmar: For those looking for the ultimate Myanmar experience but who may have already visited the Cambodian temples, you can join us January 14, 2013 in Yangon and take part in the Burma portion of the main trip and also the river extension.
Southeast Asia is one of the world's most exotic destinations, and one of the most photogenic. The great monument sites of Southeast Asia are unique in their variety and scale. Taken together, sites in Siem Reap (the Angkor Wat temple complexand surrounding sites) in Cambodia, along with Yangon, Bagan, and Mandalay in Burma (Myanmar) offer the opportunity of a lifetime to discover the legacy of several of the important cultures which form the Southeast Asian mosaic and to capture stunning images of lasting interest.
[Maximum 12 participants, 6 openings]
Like most nature photographers, I’ve used photo backpacks for most of my life. They’re great for getting around, working from vehicles, and fitting into small planes. But lugging them through airports or conference centers – especially when combined with other luggage – is hard work, and doesn’t get any easier with age. A roller bag that doubles as a backpack is the obvious solution, but there hasn’t been one that is compact enough to fit nicely in an overhead or on a vehicle seat, until now … 
I’ve been using Adobe’s Photoshop CS6 for awhile now and it’s impressive. I’m glad I can finally share my experiences and even more glad that everyone else can download the beta, for free, from Adobe Labs, starting today. You can read 
Canon today announced a new version of its popular 5D camera. The new 
As a travel and nature photographer, I’m often carrying a large bag full of gear. But for many shorter trips, or for photo tours where I’ll only need shorter lenses, I’m always looking for the perfect travel photo bag that can double as my briefcase. It needs room for at least two cameras (I’m willing to check my third in a solid case or bring a rolling camera bag if I can carry a lot of gear on the plane), a few lenses, and at least one of my flashes. However, I also need to stash my laptop and papers in it – and these days even a tablet. So camera-only bags just don’t cut it. And most briefcases aren’t well suited as camera bags.
As the old saying goes, “f/8 and be there.” That can be just as true of wildlife photography. Even after 12 years of photographing Alaskan Coastal Brown bears every summer, I am surprised with new opportunities each time. This photo of a sow (mother bear) playing “hide and seek” with her cub just won 1st place in the Professional Mammals (I think that means that the photographer is a professional – not the animals
) category of the 
--by David Cardinal
