If you asked me what my least favorite sort of light is for wildlife photography, it would be midday sun. When the sun is high in the sky, all sorts of problems occur. You get harsh shadows on the animals, harsh light in the background (translating to distracting bokeh), reduced...
Post Archive By Jason Polak - Page 3
The Current State of Nikon Z DX Cameras (2024)
Nikon has now released four Z-mount cameras with a DX sensor: the Z50, Zfc, Z30, and Z50 II. You may be wondering how all of them compare, especially with the new Z50 II shaking things up. In this article, I’ll show how all of these cameras stand side-by-side and explain some of the history behind them.
Deep in the Atlantic Forest of São Paulo
When wildlife photographers think of Brazil, they might think of the Amazon or Pantanal. And although these biodiversity hotspots are full of amazing animals, they are not the only places in the country for wildlife photography. They can even be touristy and highly guided at times. If you want to...
Nikon to Develop the Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ
Nikon has just announced the development of the Nikkor Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ power zoom lens for full-frame Nikon Z-mount cameras. Although Nikon already has one power zoom lens for APS-C cameras, the Nikon Z DX 12-28mm f/3.5-5.6 PZ VR, this will be the first power zoom lens for their...
Why My Birds Aren’t Doing Anything
Over the years, I've received some criticism on my photography, and I think that's a good thing. I've appreciated all of it, because on the whole it has made me a better photographer. After all, I have so many blind spots where I just don't see problems. But there is...
Tamron Announces 90mm f/2.8 Macro for Nikon Z and Sony E
There are already plenty of outstanding macro lenses for both the Nikon Z mount and the Sony E mount. Well, Tamron has just announced a new contribution, the Tamron 90mm F/2.8 Di III MACRO VXD, Model F072. This is a nice upgrade to the older Tamron 90mm f/2.8 versions for...
The Quest for 5000 Birds
About four years ago, I came up with a simple goal: photograph 5000 species of birds. How did I even think of such a plan? It all began with two questions: What is that bird over there? How is that bird related to the others? Soon, I started keeping track...
Optimizing Shutter Speed in Bird Photography
When it comes to camera settings, shutter speed is the most important variable for bird photography. That’s because it’s the setting that you need to control the most. Optimizing your shutter speed is really the only way to maximize the amount of light you’re getting, while also freezing the bird’s motion.
How to Simplify Compositions in Wildlife Photography
Imagine a parrot on a branch about to fly away, or a monkey peering its head around a tree. Do you want to hit that shutter right away and take a shot? How could you not? It's a beautiful animal - and surely in wildlife photography, we can't control much......
Black and White and Wildlife
Splash on that color, those bright blues and greens and reds! Soft feathers and golden light, warm fur and rich browns, smooth exoskeletons with a mesmerizing plethora of endless iridescence all beckon to the lens. How can the wildlife photographer resist the epic array of beautiful color from the world...