Ottawa, Canada may not be the easiest place to see birds, or the best place to be a photographer, or even the warmest place... wait, why am I writing about Ottawa? Because I live here, and I've photographed birds and wildlife here for more hours than anywhere else. Ottawa has...
Post Archive By Jason Polak - Page 5
The Best Nikon Cameras for Wildlife Photography (2024)
What is the best Nikon camera for photographing wildlife in 2024? Since "wildlife" encompasses so many things, from birds to lions and everything in between, it's a hard question to answer. If you ask a random wildlife photographer which feature is most important to them, one might say autofocus while...
The Best Frame Rate for Video
In 2012, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” came to cinemas and sparked a controversy. Is it because director Peter Jackson had found a way to turn a short book into a three-film epic, of which this was only the first part? Actually, it wasn’t just that. Instead, Jackson took an unexpected journey himself: He decided…
How to Find Good Locations for Wildlife Photography
I have seen quite a few talented photographers try to photograph wildlife with great gear, only to be a bit disappointed at their first shots. The biggest reason for their lack of success was neither the gear nor their talent, but their choice of location! The importance of location may...
SmallRig AD-01 Video Tripod + Fluid Head Review
Recently, SmallRig released a heavy-duty, inexpensive tripod called the AD-01, which ships with a fluid head. As someone who shoots both stills and video, I was very excited to try it out. However, after testing the tripod, I have some reservations. In this review, I'll tell you what I think...
Choosing the Best Lens for Wildlife Photography
Wildlife photography is one genre where the right lens makes a big difference, and the wrong one simply won’t let you get the shot. Wild animals may not be at optimal distances and they frequently appear in challenging light. So, how can you find the best lens to overcome the challenges of wildlife photography?
What Is a Camera’s Buffer and How Can You Maximize It?
Have you ever wondered what a camera buffer is and why it slows down your camera? Any time you shoot a burst of photos, your camera places these shots in a buffer before writing them to the memory card. But why does this image buffer exist, and what do you need...
The Best Lenses for the Nikon D500 (2024)
The Nikon D500 is the most advanced Nikon APS-C DSLR. Because it uses the F-mount, it can use any of the over three hundred lenses in existence. But the D500 has one of the most advanced autofocus systems and so certain lenses will shine on the D500 much more compared...
Staying Motivated in Photography
Do you find your interest in photography to be constant or does it waver? Passion and interest are a complex topics for me. I find myself trying to answer why my interest in photography has remained strong over the years even through distractions and challenges along the way.
Bird Photography in Southeastern Arizona
At the beginning of May, I travelled to southeastern Arizona on a wildlife photography trip. This is one of the southernmost areas of the United States. Thanks to its dry desert environment, the species here are quite different than those found in many other parts of North America. After arriving,...