Essays and Inspiration Category Archive - Page 4

The Sword-Billed Hummingbird: A Knight of the Andes

To date, we know about 377 different species of hummingbirds. The vast majority are found in various habitats in Central and South America. Distinguishing between species takes some practice, as the differences are often subtle. However, the species I'm going to introduce to you today is an exception. You only...

Some Notes on AI, ChatGPT, and the Photography World

One of my favorite expressions is a “sea change” moment. Even Merriam-Webster’s entry for sea change is highly evocative: “Archaic. A change brought about by the sea.” You can imagine a time in the past when the ocean represented the ultimate unknown. To watch the sea, of all things, change, would be grand and terrifying.

The Hard Life of a Predator

Being at the top of the food chain doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figured out. Sure, it’s nice to slither through the woods, swim in the water, or lurk in a burrow, knowing that nothing can eat you. But like everything else in this world, being a predator has its bugs. Literally.

Photographing Atlantic Puffins on the Island of Runde

Few birds have the gift of evoking such sympathy in humans as the small, comical-looking puffin. In many ways, its appearance is reminiscent of penguins, although the two aren't closely related. Nor do they share a habitat: Penguins are inhabitants of the Southern Hemisphere, while all four species of puffins...

Helpful Photography Reminders for the New Year

It’s not the most exciting part of photography, but it’s one of the most important: Getting your ducks in a row! There are some critical behind-the-scenes parts of photography, like backing up your photos, that you don’t want to forget. Here are five of my top reminders as we venture into 2023.

Highlights from an Exciting 2022 at Photography Life

Another year is wrapping up, and it was a big one! Our team at Photography Life grew by four talented writers during 2022. Meanwhile, the photography world kept chugging along with new technological developments, especially in artificial intelligence. Here’s how I see the “best of 2022” from my position as the Editor of Photography Life.

Behind the Photos: Australian Bowerbirds

Kangaroos with babies in a pouch, cute koalas eating eucalyptus leaves, and the world’s most venomous snakes… All of these things come to mind when you say Australia. But have you ever heard of bowerbirds? We’ll take a closer look at two of them in today’s edition of “Behind the Photos.”

Bird Photography in Ottawa: Challenge or Opportunity?

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...